(Ann Arbor, MI) – Concordia women's soccer is preparing to embark on their 2023 season. Darus Ward enters his 2nd year as head coach and looks to move the team up the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) tables this year. The Cardinals return 14 players (including 7 seniors) while adding 12 newcomers.
2022 SEASON REVIEW
Concordia went 3-12-3 last year with a 2-7-2 mark in the WHAC. The Cardinals fought Ave Maria to a 0-0 tie early in the year and then downed Saint Francis 4-2. In conference play, the team shut out UM-Dearborn 1-0 and picked up a 2-1 come-from-behind win on Senior Day over Rochester.
2023 SCHEDULE OUTLOOK
Concordia travels to Taylor this Thursday night at 7pm to open the season. The Cardinals head on the road to Bethel before hosting Spring Arbor on August 30 at 5:30pm to close the month.
September starts with a road tilt at Purdue Northwest followed by a home game versus Kalamazoo College. The Cardinals travel to NCAA Division I Detroit-Mercy on September 10 at 1pm. The team hosts Saint Francis, travels to Aquinas, and then starts WHAC play with home games against Indiana Tech and rival Siena Heights.
In October, the Cardinals have three straight road matches at Cleary, Lawrence Tech and Madonna. The team hosts UM-Dearborn and Lourdes before traveling to Rochester. Home games against UNOH and Cornerstone conclude the regular season.
2023 WHAC PRESEASON POLL
The WHAC announced the 2023 preseason poll on August 2nd and the Cardinals were picked 10th with 35 points.
Aquinas College was picked to be the top team in the WHAC gaining 11 first-place votes and 143 total. Lawrence Tech was the second team with 119 points and the final first-place vote as Madonna (114 points), Siena Heights (105), and UNOH (103) rounded out the top-5.
The remaining spots were Lourdes (92), Rochester (73), Indiana Tech (55), Cornerstone (42), Concordia, UM-Dearborn (28), and Cornerstone (27) respectively.
Concordia Personnel
Senior goalkeeper Hayley Jacobson returns after notching 3 wins, 140 saves, and 3 shutouts. Senior Kendra Lewis returns after scoring a goal last year. Senior midfielders Danielle Bracken and Andrea Foster helped out with 2 shots on goal apiece. Senior Aaliyah McIntosh showed speed on offense with 13 games played. Seniors Halle Kallsen and Samantha Pomponio return after being limited by injury.
Junior Taia Vega comes back after recording a goal and an assist. Junior Kamryn Gerecke had a shot on goal last season. Junior Sabrina Bucci saw action in 5 contests.
Sophomore Katelyn Aiello had 2 game-winning goals and 2 assists last season. Sophomore Isabella Elsey had 2 goals and an assist. Sophomores Mataya James and Ambryn Diener played in 15 and 12 games respectively.
The Cardinals have added 12 newcomers: graduate transfer Alexis Russell, sophomore Yvonne Clark, and freshmen Alexandra Salazar, Alivia Lavigne, Allie Grice, Alyssa Pringle, Andrea Nava Garduno, Ava Vizina, Emily Kennedy, Madilyn Webb, Micayla McGee, and Rory Brown.
2022 Team Stats
