LOUISVILLE, Ky. --- The No. 21 Bellarmine University women's soccer opens up their 2012 schedule this weekend in a pair of nonconference matches against GLIAC schools, hosting Findlay on Friday at Owsley B. Frazier Stadium before traveling to Ohio Dominican on Sunday.
Coach Jonathan Velotta's squad is coming off the program's most successful season in program history, going 16-3-3 and winning the program's first Great Lakes Valley Conference Championship. Velotta returns 22 members from that squad including All-GLVC performers
Abby Janszen and
Amy Kunowski.
The senior Kunowski has already established herself as one of the program's all-time greats. The Milwaukee, Wisc. native has set program records for shutouts and goals against average in a career and is tied for first in career save percentage.
Janszen and senior
Alex Kowalski shared the team lead in goals scored last season, netting seven a piece. The two strikers will be aided by the midfield duo of
Lauren Boyd and
Allyson Palmer who each added five goals. Sophomore
Emily Hollander, who had the clinching penalty kick goal in the GLVC Championship game, is also expected to contribute heavily after having an impressive exhibition season that included netting a pair of goals against Centre and Georgetown.
Defensively the Knights look to continue their dominance with the return of sophomore
Leah Loven along with
Brianna Simmons, Cristina Kapsalis, and
Allison Menchak. Bellarmine has ranked in the top four of the GLVC in goals against average in each of the past three seasons.
The Knights and Oilers faced off last season in Findlay, Ohio with Bellarmine coming away with a 3-2 victory. The Knights jumped out to a 3-0 lead behind goals from Palmer, Kapsalis, and Janszen, but the Oilers came storming back with a pair of late goals.
After Friday's game, Bellarmine will travel to Columbus, Ohio on Sunday to square off against another GLIAC school, Ohio Dominican. The Panthers were picked second in GLIAC South Division after going 10-6-3 in 2011.
Gametime between Findlay and Bellarmine is set for 7:00 p.m. on Friday night.
