SEASON PREVIEW: Xavier Women's Soccer

08.10.18 | Women's Soccer

2018 Women's Soccer Schedule

Nate Lie's second campaign begins August 17 with Toledo

By: Hayley Schletker, Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI – Xavier women's soccer kicks off the 2018-19 Xavier Athletics schedule with the first official contest, at home against Toledo on Friday, August 17 at 7:00 p.m.

The Musketeers, picked to finish seventh in the BIG EAST, are coming off a fifth-place finish in the 2017 season, which earned the program's first berth to the BIG EAST Championship since joining the conference.

In Nate Lie's first season as head coach, Xavier finished the season 8-8-4 overall, marking the first season at .500 or above since 2013, when Xavier finished 9-8-1. The Musketeers' record of 4-3-2 in BIG EAST play, posting a winning conference record for the first time since 2005. Xavier finished the regular season with a program-best 14 points in the BIG EAST standings.

The Musketeers return 14 letter-winners, including six starters, from last season. Xavier also adds a deep pool of newcomers, including four transfers.

Before starting the official season with Toledo, Xavier will play its lone exhibition match at Eastern Kentucky on Sunday, August 12 at 1:00 p.m.

FORWARDS

Xavier returns 75 percent of its scoring from last season, including the scorers of 14 of the team's 19 goals. Leading scorer Sydney Schembri is back after finishing with 12 points on six goals as a rookie, earning BIG EAST Freshman of the Year and All-Freshman Team honors.

Emma Westwater returns as a senior after a nine-point junior season, scored on four goals and an assist.

Xavier's most notable loss from 2017 is redshirt senior Tori Doss who earned All-BIG EAST Second Team honors and was named First Team CoSIDA Academic All-American after leading the Musketeers in scoring during BIG EAST play.

The Musketeers' attack is bolstered by the return of two of the program's most prolific scorers in recent years, redshirt junior Samantha Dewey and redshirt senior Kenadie Carlson.

Dewey was recently named to the Preseason All-BIG EAST Team for a second straight year. She began 2017 on pace for an All-Conference season, scoring three goals in five games before sitting out due to injury.

Prior to last season, Dewey's 20-point, four-assist sophomore season earned Second Team All-BIG EAST. Dewey also broke the 20-point plane as a freshman, with seven goals and eight assists, to earn All-Freshman Team honors.

Carlson also returns after sitting out all of 2017 due to injury. Carlson stood behind just Dewey in scoring in 2016, with 10 points on three goals and four assists. As a sophomore in 2015, Carlson matched Dewey for team-high in goals, finishing with seven to go with four assists for 18 points.

Xavier also adds a pair of transfers up front, Sabrina Kunimoto, a sophomore from Delaware, and Raechel Eck, a grad transfer from Akron with two years of eligibility remaining.

Four freshmen also join Xavier's offensive attack, Grace Brauer, Makenna Jordahl, Reagan Norvell and Brooke Sroka.

MIDFIELD

Though the Musketeers lost senior Skylar Groth to graduation, Xavier returns the core of its midfield with Carrie Lewis and Courtney Lankford who, combined, accounted for six of Xavier's 14 assists on the season. Lewis led the Musketeers with four in a season where she started every match, while Lankford added a pair.

Xavier also returns Jessica Miller, who started two of the first three games last season before sitting out due to injury. Emily Burton and Abby O'Keefe combined to make 16 starts last season after Miller's injury. O'Keefe assisted on a pair of goals and Burton added an assist as well.

Makayla Kolberg, who made multiple starts in 2017, and Megan Sullivan, who appeared in 15 matches, also return.

The Musketeers brought in a pair of experienced transfers in the midfield for the 2018 spring season, Claire Fisher, a sophomore transfer from Tennessee, and Grace Bahr, a junior transfer from Wisconsin.

Rachel Dewey, younger sister of Samantha Dewey, makes up part of a quartet of freshmen midfielders, which also includes Jordan Reddington, Molly McLaughlin and Rachel Butler.

DEFENSE

After a season where the Musketeers limited 16 of 20 opponents to a single goal or less, including every BIG EAST regular season match-up, Xavier looks to replace the core of its backline after losing starting backs Addie Englehart, Maddie Tierney and Carly Alfano, a Second Team All-BIG EAST and CoSIDA Academic All-American.

Xavier returns senior defender Andie Kennard for her senior season after a junior campaign where she was second on the team in minutes played. Kennard also recorded her first career goal in 2017, the game-winner against Ohio.

Redshirt-freshman Abi Janszen also returns for the Musketeers after being limited to three appearance due to injury.

Xavier added five newcomers in the backfield, freshmen Hayley Jakovich, Isabella Langusch, Jenna Leslie, Allison Klimkowski and Olivia Popovich, to help fill the void left by graduation.

IN GOAL

Goalkeeper Toni Bizzarro, who started all 19 games she appeared in last season, returns for her junior season. Bizzarro collected eight wins, including four shutouts last season, making 106 saves for a .828 save percentage with a GAA of 1.09.

After losing back-ups Libby Grace, who appeared in two matches last season, and Camryn Yacks, Xavier added a pair of freshmen goalkeepers, Olivia Jenkins and Caroline Welsh, to join Bizzarro.