GAMBIER, Ohio – As the Kenyon College women's soccer team looks to defend its North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) championship, the return of numerous contributors within each area of the field should help the Ladies replace a strong senior class from a year ago.
 
Last season, Kenyon posted a 9-7-3 record and went undefeated (7-0-1) during the NCAC regular season for the first time in program history. The Ladies also and made the NCAC Tournament Championship match before their season came to a close.
 
Getting back to that point will be difficult, especially with the loss of several talented seniors including NCAC Midfielder of the Year Campbell Fee, but the Ladies appear ready to challenge again.
 
A total of 13 players on this year's roster saw action in at least 11 contests in 2017. Included in that mix are defender Caroline McNeer and goalkeeper Jillian Countey. Both were first team All-NCAC selections while McNeer earned the conference's Defensive Player of the Year honor. They were also among a group of defenders that helped Kenyon limit NCAC opponents to one goal during the regular season.
 
McNeer tallied two goals and four assists and helped the Ladies post a 0.95 goals against average and an NCAC-best 10 shutouts. For Countey, she had a marvelous sophomore campaign as she started 17 matches, had a .875 save percentage and set a new Kenyon single-season record with a 0.51 goals against average. Fellow defenders Kiele Anderson, Annie Hesse and All-NCAC team member Maia Emden also return to help patrol the back line.
 
On the attacking end, Kenyon stands to improve after finishing tied for fifth in the league in scoring last year (23 goals).
 
In the midfield, senior and 2017 All-NCAC second teamer Brianna Maggard returns after scoring twice last year. Additionally, juniors Fallon Raviol and Alyssa Sugar will look to provide assistance on the offensive end. Raviol played in all 19 games last year and contributed two goals and three assists, while Sugar tallied a goal.
 
Sophomore Samantha Hayes will be counted on to lead the forwards. Last season, she scored four goals in the first four matches, including a hat trick against Dominican University before getting injured. She did add four assists, which were tied for the team lead with McNeer, as well. Morgan Engmann is another to keep an eye on as she's scored three goals and tallied an assist in her career.
 
There are also nine newcomers that coach Kelly Bryan and assistant Katherine Cobb recruited to Kenyon. Three of those look to get early playing time: Joanna Kaizer, Maddie Davis and Olivia Dion.
 
The season starts for the Ladies on August 31 at 5:15 p.m. when Case Western Reserve University comes to Mavec Field. NCAC competition will open on September 22 when Kenyon travels to Wittenberg University, the team that defeated the Ladies in last season's NCAC Tournament final.