(Dover, Del.) – Looking to rebound from a 1-16 mark last season, the Delaware State women's soccer team, under second-year head coach Kerri Scroope, returns 16 players from 2013, in addition to 11 newcomers.
For Scroope, she expects great things from her team this season.
“With the experience we're bringing back, along with some of the young talent we acquired, we're looking for seven wins at least, which will be a school record.”
Forwards
Leading the charge for DSU is last season's leading scorer, senior Chelsea Boursiquot. Appearing in only 10 matches, including six starts, Boursiquot led the Hornets in points (8), goals (4) and shots (22) to earn College Sports Madness Second Team All-Independent Conference honors. Also, the Stratford, Conn. native, became the program's career leader in goals (9) after her junior campaign.
Assisting Boursiquot will be juniors Taylor Addison and Julia Bossert. For Addison, she will look to regain her 2012 First Team All-Great West Conference form, while Bossert will add stability and leadership after appearing in all 17 games in 2013.
As for newcomers Emma Cain, Dominique Cherubin, McKenzie Miller and Paige Wilcox, they will provide depth and more scoring opportunities for a team that tallied seven goals last season.
Midfielders
With seven players designated at this position, senior Gabi Pinto will lead this group of Hornets, along with the help of returnees Danielle Valente, Tori Hamilton, Dina Isham and Morgan Pottinger.
Looking to make an impact, meanwhile, are newcomers junior Kym Brewton and freshman Franny Farella. As one of Scroope's eight signees over the spring, Farella was a four-year varsity standout at Baker High School (Fla.), earning All-State honors as a junior and senior, in addition to leading her squad to multiple district titles and one state championship crown.
Defenders
Listed as the deepest position group, the Hornets will have nine players battling for playing time, including three freshmen in Christine Cueto, Alyssa Rainford and Briana Villa.
The upperclassmen, on the other hand, features seniors Kaitlyn Corder and Taylor Melton, juniors Tere' Crawford, Morgan Durham and Stephanie Williams and sophomore Taylor Pratcher.
For Durham, who appeared in all 17 games last season, she expects this group to set the tone for the entire team.
“We expect to be very good this season,” said the Clayton, N.J. native, who was named Most Improved Player by the coaching staff after a stellar off-season. “We're going into the season with the mindset of being one of the best defensive teams in the country and we know we have the potential to do so.”
Goalkeepers
Led by the program's all-time shutout leader (5), goalkeeper Katelyn Koslosky enters her final season in a Hornet uniform needing 91 saves to pass Courtney Haas (2007-10) for most in team history.
According to Koslosky, this year's team will definitely surprise some people.
“Once we put all the pieces together, we're going to be pretty strong and threatening, especially up front,” she said. “With that being said, I expect my game to go to a different level this season with all the lifting and conditioning I did pretty much every day over the summer.”
Providing depth behind Koslosky will be freshmen Michele Lammers and Sarah Rellstab.
Five Hornets Named to College Sports Madness Independent Preseason All-Conference Teams
College Sports Madness named five Hornets to its Independent Preseason All-Conference teams.
Earning First Team honors for DSU was forward Chelsea Boursiquot and defender Morgan Durham, whereas forward Taylor Addison, midfielder Julia Bossert and defender Danielle Valente garnered Second Team honors
The Schedule
Delaware State will begin 2014 playing six out of its first nine games away from home, opening with back-to-back road games against Sacred Heart (Aug. 22) and Scroope's alma mater, Stony Brook (Aug. 24).
The following weekend, the Columbia Blue & Red returns to Alumni Stadium for the first time to face UMass Lowell (Aug. 29) and Fairleigh Dickinson (Aug. 31).
To kickoff September, the Hornets will head south to take on American (Sept. 5) and Mount St. Mary's (Sept. 7), followed by a midweek home contest against Rider (Sept. 10). Later in the month, Delaware State hits the road again for another back-to-back away slate, this time against Wagner (Sept. 14) and UMBC (Sept. 19).
Next up, the Hornets return to Alumni Stadium for four out of the next five games, beginning with a season-long three-game homestand against George Washington (Sept. 21), Saint Peter's (Sept. 24) and VMI (Oct. 2). After a road test at NJIT (Oct. 10), the Hornets will face Temple out of the American Athletic Conference at home on Oct. 22 (7 p.m.).
To finish the regular season, DSU will be at South Carolina State (Oct. 24) and Francis Marion (Oct. 26), followed by its home finale against Howard (Oct. 29).
Then, Columbia Blue & Red will host the inaugural Independent Conference Tournament with the likes of NJIT, Francis Marion and South Carolina State all set to participate.
