Posted: Aug 30, 2017
Macon, GA - Under the guidance of first year head coach Ian Doherty, the Wesleyan College soccer team is looking to improve upon last season's four wins with a good mixture of seasoned returners and high impact newcomers. In two preseason exhibition matches, the 2017 Wolves offense showed that it has the ability to score with five different players netting a total of six goals, while the new formation defense surrendered only three goals to the opposition. With a new leader, a new philosophy, and a new strategy, the Wolves are hoping to see positive changes this season upon which to build for the future.
2017 Season Outlook
Captains: Seniors Jessica Austell and Kylie Lovett as well as junior Cat Pribbenow will captain the 2017 squad. Lovett and Pribbenow will anchor the defense, while Austell will direct traffic in the midfield. Last season, Pribbenow got off eight shots, seven of which were on goal, and managed to record both a goal and an assist, while Austell also netted one goal.
Returners: In addition to Austell, Lovett, and Pribennow, the Wolves return a solid base to the pitch this season. Seniors Katie Tanner and Centara Nulf will both see playing time on defense. Tanner was Wesleyan's biggest offensive threat last season, getting off twice as many shots as any other player on the squad. The team's returning sophomore class all saw a great deal of playing time as freshmen, and with a year's experience under their belts, they will now have an even greater impact on the field. They include goalkeeper Carlee Dykes, midfielders Katie Ann Fitts and Whitney Flanter, and defender Quenshawn Brandon.
Newcomers: The Wolves have six newcomers to the team, all playing collegiately for the first time with the exception of junior college transfer Kourtney Mydlowski. The freshman class consists of goalkeepter Kayleigh Buie, midfielders Madison Thornton and Nadia Al-Shahabi, and forwards Fetlework Blitch and Sophia Borovsky. In two preseason exhibitions this month, Wesleyan's newcomers scored five of the team's six goals, so expectations are high for their ability to produce points for the Wolves this season.
Offensive Outlook: This season, the Wolves are looking to be more aggressive moving forward in an attempt to create more goal scoring chances. They want to be clinical around the goal and play with more positivity.
Defensive Outlook: Wesleyan plans to be very organized and compact defensively. They will look to play as a unit and focus on consistent communication.
USAS Outlook: The goal for the Wolves this season within the USA South Conference is to be more competitive and to push for a spot in the conference tournament. In doing so, they will look to improve upon the two conference wins they recorded last season (LaGrange and Huntingdon). Staying healthy and fit is the top priority, because Coach Doherty feels that his team has the talent and work ethic to cause their opponents problems.
Coach's Final Thought: "We want to get better with every game that we play," remarked Coach Doherty. "We're looking to play with a bit of positivity and creativity in order to play to the strengths of each individual player. Working together and supporting one another is very important to us, especially as we have a small roster this season."
The Wolves open the 2017 season with a long road trip to Virginia where they will first face off against Hollins University on Friday evening at 5:00pm. Wesleyan will then turn around on short rest for a match up against Sweetbriar College at noon on Saturday. Both games will be live streamed and links to all the action can be found at www.wesleyanathletics.com.