POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (August 28, 2013) – After a 2012 season where the Vassar College women's soccer team saw much improvement from the 2011 campaign, the Brewers are back in action following tonight's final preseason scrimmage against SUNY New Paltz at 5:00 pm on Gordon Field.

    Vassar will open its regular season at home versus Mount Saint Mary College on Friday at 4:30 pm.

    The Brewers finished the 2012 season with a 9-7-1 overall record and a 3-5 record in the tough-as-always Liberty League. They improved from a 7-9-1 overall and 2-5-1 Liberty League record in 2011.

    Last year, Vassar only graduated two seniors, Gabrielle Fresenda and captain goalkeeper Ali Higgins. With the loss of Higgins, the Brewers brought in the necessary tools to make the goalkeeping corps stronger than ever.

    Pamela Monnier joins the staff as the assistant coach under head coach Laura Williamson. Monnier also acts as a dedicated goalkeeping coach, which is a huge necessity this season since the remaining sophomore keepers Emma Nichols and Cayla Neipris were joined by freshmen Phoebe Reuben and Stephanie Tapolsky.

    The Brewers also return 10 starters and bring in seven freshmen. The returning starters are sophomores Lucy Brainerd, Olivia Hoch and Kamaria Coley, juniors Kelsey Domb, Sarah Bourenane, Kim Kogler, Ariel Bridges, Chloe Wheeler and Lily Lanier and senior Becki Pearce-Probst.

    Pearce-Probst is joined by Gavriella Kaplan and Sheeva Seyfi as this year's graduating seniors. The freshmen this year are Rory Chipman, Kelsey Hamm, Emily Krebs, Rachel Marklyn, Jordyn Matthews along with Reuben and Tapolsky.

Offense

    The Brewers were led by Wheeler on the attacking side of the field. She tallied nine goals and one assist. She was tied for third in the Liberty League with Rachael Bromson of RIT and Whitney Frary of William Smith for season goals. Wheeler was tied for second in the Liberty League for game-winning goals with five alongside of Frary.

    Brainerd and Domb follow Wheeler as both had nine points each in 2012. Brainerd tallied three goals and three assists while Domb had four goals and one assist. Brainerd led Vassar in assists and Domb was second in goals.

    Coley and Kaplan each added three tallies and two assists last season. Bourenane and Kogler also had one goal.

    Domb earned All-League Second Team while Bourenane and Wheeler earned Honorable Mention.

Defense

    Bridges earned Third Team NCAA Division III Women's All-East Region honors by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America and All-Liberty League Second Team, leading the Brewer defense. She had one assist last year.

Joining Bridges in the back are Pearce-Probst, Hoch and Olson.

Goalkeepers

    Nichols saw action in three games with one start last year. She finished with a 1-0 record with her one win being a shutout. She recorded seven saves and no goals allowed.

    Tapolsky and Reuben look to see time in the goal as freshmen this season along with Neipris.

Schedule

    After the Brewers play Mount Saint Mary on Friday, they have eight days off before traveling to Hoboken, NJ for the Stevens Engineering Cup on Saturday and Sunday, September 7-8.

    Five more non-conference games after the Stevens Engineering Cup before the Brewers hit their Liberty League schedule versus Skidmore College on Saturday, September 28 at 2:00 pm in Saratoga Springs, NY.