The 13th-ranked Siena Heights women's soccer team will host ninth-ranked Northwestern Ohio in the NAIA Women's Soccer Game of the Week. The Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference matchup will take place at O'Laughlin Stadium tonight at 7 p.m.

Below is a writeup by Mike DeVader, NAIA Communications Sports Information Intern.

No. 9 Northwestern Ohio Hits the Road for a Showdown Against No. 13 Siena Heights (Mich.) in the NAIA Women's Soccer Match of the Week

October 08, 2014

Link to the article: http://www.naia.org/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=27900&ATCLID=209703747

By Mike DeVader, Communications and Sports Information Intern

NAIA Match of the Week – No. 7                                               
No. 13 Siena Heights (Mich.) (11-1-0, 3-0-0 WHAC) vs. No. 9 Northwestern Ohio (9-0-1, 3-0-0 WHAC)
Wed., Oct. 8 | 7 p.m. EDT | O'laughlin Stadium | Adrian, Mich. 
Live Stats – Provided by Siena Heights and Stretch Internet 

• No. 9 Northwestern Ohio travels to Adrian, Mich., to take on No. 13 Siena Heights (Mich.) in a Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) matchup in this week's edition of the NAIA Women's Soccer Match of the Week.
• The Racers enter the contest having won four in-a-row, including a perfect 5-0 mark on the road this year. 
• The Saints are undefeated at home (7-0), with their last home victory coming on Oct. 1 against then-No. 7 Davenport (Mich.), 1-0. Siena Heights has won six-consecutive matches.
• Something has to give in this match as both clubs enter Wednesday's duel with 3-0 records in WHAC play.
• Northwestern Ohio has played dominant defense for more than a month, not allowing a goal since a 4-3 double overtime win over Thomas (Ga.) on Aug. 29. The Racers only non-win on their schedule was against Mount Vernon Nazarene (Ohio) on Sept. 13. The bout ended in a 0-0 stand-still.
• During Northwestern Ohio's last eight contests – the Racers have outscored their opponents 29-0.
• Northwest Ohio's last road victory came on Oct. 4 against Lawrence Tech (Mich.), 3-0. 
• The Racers have shut out their opponents in their last four away contests, and have not surrendered a score since Aug. 27 in a 2-1 win over then-No. 17 Brenau (Ga.).
• Pitching a shutout is becoming a habit for the Saints as well, having not allowed a goal in the last six matches. The last score Siena Heights gave up at home was on Sept. 13 against Bethel (Ind.). The Saints won 3-1.
• Opponents have only scored four times all year on a stout Siena Heights defense.
• The Saints' only defeat came at the hands of Saint Francis (Ind.), 1-0, on Sept. 16. Saint Francis' Heather Jones put in the game's only goal in the 21st minute.
• The two squads faced off last year on Oct. 9, with the Saints coming out on top 2-1. Sarah Huchet scored in the 35th minute on a free kick to give Northwestern Ohio a 1-0 lead. It would stick until two late goals from the Saints – the first from Megan Michels and the second from Paige Frey.
• With both clubs playing lockdown defense, scoring chances could be few and far between on Wednesday. In last years' get-together, only eight shots on goal were allowed.
• If the 2013 version of this conference rivalry is any indication, the team that plays the most physical could claim the upper-hand when the final whistle blows. Last year, there were 19 fouls called against Siena Heights and 17 called against the Racers. Each team also received two yellow cards.
• If Siena Heights is going to hand Northwestern Ohio its first loss of the season, look for the offense to revolve around Samantha Bartelotti. The freshman leads the squad in goals (9) and points (20). Although Bartelotti is currently in a three-match scoreless drought, she has recorded two goals in two matches this season – Sept. 12 against then-No. 16 Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) and Trinity Christian (Ill.) on Sept. 19.
• Trying to stop Bartelotti and the rest of the Saints' attack will be Racers' goalkeeper, Nadine Stonjek. So far this season, Stonjek has allowed only four scores and has eight-straight shutouts.
• It will be a tall task to blank the Saints, as they are averaging 2.5 goals per game in 2014. 
• The last regular season WHAC loss for Northwestern Ohio came in this matchup last season. Siena Heights' last defeat in conference play was Oct. 19, 2013 to Concordia (Mich.), 1-0.