The Hall Kicks Off 2017 at Loyola Thursday

BALTIMORE – The Seton Hall women's soccer team officially opens its season Thursday night with a 6 p.m. match at Loyola before heading to Columbia for a 1 p.m. kick on Sunday. Thursday marks the first of four consecutive road fixtures for the team following a no-contest in its originally-scheduled season opener last Friday at home against Siena.

The Pirates and the visiting Saints completed 47 minutes of a scoreless play last week before intense storms and lightning strikes consumed the area and forced the end of the contest. At halftime, Seton Hall held a 6-4 advantage in shots and junior goalkeeper Anna MacLean (Thunder Bay, Ontario) registered a pair of saves.

Season Preview:

A balanced mix of 17 upperclassmen and 14 underclassmen have spent the summer building chemistry both on and off the field, as the Seton Hall women's soccer team prepares for the 2017 regular season beginning Friday, Aug. 18 when visiting Siena sets foot on Owen T. Carroll Field at 7 p.m. Fans can follow live on the Pirate Sports Network.

The Pirates will look to improve its win total for the second consecutive season after boosting their win total by three a season ago. They return nine starters, 16 letterwinners, and also bring back Eva Gonzalez (Mesquite, Texas), who missed last season to be with the U20 Mexican Women's National Team.

Gonzalez, along with Katie Landes (Stony Point, N.Y.) and senior Andrea Palermo (Caledon, Ontario) have been named 2017 captains, and are excited about the way the team has gelled throughout preseason training.

The Pirates return 75.0 percent of their scoring from last season including Sarah Cortes (Paramus, N.J.) and sophomores Marissa Aniolowski (Enfield, Conn.) and Siobhan McGovern (Cranford, N.J.), who each tallied a pair of goals in 2016.

A familiar face will be a mainstay between the pipes as MacLean returns after registering three clean sheets last season and leading the BIG EAST in saves per game (5.0).

One of the pivotal factors for the Pirates this season will be how the newcomers are able to adapt and contribute immediately. The Hall welcomed 10 freshman to campus this summer, and while they are all exceptionally talented, there is always a learning curve making the transition to college soccer at the BIG EAST Conference level.

"I think the captains have done a really nice job of getting our freshmen together and on board. The team has adapted well and welcomed them with open arms, so I think the adjustment for them has gone quite smoothly," said head coach Rick Stainton.

Among the freshmen is 2016 Gatorade Connecticut High School Player of the Year, Dani Brinckman (Glastonbury, Conn.), who is expected to immediately contribute in the midfield. Emily Caza (Thornhill, Ontario), captain of the U20 Jamaican National Team, was one of many rookies who impressed in camp, and will likely see plenty of action this fall.

"From the get-go the freshmen have made their mark," said Palermo. "They brought a really great energy during camp that really impressed the upperclassmen. Having an incoming class like this where everyone is already on the same page is great."

The Pirates will compete in eight non-conference matches before opening BIG EAST play at DePaul on Sept. 23.