Head Coach Scott Oliver and the Siena Heights women's soccer team are set to open their season on Monday, August 21 in St. Louis against Missouri Baptist in an 11 a.m. EST contest. The Saints will conclude their stop in St. Louis with a 5 p.m. game versus Lindenwood-Belleville (Mo.).
Siena Heights enters their 2017 season with a No. 2 rank in the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) preseason coaches' poll and is receiving-votes in the NAIA preseason poll. The lone team to out rank the Saints in the WHAC is the 2016 NAIA National Champions Northwestern Ohio, who also ranks No. 1 in the NAIA preseason poll.
"We should be better than last year's 12-6-2 (7-3 WHAC) team that was ranked in the NAIA Top-20 for almost the entire season. We have talented senior leadership, quality depth at every position and a huge influx of young freshman talent," Coach Oliver states, adding that one of his team goals are to remain ranked in the NAIA Top-25 for the duration of the season.
Some of the top returners include forward Samantha Bartelotti and defender Emily Burkman, both two-time NAIA Honorable Mention All-Americans as they head into their senior season. Another NAIA Honorable Mention All-American returning is junior forward Taylor Mulder. Others include junior midfielder Danielle Eastman, senior goalkeepers Meghan Bogg and Taylor Hill along with senior midfielder Alexis Gainer who is recovering from an off-season knee injury.
When discussing the starting lineup, Oliver says, "I think we are deep at almost every position. Our goalies will be a three-person battle along with our midfield and outside backs. All of these spots will be very competitive and see multiple people play those positions throughout the season." Looking to increase their playing time this year will be sophomore goalkeeper Sophia Lentz, sophomore outside midfielder Kathryn Gordon and junior midfielder Kelsey Cheaney.
He also mentions an array of newcomers that will battle for starting minutes—forward Erika Dacanay, defender Kennedy Barr and midfielders Macy Llewellyn and Audrey Haines—along with forward/outside midfielders Jennifer Richmond, Ashley Strong and defenders Kaleigh Mahz and Madison Reyntens looking for playing time.
Key matchups this season will include 10th-ranked William Carey (Miss.) and 13th-ranked Mobile (Ala.) for the Saints third and fourth games of the season. "We have plenty of rival games including Madonna, Aquinas and Cornerstone," Oliver states, "Northwestern Ohio will be huge as they are the defending NAIA National Champions." SHU will end the regular season, including conference play, on October 28 against UNOH.
Follow the Saints live as they open the 2017 season at Missouri Baptist at 11 a.m. EST on Monday, August 21, in St. Louis.
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