HAMILTON – A new beginning for the Colgate women's soccer team starts on Thursday when the Raiders take the pitch for the first time in 2019 at Fairfield. Kickoff is slated for 4 p.m.
Colgate is coming off its best season since 2014, finishing 11-4-3 overall with a 7-1-1 mark in the Patriot League to earn the No. 2 seed in the Patriot League Tournament.
The best part of it of all? Colgate returns all 11 starters from last season, including Patriot League Midfielder of the Year
Mara Cosentino and Goalkeeper of the Year
Kelly Chiavaro. Cosentino and Chiavaro lead Colgate's seven seniors for the 2019 squad.
The Raiders' 2019 roster is led by seven seniors and eight juniors. Nine sophomores and five incoming freshmen round out the squad under head coach
Kathy Brawn, who is entering her 29th season at the helm.
"We are all looking forward to the season ahead with great enthusiasm, determination and focus," said the three-time Patriot League Coach of the Year.
"These players came to preseason well prepared and have displayed a gritty, team-first mentality each and every day."
Cosentino also was named to this year's MAC Hermann Watch List, honoring the most outstanding male and female student-athletes of the year. She led the team in goals last year with six and finished with a team-leading 13 points on her way to earning the league's Midfielder of the Year award.
Chiavaro and the Raider defense in 2018 compiled 11 shutouts, matching the program record (1993, 1996). Chiavaro's nine alone came just one shy of the school record and she became Colgate's second Goalkeeper of the Year selection and first since
Brenna Mason in 2014.
The Raiders' senior keeper registered a 0.866 save percentage, good for the seventh-best mark in the nation, to go with a stellar league-leading 0.55 goals-against average in 16 starts.
Joining Chiavaro as part of Colgate's dominant back line,
Leah Lewis and
Dom DeMarco were both named to the preseason All-Patriot League Team. The duo helped anchor the league's top defensive unit that conceded just 0.21 goals per game against conference opponents.
Forwards
Ellis Miller and
Abby Sotomayor accompany Cosentino as the Raiders' league-best five preseason All-League selections. Miller was one of three juniors to earn preseason All-League placements after collecting Third Team All-Region honors in 2018 with four goals and three assists.
"There are so many talented, humble women on this team," said Brawn. "I am happy for those that have been recognized for their excellence. They have been mature regarding the preseason buzz, and are focused on Fairfield and Syracuse.
"That's our state of being right now: prepared and ready to go."
Colgate opens its regular season Thursday at Fairfield. The Raiders will play at Syracuse on Sunday before hosting Columbia in their home opener Friday, Aug. 30 at Beyer-Small '76 Field.
