The Emory University women's soccer team returns to the pitch for the first time in 2019, hosting Sewanee and Lee University this weekend at the Woodruff PE Center.
Following a superb 2018 campaign in which the Eagles compiled a 14-5-1 overall record and advanced to the NCAA Second Round, Head Coach Sue Patberg's squad returns 20 players and will be mixing in 10 fresh faces. The Eagles are currently receiving votes in the United Soccer Coaches' national preseason poll.
Leading the returning unit are 2018 University Athletic Association First Teamers and United Soccer Coaches All-Region selections in senior forward Shivani Beall and junior midfielder Samantha Hilsee. Beall led all players in 2018 with a career-high nine goals and 22 points while Hilsee checked in with her second straight six goal season to go along with three assists for a personal-high 15 points.
Other double-digit point gatherers back in the fold for the Eagles include junior forward/defender Caroline Moore (5G, 5A, 15Pts), senior forward Caroline Kolski (3G, 4A, 10Pts) and sophomore midfielder Lindsey Breskow (4G, 2A, 10Pts).
Junior defender and 2018 All-UAA Honorable Mention Lily Dresner anchors the Emory backline that yielded just 16 goals in 20 matches a season ago. Figuring to slot next to Dresner from last year's defense include senior Paige Santee, junior Jordan Fitzgerald and sophomores Melika Mohammadi and Lauren Mahoney. Senior Haley Pratt will take over starting goalkeeper duties with sophomores Emma Platt and Ellen Ziaja assisting with the keeper responsibilities.
In addition to the returning core, Patberg's bunch will welcome 10 newcomers hailing from nine different states: midfielder Samantha Agnew (New Hope, PA), forward/defender Aubrey Blanchard (Housatonic, MA), forward/defender Riley Brackin (Minnetonka, MN), forward Kylie Hall (Phoenix, AZ), forward Natalie Klar (Boca Raton, FL), midfielder LJ Kolodge (Maple Grove, MN), defender Kaitlyn Price (North Potomac, MD), defender Peyton Robertson (Dallas, TX), forward Sydney Rosenkrantz (Wayne, NJ) and defender Brooke Tylka (Chesterfield, VA).
Head Coach Sue Patberg enters her 15th season with the program, carrying a 324-141-59 overall record and a 178-54-41 mark with the Eagles. Goalkeeper coach Mike Wentzler is back for a ninth season with assistants Valorie O'Brien (second season) and Catherine Whitehill (first season) rounding out the Eagles coaching staff.
Emory takes to the pitch against the Tigers of Sewanee at 7:00 PM on Friday before hosting Lee in a Sunday matinee, beginning at 1:00 PM.