This Week
Wed./Fri./Sun., Sept. 16/18/20 -- at Cornell, vs. St. Bonaventure, at Albany 7 p.m./7 p.m./1 p.m.
The Colgate women's soccer team will face regional rival Cornell tomorrow, Wed., Sept. 16th in Ithaca, N.Y. The squad will then return to Van Doren Field to host St. Bonaventure Friday evening at 7 p.m., followed by another road game at Albany on Sunday at 1 p.m.
Scouting the Opposition
Cornell – The Big Red will be looking for their first win of the 2009 campaign when they take on the Raiders. Cornell enters the weekend with a 0-3-1 overall record, yet to play an Ivy League contest. Cornell has been outscored 8-2 in their first four games, but has had more opportunities, as they have out shot their opponents, 50-49. The Big Red is led by their sophomore defender, Sidra Bonner, who has connected for two goals and has two assists. Fellow second year, Kelly Murphy, has backstopped Cornell in three-of-the-four games, accumulated 14 saves and one shutout.
St. Bonaventure – St. Bonaventure will take to the field against the Raiders with a 3-4-0 record, taking wins from Syracuse, Buffalo and Bowling Green. The Bonnies, who are only 1-3-0 on the road are led by junior forward Courtney Bosse whose three goals rank number one on the squad. Just trailing Bosse are junior Anna Cunningham and sophomore Tori Burchett, who each have scored two of their own.
Albany – The Great Danes will play two tough games during the week leading up to their contest against the Raiders on Sept. 20th. Albany has spread out its offense already this season, as seven different women have scored for the Danes. Chelsea DeVerna and Ashley Tirabassi have paved the way though, scoring two apiece. DeVerna also has three helpers on the year, giving her a team-leading seven points.
Last Time Out
The Raiders are looking to battle back after an 0-1-1 weekend where they dropped a game to Syracuse and played to a 1-1 tie against Marist. The lone goal on the weekend came from freshman Avery Atkins who tallied her first collegiate goal against the Red Foxes with less than a minute remaining in regulation. Freshman Ashley Walsh got the start in the two games, making seven against the Syracuse and, a career-high 14 versus the Red Foxes.
Last Time vs. Cornell/St. Bonaventure/Albany
The last time the Colgate took the field against the Big Red, the Raiders came out on top with a 3-2 double overtime win. Jillian Arnault (Clay, N.Y.) capped off the win with just two seconds remaining in the sudden death session. That victory also gave Colgate the edge in their long-time series record, as they now have a 14-13-3 advantage. The Raiders have won their last five matches against their instate rival.
Colgate and St. Bonaventure have only met three times in the program's history with the Raiders having won all three contests. The last time the two teams met on the pitch was in 1999, when the Raiders took the win, 4-2.
While having the all-time series advantage with a 6-3-0 record, Albany took the last meeting between the two teams, 2-1. In that game it was Tirabassi who got the win for the Great Danes, scoring with 31 seconds left in double overtime to give Albany its first win over Colgate since 1984.
Leading the Way
Sophomore Maddie Malone (Glen Ridge, N.J.) leads the Raiders in both goals (2) and points (4) so far this season. Senior Jamie Herrmann (Seattle, Wash.) has three points off of a goal and an assist, while classmate Jillian Arnaultfollows with one goal. Freshman Avery Atkins recorded her first collegiate goal in the Raiders 1-1 draw against Marist. Fellow freshman Alyssa Manoogian (Peabody, Mass.) rounds out the Raiders' scorers with an assist. Freshman Ashley Walsh (Cicero, N.Y.) is 1-2-1 on the season, with a goals against average of 0.94 and a save percentage of .879.
Patriot League Honors
Ashley Walsh was named the Patriot League Rookie of the Week, announced by the League office on Tuesday afternoon. Walsh tallied a career-high 12 saves and collected an assist in Colgate's 1-1 draw against Oregon. She added another five saves two days later in the Raiders double overtime loss to Denver.
Preseason Picks
The Raiders were selected to finish according to the Patriot League Preseason Poll as chosen by conference coaches and sports information directors. The Raiders collected the most first-place votes with seven but fell just short in total points with 83, just seven less than the No. 1 team, Navy.
The Brawn File
Head coach Kathy Brawn will open her 19th season with the Raiders this weekend. Brawn hails as the Colgate women's soccer all-time winningest coach with 209 career wins and has collected nine of the Raiders ten Patriot League Tournament titles, the most for any Patriot League coach.
Back for Colgate
The Raiders return last year's top three point leaders in
Jessica Bitsack (Mendham, N.J.), Wessler and Arnault. Bitsack and Wessler led the team in goals with four apiece, while Bitsack added three assists and Wessler one. Arnault finished the year with three goals and two assists. Goalkeeper
Rebecca Michlin (Southington, Conn.) is also back this season after starting in all 19 games last year while earning five shutouts.
