By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director
SALEM, Ore. -- The Willamette University women's soccer team is ready to start the 2015 regular season. The Bearcats will play their first regular season game against crosstown rival Corban University on Tuesday, Sept. 1 at Spark Field. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. (PDT).
Willamette ended last season with a 2-0-1 record in its final three games, while shutting out all three opponents. The trio of games included a 1-0 win over Pacific Lutheran University, which was leading the Northwest Conference standings prior to the game.
Starting goalkeeper, Emily Sewall (Jr., GK, Petaluma, CA/Casa Grande HS), who was in goal for all three games, finished the season with six shutouts. She earned a 1.53 goals against average to go along iwth 68 saves.
Sewall enters her junior year with a total of 10 shutouts in her career. She owns a solid 1.29 career goals against average. Last year, the Bearcats held 11 opponents to one goal or less.
Another key returning players on defense are Jill Phillips (Sr., D/GK, Fairbanks, AK/West Valley HS), Madelynn Ellis (Jr., D, Lake Oswego, OR/Lake Oswego HS) and Meridith Greer (So., D, Beaverton, OR/Southridge HS).
Phllips started all 20 games last season. She played in the midfield and on defense most of the season, but also played in goal against Whitworth on Nov. 1, when Sewall was out due to injury. Phillips has played in all 60 games in her career. She has scored four goals and four assists in her career, including three goals and three assists in 2014.
Ellis saw action in 18 games with eight starts a year ago. She played in 16 games as a freshman in 2013. Greer competed in 16 games with 11 starts during her freshman season last fall. Ellis and Greer played in all six games that ended in shutouts by the WU defense.
Several players return in the midfield for the Bearcats. They include McKenzie Andringa (Sr., M, Yakima, WA/La Salle HS), Karin Hokanson (Sr., F/MF, Woodinville, WA/International Community School), Kelsey Walker (So., M/GK, Westerville, OH/Westerville North HS) and Emma Sanders (Jr., M, Kennewick, WA/Southridge HS).
Andringa can also help out on defense. She played in 19 games last season with 10 starts and recorded one goal and one assist. Hokanson saw limited action in 2014 due do an injury, but will challenge for playing time in the midfield and at forward this year.
As a freshman last fall, Walker played in 18 games and made five starts. She tied for the team lead with three assists. Sanders started all 20 games a year ago and scored one goal.
Returning fowards are Marley Duncan (So., F, Pukalani, HI/Kamehameha School), Veronica Ewers (Sr., M, Moscow, ID/Moscow HS), Kinsey Keene (Jr., M, Eagle, ID/Eagle HS) and Emmy Manset (So., F, Ventura, CA/Foothill Technology HS).
Ewers scored two goals in 2014 while playing in all 20 games. She made seven starts. Keene also played in 20 games on her way to scoring one goal and two assists. Keene started 16 contests.
Manset saw action in every game last year and was a starter 11 times. She scofed on egoals and ranked second on the team with 29 shots, includng 17 shots on goal. Duncan compete din 17 games with six starts. Her quickness created problems for opposing defenses.
Head Coach Hillary Arthur is starting her eighth season with the Bearcats. Willamette will play five of its first eight games at home. After taking on Corban, the Bearcats will host University of Redlands (Calif.) on Saturday, Sept. 5 at 11 a.m. (PDT).
Other home games early in the season will be against Linfield College on Sept. 16, Whitman College on Sept. 26 and Whitworth University on Sept. 27. Overall, Willamette will play 10 of its 20 regular season games at home.
