George Washington University Athletics
GW Women's Soccer Set for Opening Weekend
8/18/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
GW at St. Francis - Friday, 3 p.m. - Live Stats
GW vs. Cleveland State - Sunday, 1 p.m. - - Live Video
WASHINGTON - The George Washington women's soccer squad opens the 2016 season on Friday afternoon at St. Francis (Pa.) before hosting Cleveland State on Sunday in its home opener at the GW Soccer Field on the Mount Vernon Campus.
The Colonials look to build on a stellar 2015 season that rewrote the record books under Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year Sarah Barnes. GW claimed its first A-10 regular-season title since 1995 with the team's first ever unbeaten, untied, conference season (10-0-0), while tying a program record with 15 victories. The squad's 12 shutouts also marked a team best, while 13 consecutive triumphs shattered the previous program record and served as the longest active streak in the nation at the close of the regular season.
GW returns 20 letterwinners from a year ago and adds five freshman to the roster for 2016. The squad was picked to finish second in the A-10 in the Preseason Coaches' Poll.
Redshirt junior goalkeeper Miranda Horn was named to the A-10 Preseason All-Conference Team after her First Team All-Conference performance in 2015. Horn led the league with a 0.86 goals-against average and posted five solo shutouts and combined for six more. Reigning A-10 Rookie of the Year Sofia Pavon also landed on the Preseason All-Conference Team after tallying six goals and one assist as a freshman.
Senior MacKenzie Cowley also returns for GW after leading the squad with a career-high 10 goals and sitting atop the conference with six game-winners in 2015.
St. Francis also opens its season on Friday afternoon and begins 2016 picked to finish fourth in the Northeast Conference Pre-Season Coaches' Poll.
The Red Flash return three All-NEC players from a year ago, including the squad's top three goal scorers from 2015. Senior Casey Gallaher tallied a team-best five goals and 13 points last season, and All-Rookie selection Shannon McGinnis returns after a posting four goals to rank second on the team. Junior Gabi Morales added three goals and eight points, good for third on the squad.
St. Francis added 11 newcomers for 2016.
Friday will be the third meeting between St. Francis and GW and the first since 2013, when the Buff and Blue fell, 3-1, at home.
Cleveland State opens the year at Howard on Friday evening before visiting the Mount Vernon Campus on Sunday. CSU returns eight starters from a year ago and is a young squad overall with 10 freshmen and nine sophomores on the 2016 roster.
Senior Kaila Sargema led the Vikings with six goals and two assists a year ago to land All-Horizon League honors. Classmate Marissa Sarsfield is slated to lead the back line after starting all 19 matches for CSU last season.
Sunday marks the first-ever meeting between the Colonials and Vikings.
