HAVERFORD, Pa. – The Haverford College women's soccer team has made the Centennial Conference Tournament in nine of head coach Jamie Schneck's 11 seasons leading the Fords. With the members of this year's team experiencing progressively stronger seasons during each successive year, Haverford appears poised to make another leap forward this fall with an experienced roster that features nine seniors looking to cap their careers with another successful campaign in 2018.
Forward
Balanced scoring has been a key to the Fords' offense in recent years with their goals coming from each of the position groups. Up front are numerous strong options to set the tone for Haverford this coming fall. Junior Leanne Ludwick has scored six goals and added five assists during her career. Senior Hannah Krapes scored two goals and assisted on three more last season, giving her a total of 12 offensive points during her career. This production has come despite being limited to 34 games and 20 starts during her first three seasons. Now a sophomore, Saede Eifrig led the Fords in scoring during her rookie campaign with five goals and two assists. Appearing in the starting XI just three times last year, Eifrig once again appears to be a key cog for the Fords in 2018.
Seniors Sydney West and Grace Mathis provide even more dangerous players for the Fords up top. Mathis broke into the starting lineup as a junior and has made 48 career appearances. She set new career highs with three goals and three assists during her first season in the regular starting XI. West has been a three-year starter with 45 starts in 53 appearances. She led the team with four assists last fall and has a total of eight for her career to go along with one goal. Fellow senior Isabella Gross has been a strong presence off the bench with 23 appearances during her career. She tallied the first offensive points of her career in 2017 with a goal against Washington College and assists against Muhlenberg and Widener. Junior Abby Singer provides yet another strong scoring option to pace Haverford's offense in 2018.
Forward newcomers: Elle Ferreira, Sidney Hwang
Midfield
Haverford returns a pair of players who have seen substantial time in the starting XI throughout their careers in senior captains Maryanna Solecki and Katie Safter. A three-time All-Centennial Conference selection, Safter has been a three-year starter while also contributing seven goals and four assists. Solecki has appeared in 53 games during her career and has 23 starts to her credit. She has scored four goals and assisted on four more during her first three seasons. Juniors Abby Singer and Sarah Savonis, along with sophomores Marina Piccolo and Lauren Nguyen will also provide strong options in a deep midfield with another year of experience under their belts. Krapes and Kendra Griesman also figure to feature prominently into the midfield during portions of the season as their versatility allows them to move up or back from their regular positions.
Midfield newcomers: Gabrielle Cipriano, Jaclyn Corbin, Mia Reyes
Defense
Haverford's defense has been a historical strength of the team with 19 combined shutouts during the past two playoff bound seasons. Kelly Brown (42 appearances, 30 starts) and Abby Crowley (34 appearances, 16 starts) will also provide steady veteran leadership across the back line. Junior captain Lindsay Wytkind has been a two-year starter for the defense while classmate Griesman also returns to the fold. Griesman missed last season but was another All-Centennial Conference performer for the Haverford defense during her rookie season in 2016. Sophomore Emily Thissen also made six starts on defensive during her first year with the program while classmate Ellie Burns gained valuable experience with two appearances.
Defense newcomers: Moorea Morrison, Karlie Pollock, Julie Rebh
Goalkeeper
Junior Julie Hanss assumed the starting role last fall in all 18 of the team's matches. She posted a 1.01 goals against average and had eight solo shutouts to her credit. Her 0.99 career goals against average is currently the fourth-best mark in the history of the women's soccer program. Senior Ali Weiner has seen time in 11 different games in goal, starting six contests throughout her career. She has posted a shutout during two of her three victories as the goalie of record and holds a 0.92 goals against average in just under 600 minutes of total playing time.
Goalkeeper newcomer: Hannah Friedrich
Schedule
The Fords will start the season with four straight games at home, beginning with the annual Haverford College Kick Off Classic which is slated for Saturday, September 1 and Sunday, September 2. The Fords will play at home on Walton Field a total of 10 times with a schedule that will see them square off against some of the toughest competition in the region with schools from the MAC, Landmark, and Capital Athletic Conference. Those matchups should ultimately serve the team well before it embarks on an always-challenging Centennial Conference schedule.
Women's soccer posted a 9-6-3 record last fall, sporting a 6-2-2 mark against Centennial Conference competition. That conference record earned the Fords the third seed in the Centennial Conference Tournament with a bye to the semifinals. In that semifinal matchup, the Fords dropped a heart-breaker to rival Swarthmore in the final minutes after tying the Garnet just one week earlier during the regular season.