EDINBORO, Pa. (August 30, 2016) – The Edinboro University women's soccer team opens the 2016 campaign this week with two matches in three days. The Fighting Scots debut on Thursday, September 1 hosting Clarion at 6 p.m. in a match that is also the PSAC opener for both teams. Less than 48 hours later, Edinboro will host Davis & Elkins at 3 p.m. at Sox Harrison Stadium.
 
"We always have to begin the season with a conference match as there are not enough weekends to accommodate our crossover games," explained Kagiavas.  "Our conference is ranked the third-best conference in Division II, according to Bennett Ranking, and this is a tough way to begin any season. But it's what we have been doing for several years now and has become the norm."
 
Edinboro comes off the finest season in school history in 2015, as head coach Gary Kagiavas guided the Fighting Scots to the PSAC championship match for the first time, and went on to reach the NCAA Division II Sweet 16. Edinboro would match the school record for wins, finishing with a 15-8-1 ledger.
 
Now in his 21^st season as the only coach ever of the women's soccer program, Kagiavas' teams have finished in double figures in victories for six straight seasons while making the PSAC playoffs each of those years, along with four appearances in the NCAA Division II Tournament.
 
The Fighting Scots were picked to finish sixth in the recent PSAC Coaches Preseason Poll, while Clarion was 13^th out of 17 teams. Edinboro was voted 20^th in the NSCAA Division II Preseason Poll.
 
"Last year was incredible but each year has to be viewed as a new group," related Kagiavas. "The players' expectations are high as are those of the coaching staff. The players have worked hard throughout the year and preseason. We did however lose a big part of the time in Jansen Hartmann. She was a giant in leadership and work ethic. In spite of her diminutive status, she was a giant in leadership and work ethic. That is going to be difficult to replace. We have new leadership who are trying to carry that baton this year and only time will tell how they do. We are also very thin in certain areas in numbers and an injury or two this year could be the end of a promising season."
 
Hartmann was the leading scorer a year ago and must be replaced, but the Fighting Scots return four All-PSAC performers, including first-team selection Halle Hammer. As a freshman a year ago, the midfielder tied for second on the team in scoring with 19 points on 9 goals and an assist. Ashley Mutkus, a third-team selection, also had 19 points on 7 goals and 5 assists. Mutkus is a junior forward.
 
Shannon Regan and Abby Gillespie were also accorded third team honors. Regan, a senior, and Gillespie, a sophomore, are defenders who spearheaded an Edinboro defense which allowed opponents just 29 goals while recording seven shutouts.
 
Nine players return who started at least 15 matches in 2015, including goalkeeper Sarah Baskey. The junior finished with a 13-6-0 record with five shutouts and a 1.13 GAA in her first season as a starter. She set a new school record for wins.
 
Kagiavas noted, "I have been very impressed by the resolve of the returners. They have taken the challenge from last season to heart and have worked extremely hard to continue where we left off. We will be counting on a very mature defense (Abby Gillespie, Shannon Regan, Jess Sandhas, Katie Felitsky, and Halle Hammer), a very talented midfield (Coleen Brodman and Grace Kereky), and some very explosive and dynamic forwards (Alex Brown, Ashley Mutkus and Alex Root). Sarah is as brilliant as ever in goal and will need to be a rock for us to get us through many games. We expect Megan Snyder and Cayleigh Gibbons to give us some valuable minutes when needed."
 
Kagiavas has always substituted liberally, and he will look to develop depth among the newcomers. "We will be counting on the newcomers to contribute almost immediately with our numbers being so low," he stressed. "We did have an injury in preseason which may already remove a major anticipated contributor making things even more difficult. Danielle Chatten, Morgan Hamker, Aubrey Billittier and Sidney Dobbins have proven to be up for the challenge to help us get through what will be a very difficult season. Allie Smyth has proven to be a very capable goalkeeper and will be pushing Sarah Baskey for the starting position in goal. We expect Heather Burnett and Rebecca Manns to be contributing as well." 
 
Clarion was a deceiving 5-12-1 a year ago, as eight of those losses came by a goal. That included a 1-0 loss to Edinboro, with Hartmann scoring the lone goal late in the first half. Edinboro has dominated the all-time series with the Golden Eagles, owning a 17-0-3 record in the series.
Senior midfielder McKenzie Sheesley is Clarion's top returning scorer after leading the team with three goals and three assists for nine points in 2015. Krista Mosi had a 1.67 GAA average while playing in all 18 matches.
 
Davis & Elkins was 14-4-0 a year ago. The Senators were picked to finish third in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference Preseason Poll.
 
"All in all, we expect to be very competitive in an extremely challenging league," Kagiavas commented. "We anticipate that many players will be playing multiple positions in order to get through this season. We are hoping to do better than last year but many things have to go well to repeat that."