NEWS
Women’s Soccer Opens 2022 Season Thursday on the Road
Fancy footwork from members of the women’s soccer team at last week’s FanFest. (Bill Giduz photo)
Familiar names fill the Davidson women’s soccer roster this fall, and coach Adam Denton is hopeful the group of experienced returners will lead the Wildcats to a successful 2022 campaign.
While each team must find its own way and write its own story, experience can be a helpful reference at the beginning of a season. And the Wildcats have it in the form of 12 seniors and seven returners who played more than 1,000 minutes a year ago.
“We’ve got a senior class with a lot of experience,” says Denton, entering his sixth season as head coach. “That experience will be vital as we go through a rigorous travel schedule.”
The Wildcats returned to campus Aug. 1 and have busily prepared for the season, which kicks off Thursday night at USC-Upstate.
“The preseason has gone really well,” says Denton. “The players look fresh and sharp coming into the season. They’ve worked hard and have performed well and adapted well.”
Four senior captains are set to lead the way, including goalkeeper Mary Grace Bunch, defender Keeley Copper, midfielder Sophia Caruso and forward Hailey Braemer.
Bunch is back for a fifth year in goal after earning two all-conference honors and missing the final third of 2021 with an injury. Caruso has been a mainstay in the lineup for three years, with 49 starts already to her name, and directs traffic in the middle. Braemer and Copper started for two seasons before missing all of last year with injuries. Copper is a key player in the back, while Braemer led the team with five goals, five assists and 15 points during the 2020 (spring 2021) season, earning Second Team All A-10 and A-10 All-Championship honors.
Senior defender Grace Voss is back after being a steady presence in the back last year and logging the most minutes of any returner (1,683). Seniors Cecie Bassett, Hannah Casey and Rachel Schleicher and junior Riley Patton all started double-digit games last year and played at least 1,038 minutes.
A sophomore forward, Aleia Gisolfi-McCready returns after leading the team in scoring and earning an A-10 All-Rookie Team spot, and senior Remi White joins her, Casey and Patton as the four returners who scored multiple goals a season ago.
Notes
• Bassett, Bunch and Casey were A-10 All-Academic honorees last year.
• A freshman class of eight has joined the program, as has sophomore transfer Alli Jacobson.
• The home opener is set for Thursday, Aug. 25 against Gardner-Webb.