NEW LONDON, Conn. – The Coast Guard women’s soccer team is looking for a strong year after missing the New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) tournament for the first time in three years. The 2015 team went 7-11 overall and 2-8 in conference play with wins against Clark and Mount Holyoke. The Bears return 14 players this season and will look to that experience for a resurgence within the NEWMAC.
Senior tri-captain Terry Netusil will provide a scoring touch for Coast Guard up top as she is tied for fifth all time in goals (13) and is sixth in points (31). Netusil was second on the team last season in goals (5) and points (14). She will look to fill the scoring void left from the graduation of Sarah Hills who led the team in scoring the last three seasons.
Through the midfield senior tri-captain Katie Clark will have a dominant role as both a center midfielder and a center back. This is her second year as team captain for the Bears, and the team will depend on her leadership and tenacity on both the defensive and offensive ends of the pitch.
Another player the Bears will look to through the midfield is senior tri-captain Alyssa Sato who has two goals and three assists in her career. Junior Gabby Auzenbergs and sophomore Kali Borden will be options out wide for Coast Guard as Auzenbergs is entering her third season healthy and Borden saw significant time as a freshman starting 11 games.
Freshmen Elizabeth Miller and Lydia VanWinkle have played well throughout preseason and will look to make an immediate impact in the midfield for the Bears.
The back line for Coast Guard also features a strong, core group with seniors Moira Meek, Emily Matthews and Clark along with sophomore Riley Cassidy who will spearhead an experienced back four who have 105 starts between them.
Sophomore Anna Niedermeyer also appeared in three games last season starting one and earning her first career win against Clark. Freshman Megan Houpt has also played well throughout preseason giving the Bears added depth at the goalkeeper position.
A number of new faces appear on the Bears schedule this season as they open the year with William Patterson at home. They will play a competitive nonconference schedule with games against Nichols, Mary Washington, Randolph-Macon, Salve Regina, Johnson & Wales and UMass Dartmouth. On top of the strong out of conference schedule, Coast Guard will have their always tough NEWMAC schedule.
The Bears are hungry to start the season and have their eyes set on another postseason berth after missing last season.
The Coast Guard women’s soccer team opens at home this year on Saturday, September 3rd against the William Patterson Pioneers. Kickoff is 1:00 pm.