DULUTH, Minn. (
csssaints.com) – The St. Scholastica women's soccer team will take on No. 17 University of Wisconsin-La Crosse in its first game of the season on Friday at Saints Field, followed by the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater on Saturday as part of the BSN Sports Labor Day Challenge.
Where:
Saints Field – Duluth, Minn.
When:
Friday
Noon vs. UW-La Crosse
(VIDEO | STATS)
Saturday
2:00 p.m. vs. UW-Whitewater
(VIDEO | STATS)
Social Media:
Twitter:
www.twitter.com/CSSWsoccer
Instagram:
www.instagram.com/css_wsoccer
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/pages/The-College-of-St-Scholastica-Womens-Soccer/85467408435
St. Scholastica Saints
Stats
2018 Record: 13-5-2, 11-0-1 UMAC
Upper Midwest Athletic Conference: Standings | Stats
What You Need to Know about the Saints:
-The Saints are the preseason favorite to win the UMAC championship again in 2019.
-The Saints finished the regular season unbeaten in UMAC play for the first time since the 2014 season.
-A new conference schedule format this season will mean the Saints play everyone just once, while now playing 11 non-conference games.
-Of those 11 non-conference games, the Saints will face the preseason favorites of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC), the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) and the American Rivers Conference (ARC).
-The Saints return 62 percent of their goal scoring from a season ago, including seven starters
-Returning players will include 2019 UMAC Player and Rookie of the Year
Morgan Friday (Duluth, Minn./Shattuck St. Mary's HS), as well as, All-Region selection Senior
Lexie DeWall (Proctor, Minn./Proctor HS (Morningside)).
-In goal, the Saints will have a new starter as senior
Chiara DeLuca (Twig, Minn./Proctor HS), junior transfer
Alexa Gothard (Hibbing, Minn./Hibbing HS (Lake Superior College)), sophomore
Taelynn Gittins (Hugo, Minn./Mahtomedi HS) and freshmen
Samantha Menomin (Columbus, Wis./Columbus HS) will contend for a starting spot.
-DeLuca is the only one to have competed in a varsity game for the Saints.
-The Saints will be carrying eight seniors, four juniors and eight sophomores, while the majority of the roster will be their 23 new freshmen.
What You Need to Know about UW-La Crosse:
2018 Record: 18-3-3, 6-0-1 WIAC
-The Eagles are the preseason favorite in the WIAC after succeeding to do so for the past two years.
-UWL is ranked No. 17 in the preseason United Soccer Coaches (USC) Division III poll.
-The Eagles will be carrying only two seniors, five juniors, and five sophomores.
-The Eagles will be led by All-WIAC goaltender Lily Brock, as well as, junior forward Kaitlyn Villars, who was a Second Team All-North Region selection in 2017.
-La Crosse advance to the third round of the NCAA Tournament last season, its third appearance in the last four years.
Series Record: UW-La Crosse leads 2-0
(Last Meeting: 2-0 UWL – 11/11/2017)
Series History: This will be the first time the Saints will face the Eagles on Saints Field … The Eagles have won the previous two meetings, including the first round matchup of the 2017 NCAA Division III Tournament.
What You Need to Know about UW-Whitewater:
2018 Record: 10-10-1, 3-4-0 WIAC
-The Warhawks will open the season on Friday at The College of Saint Benedict, which also part of the BSN Sports Labor Day Challenge.
-Whitewater is picked to finish fourth in the WIAC this season.
-The Warhawks return seven starters from last year's team.
-Senior Nina Yonan is returning this year after finishing last year's season with a WIAC-best 96 saves.
-Forward Anna Boyd is a two-time First Team All-WIAC choice and led the team in scoring with nine goals last season.
-The Warhawks finished fourth in the WIAC last year and made it to their conference semifinals.
Series Record: UW-Whitewater leads 3-0
(Last Meeting: 1-0 UWW – 9/3/2017)
Series History: This will be the third time in four meetings the Warhawks will face the Saints in Duluth … CSS has yet to score a goal on the Warhawks on its home field.
Looking Ahead: The Saints travel to Loras College (Iowa) to face the Duhawks next Saturday.
