#3 VALPARAISO (9-7-2, 3-3 Mid-Con) at Mid-Continent Conference Tournament

Valparaiso will travel to Rochester, Mich. this weekend for the Mid-Continent Conference Women's Soccer Tournament. The Crusaders, the tournament's third seed, will battle second-seeded Centenary on Friday afternoon. With a win, the Brown and Gold would advance to the championship on Sunday. The tournament champion will earn the Mid-Con's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Valpo has never won a Mid-Con Tournament title nor have the Crusaders ever advanced to the NCAA Tournament.

WHAT: Mid-Continent Conference Tournament

WHEN: Semifinals: Friday, November 5
#1 Oral Roberts at #4 Oakland, 10:30 a.m. CST.
#2 Centenary vs. #3 Valparaiso, 1:30 p.m. CST.
Championship: Sunday, November 7, 12 p.m. CST.

WHERE: OU Soccer Field (1,000), Rochester, Mich.

THE COACH: Valparaiso is led by Stephen Anthony, who is in his 7th season overall and with the Crusaders. He is 43-79-9 in his seven seasons.

SERIES RECORDS: Centenary leads the overall series with Valpo 1-0-1. The Ladies defeated the Crusaders this season 1-0 at Centenary back on October 1. Oral Roberts leads the overall series with Valpo 7-2 after a 1-0 win in Valparaiso on October 28. Oakland leads the overall series with the Crusaders 6-2-1, but Valpo won the earlier meeting this season between the two 3-0 at Oakland on October 10.

VALPO IN THE MID-CON TOURNEY: Valparaiso has qualified for the conference tournament in four of the six seasons the league has sponsored women's soccer. The Crusaders advanced to the championship in 1999 after winning on penalty kicks after a 0-0 draw with Oakland. Valpo fell to Oral Roberts in overtime 2-1 in the title tilt. In 2001, the Crusaders dropped a 4-0 decision to Oral Roberts in the semifinals, and fell 1-0 to Oakland in the semis in 2002 in their last appearance.

VALPO IN SEARCH OF SINGLE SEASON WIN RECORD THIS WEEKEND: Valparaiso's nine victories this season are second most in school history. With a win in the semifinals against Centenary, the Brown and Gold would tie the 2001 team with ten triumphs, most ever at Valpo. If Valpo claims the tournament title, the 11 wins would set a new single season mark.

CRUSADERS TIE SCHOOL UNBEATEN MARK EARLIER THIS YEAR: The Crusaders went unbeaten in six straight matches earlier this season, tying the school record set during the 2000 season. This year Valpo went 5-0-1 from October 8 through October 24, recording three shutouts during the span. In 2000, Valpo went 6-0 from September 17 through October 10.

A SPREAD OUT OFFENSE: Of Valpo's 20 players, including goalkeepers, on the roster this season, 16 have either scored a goal or recorded an assist on the season. Thirteen different players have found the back of the net.

CRUSADERS SET SCORING MARKS IN 2004: Valparaiso has set numerous team records offensively during the season. The Crusaders 31 goals surpassed the 2000 total of 30, while the 25 assists this year are eight more than the previous high in 1997 and 2000. Valpo's 87 points shattered the 2000 record of 77.

HOLLEY VALPO'S ALL-TIME ASSIST LEADER: Valpo senior Lindsay Holley has become the all-time career assist leader at Valparaiso University. Her 13 career helpers, including five this year, are two more than Jennifer Grupe's total from 1998-2001.

HOLLEY AND KING AMONG CRUSADERS' TOP SCORERS: Lindsay Holley and Emily King are both tied for fourth all-time in school history with ten career goals. Holley, a senior, has five this season, while King has posted three this year.

MURRAY TIED FOR SINGLE SEASON SHUTOUT RECORD: Freshman goalkeeper Erin Murray has tied the school record for shutouts in a season with five blankings this year. She has matched Amy Cavanaugh's 1999 mark. In addition, her five career shutouts already rank her in a tie for second on Valpo's all-time charts. She trails Cavanaugh by just two on the career list.

HOLLEY AND BARTELS ONE SHY OF ASSIST MARK: Lindsay Holley and Jen Bartels each have five assists on the season, one shy of Holley's single-season school record of six set last year.