Kearney, Neb. – The Nebraska-Kearney women's soccer team begins the 2015 season this weekend with road games against two members of the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC).
On Friday at 1:30 p.m., UNK will face the William Jewell Cardinals in Liberty, Mo. Two days later, the Lopers will battle the Rockhurst University Hawks in Downtown Kansas City. First kick is at high noon. Check the UNK
soccer schedule page for live stat and video links.
In 2014, WJC posted a 6-8-3 record, including a 5-8-3 mark in league play. A relatively new Division II schools, the Cards finished on a five-game losing streak.
The UNK defense will have to keep an eye on senior Jade Gifford (# 9), who led the team in shots (59), shots on goal (29), points (13) and goals (five) last fall. Next, senior defender Lea Maxwell (# 3) and sophomore midfielder Aspen Hawkins (# 6) both scored nine points in 2014 with sophomore Jordan Lewis (5-4-2, 1.31 GAA) and senior Alex Dressman (1-4-1, 1.92 GAA) sharing keeper duties.
Things figure to be tougher on Sunday as RU went 14-2-3 (11-2-2 GLVC) last year, including a sparkling 10-0-0 road record. They are picked to finish second in the 16-team GLVC; WJC was tied for 11th in the preseason poll.
Rockhurst must replace leading offensive player Taylor Skala (36 points; 16 goals) but seniors Brandi Van Booven (# 13) and Julia Bartolacci (# 19) and junior Kristin Wolfe (# 11) were also double figure scorers a year ago.
In goal, senior Caitlin Winschel had a small 0.56 GAA in 2014 and recorded 10 shutouts. Two years ago in Omaha, Rockurst beat the Lopers by a 2-0 score with Van Booven scoring in the 28th minute.
UNK enters 2015 as healthy as it's been in years, highlighted by the return of senior
Ashtin Pawloski (Hastings). The forward, with 20 career points, has missed each of the last two falls due to knee injuries. Her last regular season appearance came on October 26, 2012, vs. Fort Hays State.
Six-one senior forward
Montanna Hosterman (Papillion-LaVista South) is the only other current Loper with more points than Pawloski. A two-time All-MIAA pick, her 36 places her second in school history, only six behind Becka Talcott ('13).
Defensively, UNK has options in goal this fall with the return of 2014 starter
Katelin Mielke (26 career starts), third-year junior
Jaclyn Paloucek (North Platte St. Patrick's) coming off the disabled list and true freshman
Ali Hirschman (Millard South H.S.) joining the team. All three saw time during the exhibition season.
UNK remains on the road next week to face Wayne State and Augustana, both from the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.
