GW Women's Soccer Season Preview
8/17/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
WASHINGTON - After a historic 2015 season that saw the GW women's soccer squad post the program's first undefeated and untied (10-0-0) Atlantic 10 season with a regular-season conference title, the Colonials look to vie for an A-10 Championship crown in 2016.
Picked to finish second in he A-10 Preseason Coaches' Poll, the Buff and Blue return 20 letterwinners from last year's squad that matched a program-best with 15 victories and posted an overall 15-5-0 record. Five rookies join the team for the 2016 season.
In her fifth season at the helm, reigning A-10 Coach of the Year Sarah Barnes looks to improve on both sides of the ball, building off of last season's conference-best defense while working to create more goal-scoring opportunities. A challenging non-conference slate that includes local rival Georgetown, as well as Arkansas and LSU from the SEC, will help the Colonials gain the experience needed to take on a strong A-10 season.
"We're trying to continue to be really solid on the defensive side of things," said Coach Barnes. "Last year early on we gave up quite a few goals, but then with experience and time sorted it out and we became really stingy in the conference part of the season. We have players who can step right in and do the same thing this year. Offensively, we've really spent a lot of time trying to be a dangerous team, creating more opportunities than we did last year and be a more high-scoring team. We've put a lot of emphasis trying to be better on both sides of the ball."
GOALKEEPERS
Redshirt junior Miranda Horn returns for the Colonials after posting an overall 0.86 goals-against average (GAA) to lead the conference a year ago, while adding an impressive 0.27 GAA against A-10 foes in 2015 en route to a First Team All-Conference selection and a spot on the NSCAA All-Mid-Atlantic Region Second Team. Horn was selected as a member of the 2016 A-10 Preseason All-Conference Team. Sophomore Anna Tapen returns from injury and looks to make an impact between the pipes in 2016.
"We have Miranda returning who had a spectacular season last year, and we look to build on that," said Barnes. "There are obviously a lot of strengths there, but we're always looking to build and grow and improve so that she can be even better this year. We also have Anna Tapen, who came back from an injury last fall and looks really, really strong this preseason."
DEFENDERS
Last season, the Colonials allowed the fewest goals (16) in the Atlantic 10 with a league-best 0.77 GAA - sitting atop the league standings in that category for the second straight season. Senior Brooke Bean is slated to return at center back after missing all but two games of 2015 due to injury. A two-time team captain, Bean's experience will lead GW's defense this season. Senior Kate Elson - who transitioned to the back line a year ago - returns as an outside back. Sophomore Dani Frese will join Elson as an outside back, while redshirt-freshman Meg McCormick is expected to make an immediate impact on the back line after resdshirting in 2015. After a strong preseason, freshman Claire Brier is also poised to see minutes at the outside back position.
"We've got Bean for her fifth year - she's been a captain for two years coming into this year - so we'll have her back at center back. She provides a lot of great leadership and experience," said Barnes. "Meg gained a ton of experience by training and getting used to the college experience while redshirting last year, and Dani is really great at joining the attack, so we feel like she's going to be a smooth transition while keeping experience on the back line."
MIDFIELDERS
GW returns a strong group of midfielders from last season, including reigning A-10 Rookie of the Year Sofia Pavon - who posted six goals and one assist in her freshman campaign. Pavon was selected as a member of the 2016 A-10 Preseason All-Conference squad. Senior Lina Proska will continue to provide leadership and experience among the midfielders. One of just two Colonials to start all 20 games in 2015, Proska posted a career-high three assists a year ago while adding a pair of goals. Redshirt-junior Ivana Szwejkowski looks to continue momentum from last season, making all five of her starts in conference play while appearing in 16 games overall. Sophomore Mia Barreda returns after appearing in all but one game while making 14 starts in a strong rookie campaign. The freshman tandem of Olivia Di Cristofaro and Deena DeSilva are also poised to make an impact in 2016 after posting a strong preseason.
"At midfield we've got some strong players returning in Sofia, Lina, Mia and Ivana, so we have a solid core there and we'll be able to use them and pair them differently," said Barnes. "Then two newcomers, Olivia and Deena, have been able to make a good impact so far. I think we definitely have a different team than last year and our look will be a little different, but we've built off of a good 2015 season and have some quality experience. I think our starting point right now is a little elevated than it was a year ago at this point."
FORWARDS
Senior MacKenzie Cowley looks to continue to lead the offense after a career year in 2015 that saw the forward tally a team-best 10 goals with a league-best six game-winners en route to an A-10 First Team nod. Junior Brittany Cooper appeared in all 20 games for the Colonials last season and has returned in 2016 in the best shape of her career. The duo of Cowley and Cooper should prove to be a dangerous tandem on the offensive side of the ball.
"Up top we have MacKenzie returning, who had a great junior campaign, and Brittany - who looks the best she's looked out of any preseason to date," said Barnes. "We're really excited for both of them - they really play well off of each other and offer different strengths, and so far their movement and their coordination and chemistry to play off of each other has been really good, so we're excited to keep developing that."
After a dominant conference season a year ago, the Colonials are excited to play as one of the top teams in the A-10.
"We've talked a lot about what happened last season and the success that we had," said Barnes. "We've been talking about it really the whole year since the spring - the idea that you have a season like that and it puts a target on your back; we relish the idea of being the team that people are coming after. There's something to be said about getting everyone's best game - we hope that happens because it'll prepare us and make us a better team. We're excited about that situation and have more experience to be able to handle it as well."
GW opens the 2016 season on Friday, Aug. 19, at Saint Francis (Pa.) for a 3 p.m. match.
