Today's match has been moved to a 1:15 p.m. start time and the venue has been switch to the North Field due to heavy rain. For more information please visit https://fiusports.com/VenueChange. 

Miami, Fla. – FIU Women's Soccer (8-3, 3-0 CUSA) will stay in Miami and take on the University of Texas - El Paso (3-6-3, 0-3-1 CUSA) on Sunday, October 6 at 1:00 p.m, with streaming available on ESPN+.

Thursday, Oct. 6 vs UTEP

• Time / Site: 1 p.m. / Leyva Family Field at FIU Soccer Stadium

• TV

• Live Stats

• Presented by Baptist Health, The Official Sports Medicine Provider of FIU Athletics 

FIU is coming off a match over the 2023 CUSA regular season champions in New Mexico State, where the Panthers defeated the Aggies 3-0 at home for their fifth consecutive victory. 

Aggressive starts to matches has been a staple for the Panthers for the entire season, continuing that trend against NM State when a red card was pulled early in the game on a New Mexico State defender after she pulled on the back of the jersey of an FIU attacker to stop her from scoring. The Aggies played the rest of the contest with 10 players.

Scoring opened up for the Panthers at the end of the first half, when senior Camille Sahirul snuck a perfect pass through the New Mexico State defense to Noemi Paquin, who promptly scored her ninth goal of the season, giving the Panthers a 1-0 lead at the 44:14 mark. FIU ended the first half with nine shots and four shots on goal, the Aggies with zero of both.

The Panthers added on early in the second half, when after a couple good chances for FIU were saved by the NM State goalkeeper, Nikole Solis found the rebound and netted her sixth goal of the season, giving the Panthers a 2-0 lead in the 50th minute.

FIU scored their third and final goal of the evening when Camille Sahirul once again found Noemi Paquin, who scored her second goal of the match and tenth of the season. The score marked four straight games with two or more goals in a match for Paquin, who has the most goals in the entire country since September 12 with nine.

The defense played lights out, allowing just one shot and zero shots on goal in the game. It is the fifth time this season the Panthers have secured a shutout and the third time in the last four contests.

SO FAR THIS SEASON

FIU is 8-3 and 3-0 in conference play heading into their matchup with New Mexico State. Their first two wins of the season came against FGCU, winning against the Eagles for the first time since the 2010 season, and Florida Atlantic, beating the Owls for the first time since the 2011 season. Their third victory came against another Florida team in Jacksonville in a 3-0 result. The Panthers cruised through their next five victories, beating Southeastern Louisiana 6-0, SEMO 3-0, MTSU 4-2, Liberty 3-0 and New Mexico State 3-0. 

All three losing results for the Panthers have come by just one goal, including against two Power-4 schools in Oklahoma and Miami.

Forward Noemi Paquin continues her tear, now with nine goals in her last four games, most in the NCAA since the streak started September 12. The scores are the most in that time frame in Conference USA, and now leaves first in goals scored in the conference this season with 10, and most goals scored in conference play with 7. 

Nikole Solis is not far behind her, with the senior netting six goals on the year after her score against NM State, good for sixth in CUSA. Montelene Dymond is third on the Panthers with three goals, while senior Arianna Sparrow and junior Catherine Rapp have netted two so far this season. Senior Reagan Bridges, along with juniors Ashly Martinez, Elizabeth Rapp, and first year Antonella Solari are all credited with one goal on the season.

Antonella Solari scored the first goal for the Panthers on the season off of an assist by fellow first year Rebecca Baldelomar, an equalizer at the end of the first half of their win against FGCU.

THE RETURNERS

FIU welcomes back nine seniors this season, including First Team All-CUSA selection Noemi Paquin, Second Team selections Reagan Bridges, Camille Sahirul and Nikole Solis, and Third Team selection Delinda Sehlin.

Solis was the leading scorer for the Panthers in 2023 with 10 goals, and led CUSA in points with 23, while Paquin was eighth in CUSA in points last season with five goals and five assists.

SCOUTING THE MINERS

At 3-6-3, UTEP has struggled so far this season, with their last winning result coming on September 15 against Texas Southern. Since then, the Miners have gone 0-3-1, all against CUSA opponents. 

UTEP finished the 2023 regular season eighth in CUSA with a 2-11-4 overall record and a 1-4-3 CUSA record. As a result, the Miners were selected to finish ninth in the 2024 CUSA Preseason Poll and did not have any players make the CUSA Preseason All-Conference Team.

UTEP has been led by freshman forward Ana Quintero, who leads the Miners with four goals on the season. Junior Mina Rodriguez is first on the team in assists with three, tied for fourth in CUSA. UTEP's goalkeeper, senior Angelina Amparano, is fourth in CUSA in Goal Against Average, allowing .905 goals a game with a .743 save percentage, fifth in CUSA. 

CUSA PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

Offensive Player of the Week

September 17 - Noemi Paquin

September 24 - Noemi Paquin

September 24 - Noemi Paquin

Defensive Player of the Week 

August 27 - Reagan Bridges

Goalkeeper of the Week

August 27 - Valery Restrepo

September 10- Valery Restrepo

October 1- Valery Restrepo
 

2024 Home Schedule Promotional Calendar

 

DATE	OPPONENT	THEME	GIVEAWAY
September 7	Southeastern Louisiana	Home Opener & Alumni Day	--
September 12	SEMO	Vice Night	Vice T-Shirt Giveaway & First 50 fans get a free beverage of their choice
October 3	New Mexico State	Senior Night	Tanktop Giveaway
Octobr 6	UTEP	Youth Club Day	Mini Autographed Balls
October 27	Western Kentucky	Staff Appreciation	T-Shirt Giveaway for Staff
October 31	Jacksonville State	Halloween	Vice T-Shirt Giveaway

 

SOCIAL MEDIA

Fans are encouraged to follow the Panthers on Instagram (@FIUWSoccer), Twitter (@FIUWSoccer), and Facebook (Facebook.com/FIUWSoccer) for all the latest Women's Soccer news.

General athletic news can also be found at @FIUSports on Facebook and @FIUAthletics on Twitter and Instagram.