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Anna Tucker
Hayden Mangan, Fort Lewis Athletic Communications
Freshman Anna Tucker (27) sends a ball forward in an exhibition contest versus Trinidad State

Skyhawks women's soccer opens season at Dirks, welcomes Chaminade and Lubbock Christian

8/24/2022 2:00:00 PM

By: Angela Roberts, Assistant AD - Communications
DURANGO, Colo. – The Fort Lewis College women's soccer team opens the season on Thursday at home with a night contest versus Chaminade University before turning around for an afternoon slate against Lubbock Christian University to close out the home slate on Saturday.

Looking Back
The Skyhawks finished 5-10-2 in the 2021 season, falling in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Quarterfinal to the top-seeded Colorado Mesa University Mavericks by a score of 1-0. The team boasted a 4-4-1 record on the road and a 3-7-1 mark in league play. The team averaged 1.12 goals per game and 11.4 shots per game. A season-high five games came in a shutout over Texas Permian Basin on September 5. The Skyhawks racked up four shutout wins and played to a pair of 0-0 draws throughout the season. In the RMAC ranks, the Skyhawks were middle of the pack in the majority of statistical categories with the exception of goals against average (1.369) where the team ranked sixth in the league.

Three Skyhawks were named to the All-RMAC teams at the conclusion of the season, including returners in Madyson Barela and Danielle Gonzales. Barela became a dependable offensive option during her third season in the blue and gold, leading the team with five goals to bring her career total to nine. Gonzales added a clutch outing toward the end of the season, putting up two goals to claim a win over Black Hills State, keeping Fort Lewis in contention for the RMAC Tournament.

Scouting Chaminade
The Silverswords boasted a 7-7 overall record in the 2021 season, going 5-5 in PacWest Conference play. Seven wins marked a program record for the team. The squad played in a handful of nail-biting contests, including four 1-0 wins and a handful of four-goal decisions that went the other way. This year's roster boasts a mixture of local talent and players who have crossed the ocean to play for the blue and black. Additionally, there are seven transfers on the roster.

Chaminade averaged one goal per game last season, holding the opposition to a .92 goals per game average. The group totaled 13 goals and five assists for the season. Caila Cain and Randi Fontes each chipped in three goals apiece to lead the way, followed by Asya Holt at two goals. From there, five players sat at one goal for the year. Savannah Breeze Miranda paced the team with two assists as a freshman defender. Naomi Takata started all 13 games for the Silverswords in her sophomore campaign, allowing 12 games while picking up 43 saves and facing 129 shots.

Former PacWest Newcomer of the Year, Hoku Schatz, was named to the All-Conference Third Team at the conclusion of the season—marking the lone representative for Chaminade. Schatz started all 13 matches for the Silverswords in 2021, logging 1,147 minutes, the second-most by any Chaminade field player. The sophomore scored her first career goal, the game-winner in a 5-1 win over Holy Names on Nov. 1. 

Scouting Lubbock Christian
Lubbock Christian finished the 2021 fall season 8-7-2, starting the year 6-0-2 before finishing just 2-5 in the final half of the season. The record doesn't tell the whole story, though, as the last half of the season was marked by one-goal differences that fell the other way. The team went 1-5 to close out the regular season with each game being decided by one goal. LCU was predicted to finish eighth in the always-dangerous Lone Star Conference after coming in 10th last season.

Third-team All-Conference selection Madison Mayben returns to LCU as a junior after playing in 1262 minutes last year for the Chaps at defender, the fourth-most on the team. The team's top offensive weapon, Makenna Pate, returns after leading the way with four goals and 31 shots. The Chaps lose their top goalkeeper to graduation, but Miranda Mirabal looks poised to take the reins after seeing the field in five matches and going the distance in four.

LCU tallied 19 goals last season (1.12 goals per game) while putting up 13.4 shots per game. Of the team's 19 goals scored last season, 12 were punched in by players who return for another season.

Focusing on Fort Lewis
While the team lost a handful of players who left behind a legacy, the future is bright with those who are making their returns to the pitch. The team returns 68 percent of their goal-scoring production from last season, including the team's leading scorer in Barela. Entering her fourth season as a Skyhawk, Barela will look to continue her offensive prowess from the midfielder position after earning her spot as one of the top threats in the league in 2021. Aubrey Swindle and Gonzales each return after three-goal seasons a year ago, Gonzales from the midfield and Swindle from her spot at forward.

Sabrina Reyes returns as a reliable player who played and started in all 17 games as a true freshman, playing in 1306 minutes to rank third on the team. Another player who returns to the pitch after starting all 17 games last season is Julia Johnson. Johnson notched one assist last season while compiling 1364 minutes. Gaby Meraz-Fishbein will step onto the field for her second season after a stout freshman campaign in which she saw significant time in all 17 contests.

Fort Lewis returns all three goalkeepers from the 2021 roster, including Katherine Dunbabin and Katlyn Rosenbaum who split time between the pipes. Dunbabin started in nine games, holding a 1.69 goals against average with 34 saves to her credit. Rosenbaum started eight contests in her breakout season, boasting a 1.12 goals against average with 37 saves on the year. Riley Bravin rounds out the group of keepers after a sophomore season that featured 33 minutes of play and a pair of saves.

New to the Nest
The new faces to the program will be a big piece of the puzzle for this year's squad. The team welcomes 14 freshmen to the family, and the preseason has served as a great opportunity for those players to get acclimated to the pace of play that college soccer brings. The group is comprised of a balanced blend of players, including five defenders, four forwards, and a mix of athletes who can play multiple positions on the field. Five of the freshmen hail from Colorado while the remaining athletes join Fort Lewis from as far away as Alaska and Maine. There is much to look forward to with a youthful roster, and it will be an intriguing storyline to follow as the season gets underway.

Light the Night
The secret is out…Dirks Field underwent a notable makeover this summer. Thanks to a generous donation, the historic pitch can now play host to night games with the newly installed stadium lights illuminating the rim when the sun dips below the San Juans. The women's team will enjoy five regular-season 7:00 p.m. home contests this season. Check out the full 2022 women's soccer schedule to plan your fall around supporting the blue and gold.  

Looking Ahead
Following this week's action, the Skyhawks will head to Canyon, Texas to face a pair of Lone Star Conference foes. First, the team takes on West Texas A&M on Friday, Sept. 2, followed by a Sunday, Sept. 4 matchup with St. Mary's University.
 
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