The Misericordia University women's soccer team (NCAA qualifiers in 2002, 2004, 2005, and 2006) enters the 2009 season looking to build on their first season as a member of the Freedom Conference of the Middle Atlantic States Athletics Corporation (MAC).

Last season, a switch to the more competitive Freedom Conference was accompanied by a more challenging out-of-conference schedule. After making nine trips to the conference final and winning five championships in a 14-year span in the Pennsylvania Athletic Conference, the Cougars played their most difficult schedule ever. Despite an early 4-2 victory over regionally-ranked Richard Stockton, injuries hampered MU throughout the season, affecting all 11 starters.

This year, the Cougars face a brutal opening stretch that sees them face five teams ranked nationally or regionally before conference play even begins. TCNJ (ranked #22 in the NSCAA preseason poll) comes to Dallas on Sept. 5, quickly followed by trips to Ithaca (#9) and Johns Hopkins (#6). Before September is over, MU will also face away contests against regionally-ranked Wooster (OH) and Elizabethtown.

“We need to get off to a strong start and gain good, quality experience in those early games,” said MU head coach Mark Stauffer, acknowledging the difficulty of the non-conference slate. “Then we can make a run at the conference title.”

Junior Morgan Myers will return as the number one goalkeeper after taking over the starting job last season, keeping a 2.61 GAA with one shutout. “Morgan is a junior captain and a big team leader for us,” said Stauffer.

Four returnees will help anchor the MU defense, including juniors Jenn Brucker, Kristen Gedon and Paige Williams. Sophomore Katie Usher also returns at the back for the Cougars.

Two experienced midfielders return in the center of the park for MU: junior Jenica Keister and senior Ashley McDonnell. Both veterans will also serve as captains in 2009. McDonnell, the Cougars' lone fourth-year player, was voted as team MVP last season along with being selected as second-team All-Freedom Conference.

The Cougars' attack will be led by junior Kim Suchoski (2007 PAC Rookie of the Year), who should fire herself into MU's all-time top-10 goal scorer list this year after notching 17 goals in her first two seasons. She will be joined up front by returnees Lauren Payne (4 goals in 2008), Andrea Sierer and Kailee Hummel.

A host of new faces join MU this season as well, including top freshmen recruits Laura Roney, Bridget Fortier, Sam Helmstetter, Nicolette Hensel and Courtney Dillon. “We have real talent in this freshman group,” said Stauffer. “They'll look to get some quality time this season and build for the future.”

With a young team featuring only one senior, the future does look bright. However, the Cougars feel they are also ready to compete for a championship right now as they seek their fifth NCAA tournament bid in eight years.