DURANGO, Colo. – After just four months off since competing in an abbreviated, nine-game spring season, the Fort Lewis College women's soccer team is primed and prepared to return to the pitch for a 17-game 2021 schedule.
The Schedule
Fort Lewis is slated to kick off the 2021 season on Friday, September 3 when the team welcomes West Texas A&M University to Dirks Field for a 1:00 p.m. start. Fans will enjoy another home contest on Sunday, September 5 versus Texas Permian Basin at 11:00 a.m. before the squad heads on the road for its final three non-conference matchups.
The Skyhawks will head right into the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) portion of their schedule which consists of 12 regular-season games. Fort Lewis is set to host six conference games, including a four-game homestand from Friday, October 15-Sunday, October 24. The RMAC Tournament will kick off on Sunday, November 7 with the champion being crowned on Sunday, November 14. The top eight teams in the conference earn a spot in the tournament with the champion earning an automatic bid to the NCAA Division II Tournament.
RMAC Preseason Ranking
Fort Lewis College women's soccer was selected to finish fifth in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) according to the Coaches' Preseason Poll. FLC received 95 votes, coming in just behind Westminster (110). Colorado School of Mines comes in as the preseason favorite with 138 points and seven first-place votes. UCCS and CSU Pueblo round out the top-three spots with both squads receiving first-place votes.
Looking Back
The Skyhawks are coming off a 4-2-3 mark during the abbreviated 2021 spring season, which included a 3-1-1 record in RMAC action—good for a fourth-place finish. FLC qualified for the RMAC Tournament and hosted the program's first playoff game since 2013.
"Last year was great for all of us as we had to learn to adapt and be okay with our ever-changing schedule and protocols. I think working through adversity defines this team," noted head coach Damian Clarke. "We've pushed ourselves as a coaching staff to develop new ways to get the most out of our athletes, and our players have been receptive and eager to get better."
The Returners
The Skyhawks are returning 20 players from the spring season, including four players who saw 800+ minutes of action. The spring schedule featured highlight play on both sides of the ball with the Skyhawks averaging 1.44 goals per game while limiting the opposition to .78 goals per game. The 1.44 goals per game is an improvement on the team's 1.12 goals per game average in 2019. In addition, FLC drew 50 corner kicks compared to just 25 for their opponents.
"The better that our returners perform on and off the field, the easier the transition will be for our young players," said coach Clarke. "We have excellent leadership from our returning players, and you can tell that we have a good nucleus of players who want to be here and want to win."
Junior goalkeeper Katherine Dunbabin was a major player in the team's defensive success in the spring. Dunbabin started all nine games between the pipes while competing in 848 minutes. The junior held a .64 goals-against average to rank fourth in the RMAC in the 2021 season. Her .857 save percentage was good for third in the league while her three shutouts tied for third in the conference.
Joining Dunbabin on the defensive side of the ball is reigning RMAC Defensive Player of the Year, senior midfielder Katie Smith. Smith quarterbacked a defense that finished fourth in the league in goals-against average, and has earned Al-RMAC honors in each of her three seasons, including First Team All-RMAC nods as a freshman and Second Team accolades as a sophomore. The midfielder had one goal in 22 shots last season while ranking second on the team in minutes played with 860.
Complimenting a solid defensive unit was the scoring threat of forward Aubrey Swindle. Swindle had a standout freshman campaign for the Skyhawks in 2021 as she led the team in goals scored (4), total shots (23), and tied for the team lead with eight points. Her four goals tied her for the sixth-most among RMAC players this spring. Swindle was one of three freshmen to make the First Team All-RMAC list at the conclusion of the 2021 season.
Fort Lewis will bring back two additional players who received All-RMAC accolades at the conclusion of the spring season. Sophomore defender Elizabeth David earned First Team All-RMAC nods while senior defender Diana Sifuentes was a Second Team All-RMAC recipient. Sifuentes enters the season having played 1466 career minutes while David led the team with 866 minutes last season.
The Newcomers
The new additions for the Skyhawks include forwards Jayla Ponce and Danielle Gonzales midfielders Sabrina Reyes, Gaby Meraz-Fishbein and Ellie Cook as well as defenders Ellie Simkins and Anissa Fernandez.
"Our freshman class is going to provide a fun experience over the next couple of years. These athletes are really going to grow the program one step forward as they develop. We expect big things, and these athletes have the ability to fill those shoes," Clarke said.
Joining the new freshman class is senior transfer Avery Lewis. Lewis joins the Skyhawks from Midwestern State where she spent five seasons. Lewis was originally recruited to Midwestern State by coaches Damian Clarke and Hope Fredrick prior to the staff joining the Fort Lewis family. Lewis played in 52 career games, scoring 12 goals and adding seven assists.
Final Comments from Coach Clarke
"The energy of this group in awesome. Fans can look forward to an aggressive team that is going to be dynamic and technically capable of being creative in attacking scenarios. We will have a hard nosed, organized defending team that is high energy and loves to compete. This group is more than capable of accomplishing big things this season, and we can't wait to get started."
