Women's Soccer Hosts WKU for Lone Exhibition

Sunday, August 14

Cincinnati, Ohio

6:30 p.m.

Xavier University

Western Kentucky University (exhibition)

Photo by: Bob Stevens

08.12.16 | Women's Soccer

Musketeers take on Hilltoppers on Sunday at 6:30

By: Hayley Schletker, Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI - Xavier women's soccer opens the 2016 season with an exhibition match against Western Kentucky University on Sunday, August 14. The match is set for a 6:30 p.m. first kick at the XU Soccer Complex.

FAMILIAR FACES

Xavier returns 18 letter winners, including nine starters, from last year's campaign that posted the best season for the program since joining the BIG EAST Conference in 2013.

The 2015 Musketeers posted the highest scoring season for the program since 2006. Xavier totaled 87 points off 28 goals and 31 assists, with the points and dishes totals ranking second all-time in program history.

Xavier's top three point-earners from 2015 return, including seven-goal scorers sophomore Samantha Dewey and junior Kenadie Carlson. Junior Skylar Groth also chipped in three goals and three assists last season to stand at third in the team's point totals.

On the defensive end, the Musketeers return the core of a backline that forced eight shutouts last season, including senior Courtney Kobashigawa and junior Carly Alfano who each totaled over 1,400 minutes last season. Senior goalkeeper Rachel Piccus also returns after starting all 18 games last season and picking up eight wins and six complete shut outs.

MUSKETEER NEWCOMERS

Xavier added seven newcomers to the roster, including a pair of JUCO transfers entering their junior seasons.

Kennedy Rose, a midfielder/defender from Tyler, Texas, joins the Musketeers from Tyler Junior College where she collected over 30 wins during her two years there. Rose earned spots on the NJCAA All-Region team, the National Tournament All-Tournament Team and NJCAA All-American team. Rose was also named an All-American by the NSCAA.

Shay Martinez is a defender joining the Musketeers after a pair of seasons at Phoenix College. Martinez, a native of Glendale, Ariz., started every game with the Bears, earning ACCAC All-Region One second team honors last season. She also grabbed honorable mention honors in the ACCAC for her rookie season in 2014.

Xavier also added a class of five talented freshmen. The Musketeers added a pair of local products, Toni Bizzarro, a goalkeeper from Mason, Ohio and defender/midfielder Addy Smythe, a graduate of Summit Country Day in Cincinnati.

Head coach Woody Sherwood looked west for the rest of his newcomers, picking up midfielder Abby O'Keefe of St. Louis, midfielder/forward Courtney Lankford out of Glendale, Ariz. and Makayla Kolberg, a midfielder/defender out of Castle Pines, Colo.

ABOUT WESTERN KENTUCKY

Western Kentucky returns nine starters and adds six newcomers to a squad that ended the 2015 slate with an 8-6-5 record.

Among WKU's returnees are Iris Dunn and Hannah Chua, who each finished with 11 points to lead the team last season, and goalkeeper Allison Leone, who played every minute in net for the Hilltoppers over the last two seasons.

Western Kentucky opens up the season on Friday night, hosting Northern Kentucky for an exhibition match before traveling to Cincinnati to face the Musketeers.

PRESEASON POLLS

Xavier was picked eighth in the BIG EAST Preseason Coaches' poll for the 2016 season. The slot is the highest preseason ranking the Musketeers have earned since joining the conference, following a season in which the Musketeers surpassed preseason expectations to finish seventh in the league, just one spot out of contention for the BIG EAST Championship.

Xavier collected 26 points from league coaches, which is at least 10 votes more than the Musketeers had previously received in the BIG EAST preseason poll.

The Georgetown Hoyas were unanimously selected to win the league.