The women’s soccer team opens the season with nine new players on the roster.

Lucie Ashmore, co-captain and goalkeeper, said that having so many new players is an advantage going into this season.

“A great deal of them are offensive players which really helps us in becoming more of an attacking team compared to last season where we only had a couple. I think it really helps us not only in terms of numbers, but also gives us the confidence and the strength to be able to go forward and take those opportunities this season. It’s going to be difficult [playing in Division II] without a doubt, but I truly believe with the team we have that we’ll do very well,” Ashmore said.

Danielle Foxhoven, head coach, said the team is preparing to go in Division II by making adjustments as needed to the learning curve set by the higher competition.

“Things in the GLIAC will be much different because becoming a Division II school means that we have to be that much better. We are held to higher standards, the level of play is higher, the competition is higher, every team is better,” Foxhoven said. “We have had to do a lot of work in the off season to get ourselves right and ready to be viable competitors in this league. It is definitely going to be a season full of learning but I know the girls have done everything they could to prepare for today and we are ready to get his show on the road.”

Foxhoven said the players on the team has set a few goals this season that are supported by their coaching staff.

“First and foremost they would like to maintain a good team and individual GPAs. Second they have set a goal for themselves to come in and surprise the teams in the GLIAC by being a team of 90 minute fighters and we would like to earn our spot as competitors in this tough conference,” Foxhoven said.

Ashmore said the team’s unity allows them to put their minds together and making playing a joy, but also gives them the ability to reach their goals.

“We are all trying to achieve a common goal and by building each other up, it really enables us to succeed. There’s so much more to a team than just who we are and how we play on game day; there’s the training sessions where we’re just exhausted and we look to each other to get each other through it,” Ashmore said. “There’s bus rides of silence back after a loss or of joy after a win, there’s the moments where we get down on ourselves and we have teammates who can give us the strength we seek to go on.

Foxhoven said the team had one of their best seasons last year despite finishing the season in the bottom half of the CCAC. They finished the season with a record of 5-11-1. Their first game is Sept. 1 against Marian in Indianapolis.