ANDERSON, S.C. - After a long offseason, Anderson University women's soccer returns to the pitch for its home opener on Thursday when it welcomes non-regional opponent, Shorter, to the Electric City, to kick-off the 2015 season. The teams are scheduled to get underway from Trojan Stadium at 4 p.m.
The Trojans
AU is slated to return eight starters from a 2014 season where it
closed with a 7-10-1 overall record and a berth into the SAC
Championships as the eighth seed with a 4-6-1 conference mark. The
trip to the SAC Championships was Anderson's first since the 2012
season after failing to earn a spot in 2013. Head Coach Ciaran
Traquair begins his second season with the Black and Gold, as he
sees his roster grow to 27 players, including 14 newcomers.
Returning to the lineup is sophomore Lyssa Engle, who became the first Trojan in program history to earn SAC Freshman of the Year honors a season ago. Engle led the squad and finished fifth in the SAC with 11 goals and was named AstroTurf SAC Co-Player of the Week following a four-goal performance in a 4-1 triumph over Mars Hill on Sept. 24. Prior to the start of the season, Engle was named to the Preseason All-SAC First Team.
Five other Trojans who scored goals a season ago return to the roster, including senior defender Faith Johannes, who joined Engle on the Preseason All-SAC First Team. Johannes closed the 2014 season with four goals and four assists while anchoring a backline to four shutouts in 18 contests. Johannes tied then-sophomore Alaina Gay with goals on the season with four, while returners Emily Cowan and Rachael Whaling each scored twice in 2014.
In goal, junior Sadie Lancaster returns to the roster after posting over 1,635 minutes played and 77 saves. With her next 10 saves, the Celina, Texas native will have 100 stops for her collegiate career.
The Lady Hawks
In early August, Shorter was picked to finish ninth in the annual
Preseason Gulf South Conference Coaches' Poll, despite posting a
program-record 14 wins in 2014. Shorter ended the 2014 campaign
with a 4-0 record against teams from the Southeast Region,
out-scoring those opponents by a combined total of 8-1. Despite a
first-round exit in the GSC Tournament, Shorter headlined its
season with a 3-1 record in the NCCAA Tournament.
Returning to the Shorter roster is Chanel Mosley, who was the only Hawk to land on the Preseason All-GSC team after scoring two goals from the backline a year ago. Teammate Corrie Thomas also returns to the Lady Hawk lineup after netting a team-high eight goals on an unprecedented 85 shots.
Defensively, goalkeeper Alden Powell saw action in 21 matches in 2014 and recorded 100 saves and 10 shutouts. With over 1,823 minutes played, Powell allowed just 18 goals while facing 221 shots.
The Series
Anderson and Shorter will clash for the first time, as Shorter
begins its fourth season as Division II members. Thursday's contest
will be the first non-regional matchup for the Trojans since a 3-0
setback to Florida Southern on Sept. 10, 2014. The Trojans are
seeking their first win over a non-regional Division II opponent
since a 1-0 win over Valdosta State on Oct. 19, 2011.
