This Week
Fri./Sun., Sept. 25/27 – vs. Vermont, vs. Columbia, 7 p.m./1 p.m.
The Colgate women's soccer team will host two non-conference opponents this weekend before opening league play next Friday. The Raiders will first face Vermont on Friday, Sept. 25 at 7 p.m. followed by a Sunday afternoon match-up against the Ivy League's Columbia at 1 p.m.
Scouting the Opposition
Vermont – The Catamounts are currently 0-6-1 on the season after suffering losses to Loyola Marymount, Cal State Northridge, Villanova, La Salle, Rhode Island and Siena. Vermont's only tie, 2-2, came to Central Connecticut back on August 30. The Catamounts 3-2 win against Canada's University of Montreal, does not count toward their overall record. Leading Vermont is junior Gabby Bonfigli with four points off of two goals. Classmates Jessica Becker, Alison Hemphill and Heidi Hassler all have one goal each. Senior Eliza Bradley returns in goal making seven starts and stopping 53 shots for an 0.803 save percentage.
Columbia – The Lions are now 2-3-1 overall after tying Hofstra 1-1 on Friday before falling to St. John's, 2-1 on Sunday. Columbia's victories come against Manhattan and Iona, with losses to Washington and No. 3 ranked Portland. The Lions depth is apparent in their scoring, with nine players registering at least one or more points. Leading all scorers is sophomore Ashlin Yahr with nine points off of four goals and one assist, followed by senior Sophie Reiser with eight points off of four goals. Sophomore goalie Lillian Klein has started all six games in goal for the Lions, recording a 0.70 save percentage with 21 saves and nine goals allowed.
Last Time Out
The Raiders finished 1-2-0 last week, suffering losses to rival Cornell, 2-0, and Albany, 1-0, but defeated St. Bonaventure, 2-0. Senior Jillian Arnault (Clay, N.Y.) and freshman Jillian Kinter (Newburyport, Mass.) both had goals against the Bonnies, with Kinter recording her first collegiate point. Rookie goalkeeper Ashley Walsh (Cicero, N.Y.) had a three-game total of 14 saves for the week.
Last Time vs. Vermont/Columbia
Colgate leads the all-time series against Vermont 13-5-3, including an eleven game win streak. The Raiders won last year's match-up 2-1 with Anna Baldwin (Woodbury, Conn.) and Katheryne Lawson each scoring a goal. Colgate and the Lions are tied at 4-4 in the series with the Raiders winning the last match-up 1-0 in overtime on Sept. 24, 2006. Then freshman Jessica Bitsack (Mendham, N.J.) scored the winning goal for the Raiders, assisted by Jillian Arnault.
Leading the Way
Sophomore Maddie Malone (Glen Ridge, N.J.) and Jillian Arnault lead 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. Freshmen Avery Atkins (Dallas, Texas) and Jillian Kinter recorded her first collegiate goal in the Raiders 1-1 draw against Marist. Fellow classmate Alyssa Manoogian (Peabody, Mass.) rounds out the Raiders' scorers with an assist. Freshman Ashley Walsh (Cicero, N.Y.) is 2-5-2 on the season, with a goals against average of 0.96 and a save percentage of .882.
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,
Danielle Wessler and
Jillian 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 is also back this season after starting in all 19 games last year while earning five shutouts.
