DULUTH, Minn. (csssaints.com) – The St. Scholastica women's soccer team will open its 2014 season with one of the toughest non-conference schedules in the country and it all begins this weekend in San Antonio, Texas.
 
Where:
McGinlay Soccer Field – Trinity University
 
When:
Friday
#2 Trinity – 6 p.m.
Saturday
# 16 Hardin-Simmons – 6 p.m.
 
Watch: Hardin-Simmons game only (http://portal.stretchinternet.com/trinitytigers/)
 
Live Stats: http://portal.stretchinternet.com/trinitytigers/
 
Social Media:
Twitter: twitter.com/CSSsaints
Instagram: instagram.com/csssaints
 
St. Scholastica Saints
Roster | 2013 Stats
2013 Record: 18-3-1, 14-0-0 UMAC
Upper Midwest Athletic Conference: Standings | Stats
 
The St. Scholastica women's soccer team will be in search of its seventh NCAA Tournament appearance in the last eight seasons and it will be put to the test early in the season as its first three games are against nationally-ranked opponents … The Saints have won 13 straight Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) regular season titles.
 
Who's Back: The Saints return five starters from last year's team, including three-time UMAC Offensive Player of the Year Kelsey Kehtel (Duluth, Minn./Duluth East HS) … Kehtel set a single-season program record with 30 goals and her 68 points were the second-most in a season in program history last season … Midfielder Casey Mitchell (St. Cloud, Minn./St. Cloud Tech) registered 12 goals and nine assists last season … She finished in the top six of the conference in goals (11), assists (7) and points (29) in league games … Alexi Bopray (River Falls, Wis./River Falls HS) and Amy Heilman (Ham Lake, Minn./Blaine HS) return as defenders … Bopray missed most of last season due to injury … Heilman started 20 games … Kelsey Reeves (Eagle River, Alaska/Eagle River HS ) returns in net for the Saints … Reeves was injured a portion of last season, but still managed to record eight shutouts and record nine wins … Look for senior Jalyn Britton (Eagan, Minn./St. Croix Lutheran HS) to have a big role this season … In only 625 minutes last season, Britton recorded six goals and five assists … Junior Morgan Osborne (Saint Peter, Minn./Saint Peter HS) moves from midfield to defender this season … As a reserve last season, Leah Hamm (Duluth, Minn./Duluth Denfeld HS) finished second on the team with 40 points (15 goals, 10 assists) … Taylor Rozmark (Blaine, Minn./Blaine HS ), who was named captain as a sophomore will also see increased minutes.
 
Who's Gone: Two-time all-region defender and 2013 UMAC Defensive Player of the year Logan Williamson (Bloomington, Minn./Jefferson HS) has graduated … As a defender she led the conference with 13 assists and also added four goals … Another all-region performer Shannon Carlson (Woodbury, Minn./Woodbury HS) … Carlson, a two-time First Team All-UMAC selection provided instant offense for the Saints in her career … Lauren Lynch (Maple Grove, Minn./Maple Grove HS) was steady in the midfielder her senior season on her way to being named an all-region choice.
 
Newcomers: Seven freshmen make up head coach Dave Reyelts' roster … Peyton Bacso (Plymouth, Minn./Wayzata HS (Minnesota-Duluth) ) and Hannah Cederstrom (Woodbury, Minn./Woodbury HS ) will see time in the midfield and Duluth Denfeld's Taylor Olson (Duluth, Minn./Duluth Denfeld HS ) at forward.
 
Kehtel's Success vs. Trinity: In the one and only matchup with Trinity at the 2011 NCAA Tournament, Kehtel scored two goals in the first 31 minutes as a freshman against the third-ranked Tigers … Trinity went on to win 5-2.
 
Unblemished thru the UMAC: CSS finished unbeaten and untied in UMAC regular season play in 2013 for the first time since the 2008 season.
 
Difficult Start: CSS opens with three-ranked teams: #2 Trinity, #16 Hardin Simmons and #7 Wheaton (Ill.) … The Saints also face Concordia-Moorhead and Macalester out of the MIAC and UW-River Falls as their non-conference slate.
 
Must Beat the Heat: Temperatures in Duluth have ranged in the 60s and 70s during preseason camp … Forecasted game temperatures this weekend are 96-degrees on Friday and 97-degrees on Saturday.
 
Top 5 Games to Watch
8/29 – at Trinity
Season opener for the Saints … The Tigers advanced to the national title game in 2013 before falling to William Smith (N.Y.).
9/5 – vs. Wheaton
As part of the Cobber Classic in Moorhead … The Thunder are ranked seventh in the preseason and advanced to the NCAA quarterfinals last season before falling to Trinity
9/13 – vs. UW-River Falls
The annual battle for the Chalice … Home opener for the Saints … CSS won 2-0 last season.
10/4 – vs. Minnesota Morris
Homecoming at CSS … Top two teams in the UMAC … The Saints have not allowed a goal to the Cougars since falling 1-0 at home to the Cougars in 2012, snapping CSS' 99-game conference unbeaten streak.
10/7 – at Macalester
The Saints are 0-7 all-time at Macalester and have yet to score a goal at Macalester Stadium.
 
UMAC Preseason Poll
1. 49 Points – College of St. Scholastica (7 First Place Votes)
2. 43 Points – University of Minnesota Morris (1)
3. 32 Points - University of Northwestern
4. 26 Points – Martin Luther College
5. 25 Points – Bethany Lutheran College
6. 21 Points – Northland College
7. 20 Points – Crown College
8. 8 Points – North Central University
 
Opponents this Weekend
Trinity University Tigers
The Tigers made it to the NCAA National semifinals for the third time in program history last season and their first NCAA National Championship game appearance before falling to William Smith (N.Y.) … Trinity returns a lot of firepower in senior midfielders Emily Jorgens, Kelsey Falcone and Kirby Peddicord … Jorgens set a NCAA Division III single-season record with 30 assists last season and was a First Team All-American … Falcone was a Second Team All-American … Senior goalkeeper Devan Osegueda also returns.
Hardin-Simmons University Cowgirls
The Cowgirls have been selected to win their 12^th straight American Southwest Conference (ASC) title this preseason … Hardin-Simmons only returns four starters from 2013 where it was eliminated from the second round of the NCAA Tournament … Of those starters, 2013 ASC Offensive Player of the Year Julianne Kucera returns … The Cowgirls lost a pair of All-Americans on the back line and will move Katie Haltiwanger to defender as she has been named the ASC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year.