Women’s soccer opens regular-season play against Akron

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Bryant University women's soccer kicks off the 2015 season against the University of Akron on Friday, August 21 at FirstEnergy Stadium in Akron, Ohio.

The Bulldogs and Zips will be meeting for the second-consecutive year. Akron defeated Bryant 3-2 in double overtime last fall in Smithfield.

Coming off 19-consecutive winning seasons as head coach at Slippery Rock University, Noreen Herlihy will make her official debut as first-year head coach of the Zips.

In similar fashion, Bulldog first-year head coach Andy Biggs will also be making his first official appearance. Biggs joins the Bulldogs after five years on the Brown University men's soccer coaching staff, where he served his last two seasons as Associate Head Coach. Biggs helped lead the Bears to three-straight NCAA tournament appearances and one Ivy League Championship.

Also joining the Bulldogs are six incoming freshmen accompanied by 20 returning players.

Back to lead the Bulldogs' attack are senior Sarah Schucker (Nanuet, N.Y.) and junior Melaina Aglieco (Rocky Hill, Conn). Sophomore midfielder Hannah Crofut (East Amherst, N.Y.) is also back and looking to contribute to the offensive force.

Last season, Schucker earned All-NEC Second Team honors, leading the team with nine points off three goals and three assists. Aglieco and Crofut each contributed four points on the season.

Juniors Kianna Woods (Stafford Springs, Conn.) and Abigail Smith (Kingston, N.H.), sophomore Kristen O'Connor (Beverly, Mass.), and seniors Allison DeBenedictis (Norwell, Mass.) and Shea Williams (Londonderry, N.H.) all return for Bryant's defense.

The 2014 season saw a number of players in the backline, but Biggs is looking for more consistency in the defense this year. Plagued by some preseason injuries, the Bulldogs have not yet found the perfect combination in the back.

"As players are coming back from injury, we will be able to determine the best lineup for us," Biggs said. Biggs went on to explain that there are a number of contenders for the backline and how well they play together at the start of the season will help determine a concrete lineup.

One area of consistency in the back will come from junior Kaylan Conrad (Avon, Conn.), as she returns in net after starting all 19 games for the Bulldogs last season. Conrad was named Second Team All-NEC last season and averaged the second highest saves per game (5.6) in the league.  

Senior forward Scout Benson (Lynnfield, Mass.) will miss the first few matchups for the Bulldogs due to her current training with Puerto Rico's National Team. Benson and the national team are in preparation for three Olympic qualifying games to be played later this month.

"I think the bond that the girls have developed over the last couple of weeks is something we will be able to call upon as we work through the season," Biggs stated. "We're a team with great versatility in our players. Players are able to play in multiple positions and play in an up-tempo attack and also slow the ball down from time to time."

Biggs is looking for his players' connections to continue to grow through the start of the 2015 season. After the Akron matchup, the Black and Gold will remain in Ohio to face off against Kent State University on Sunday, August 23 (1 p.m. ET). The Bulldogs open at home Thursday, September 3 against Rhode Island at 4 p.m.