Women's Soccer 8/19/2015 5:44:00 PM DSU Athletic Media Relations

2015 DELAWARE STATE SOCCER PREVIEW

(Dover, Del.) – Coming off the second best finish (6-12-1) in program history, in addition to winning the first-ever Independent Conference Tournament Championship, the Delaware State women's soccer team returns nine letterwinners from last season, along with the addition of 10 newcomers for the upcoming 2015 campaign.

Head coach Kerri Scroope, now in her third season at the helm, is anxious to continue the recent upward trend of the program.

“We're very excited to get going here,” said Scroope, who was named Independent Conference Coach of the Year by College Sports Madness. “We were counting the day since last season left when we ended on a championship.”

Scroope added: “It's been exciting watching them grow and I think we made our statement last year. So we're hoping to prove some more and hopefully get into a conference for 2016.”

Forwards

The forwards for Delaware State in 2015 will have a lot to live up to. In 2014, the position group scored 13 out of the 19 goals, led by Chelsea Boursiquot setting DSU single-season records for most goals (6) and points (14) totaled. Boursiquot also finished her senior campaign as the program's all-time leader in goals (15) and points (32) on her way to earning Second Team All-Independent Conference honors.

Topping the list of returnees are senior veterans Taylor Addison and Julia Bossert. Addison returns as DSU's top scorer, tallying two goals and one assist for five points on her way to receiving Second Team All-Independent Conference honors. Bossert – a Second Team All-Independent Conference selection also – led the Hornets in assists (3) last season, which tied a team single-season mark.

“There's a lot of intensity and a lot of talent heading into this year than opposed to years past,” said Bossert. “It's good to have a really strong base coming in for our season right now and it's really great to watch them coming in and training every day.”

Providing depth behind the senior duo will be sophomore McKenzie Miller, who will look to build on a All-Independent Conference Tournament Team selection. Newcomers in freshmen Taylor Love, Bri Musco and junior transfer Ayanna Smith, meanwhile, will also battle for playing time. Spending her freshman season at Southern Connecticut State, followed by sitting out her sophomore campaign, Smith took four shots and scored once.

Midfielders

With nine players designated as midfielders, this position group is the deepest for the Hornets this season, led by senior Danielle Valente. In 2014, Valente was a First Team All-Independent Conference selection, appearing in 16 games while making 15 starts.

Behind Valente are letterwinners from a season ago in juniors Dina Isham and Morgan Pottinger, whereas returners Kym Brewton and Tori Hamilton will battle for significant playing time. The newcomers, on the other hand, feature freshmen Dasia Busch, Logan Taylor, Kayleigh Leschinski and junior transfer from Stony Brook in Elise Pratt. Appearing in a combined 24 matches in two seasons, Pratt's lone goal occurred as a freshman in Stony Brook's double-overtime victory against Maine to complete the regular season.

Defenders

The veteran trio of seniors Morgan Durham, Tere' Crawford and junior Taylor Pratcher headlines the backline for DSU in 2015.

Durham, who started all 19 games last season on her way to earning First Team All-Independent Conference honors, likes the feel of the team with the regular season set to begin this Friday evening (7 p.m.) at home against Lafayette.

“I feel like we have a lot more soccer IQ this season,” said Durham. “A lot of the freshmen are bringing that to the field and also a lot of the returners have stepped their game up.”

As for Crawford, she will look to build on a stellar junior campaign that not only featured a Second Team All-Independent Conference honor, but an Independent Conference All-Tournament Team selection. In the case of Pratcher, who started 15 out of 19 games in 2014, Scroope feels she's the most improved player heading into the season.

“She's come a long way…maturity wise, growth wise,” said Scroope, who is four wins shy of becoming DSU's all-time winningest head coach. “We were looking to move her forwardly this year, but what she did this spring was amazing. So she's definitely the player to watch out for this season.”

Rounding out the defenders are freshmen Samantha Bahr, Savannah Taylor and sophomore Brianna Villa.

Goalkeepers

Aiming to fill void the left by Kaitlyn Koslosky (graduated), DSU's all-time leader in saves (387) and shutouts (9), will be sophomore Michele Lammers and freshman Leslie Fazio.

According to Scroope, Lammers is up for the challenge this season, despite appearing in three games for a little over a combined 16 minutes as a freshman.

“Koslosky really took her under her wing last season and was really on her everyday helping her work,” stated Scroope. “It'll be a challenge for her, but it'll take a total team effort to give her the support she needs once the season gets going.”

As for freshman Fazio, a product of nearby Sussex Technical High School located in Lewes, Del., she started all four years on the varsity level, garnering First Team All-Henlopen North Conference honors, along with First and Second All-State recognition during her final two seasons.

The Schedule

To open up the year, DSU will welcome Lafayette to Alumni Stadium on Aug. 21 (7 p.m.), followed by its first road test of the season at Temple (Aug. 23). The Hornets then will return home to face Quinnipiac on Aug. 28, before hitting the road for back-to-back games against UMass Lowell (Sept. 4) and Rider (Sept. 9).

Continuing the month of September, Delaware State will begin a four-game homestand against Wagner (Sept. 11), whereas the next three opponents will be against Manhattan (Sept. 13), American (Sept. 15) and UMBC (Sept. 18). The next two games for DSU, meanwhile, will be at George Washington (Sept. 20) and Saint Peter's (Sept. 24).

After returning home to face Mount St. Mary's (Sept. 24), the Hornets will head north to face NJIT on Oct. 6 (7 p.m.), in what will begin a stretch of playing five out of their six games away from Alumni Stadium. The lone home game during this slate will be against first-year program Hampton on Oct. 11 (1 p.m.) for DSU's Senior Day. To conclude the regular season, the Hornets will take on Marist (Oct. 16), LIU Brooklyn (Oct. 18), VMI (Oct. 22) and Howard (Oct. 28).

As for postseason play, the Columbia Blue & Red will look to defend their Independent Conference Tournament crown against host Francis Marion, NJIT and South Carolina State in Florence, S.C. on Oct. 30 – Nov. 1.

DSU's All-Time Record vs. 2015 Opponents

Lafayette: 0-4

Temple: 0-4

Quinnipiac: 0-2

UMass Lowell: 0-1

Rider: 0-6-1

Wagner: 2-7

Manhattan: 0-4

American: 0-3

UMBC: 0-5

George Washington: 0-3

Saint Peter's: 2-8-1