MONTEVALLO, Ala. – The University of West Alabama women's soccer team will open the 2015 season on Friday at 5 p.m. against Lincoln Memorial University on a neutral pitch in Montevallo, Ala.
The Tigers will enter the new season following its best record of 14-5-1 overall and best win streak of nine matches in 2014. UWA reached as high as sixth place in the NCAA Regional Rankings, before falling to North Alabama in the quarter-finals Gulf South Conference tournament.
"The ladies have come in with a big appetite and have worked very hard in the preseason," said West Alabama Head Women's Soccer Coach
Graeme Orr.
"What we've done in the past is really irrelevant now, and I think the ladies understand that. What we've been working on the last few years is playing a better brand of soccer where we can possess the ball and create a lot of opportunities. The game today, though, you also have to be wary of quick counter attacks. I think we're just getting better at what we've been trying to do, and I think we have seen the ladies play with more confidence, freedom and attitude."
UWA returns a two preseason All-GSC selections in goalkeeper
Issy Foster and midfielder
Katy Morris. Morris was second on the team in points last season, scoring four goals with six assists. Foster helped the Tigers account for the GSC's second-best scoring defense by accumulating a 0.80 goals against average, 51 saves and a 12-5-1 record.
With a young roster that features eight freshmen and eight sophomores paired alongside nine upperclassmen. Freshman forward Sena Wogormebu and freshman midfielder Nicole Giarruso were spotlighted as two of the GSC's Top Newcomers in the preseason.
West Alabama is 3-1 in season openers, dropping its first opener to Pfeiffer University 1-0 last season. Lincoln Memorial enters 10-2 in season openers under head coach Helio D'Anna, also opening 2014 with a 4-1 loss to GSC opponent West Florida.
Lincoln Memorial finished fourth in the South Atlantic Conference last year with a 9-4-3 overall record.
"LMU is an excellent side, arguably the toughest opening game we've ever had," Orr said. "They are always at the top of their conference and pushing for an NCAA Tournament spot. We had to toughen up the schedule in order to be ready for our conference play this year, because the GSC is going to be the strongest it's ever been. It will give us a good first test and we will evaluate where we are after that.
The Lady Railsplitters' roster features 13 freshmen that will be vying for playing time in the opening weekend of competition.
LMU and the Tigers have no previous meetings, as the UWA women's soccer program wasn't established until 2011, four years after Lincoln Memorial left the GSC for the South Atlantic Conference.
