GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Veteran head coach Randy Strawser and the women's soccer team will begin the 2016 campaign hosting a pair of Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference foes over the weekend. The season opener will take place on Saturday, September 3 at 7 p.m. vs. Saint Xavier and will be followed by a home match on Monday, September 5 at 1 p.m. vs. Saint Francis (Ill.). Both matches will be streamed live on the Cornerstone Sports Network (CSPN). 

Date: Saturday, September 3
Time: 7:00 p.m. EST
Location: Grand Rapids, Mich. (CU Soccer Field)
Internet Coverage: Live Video/Stats
 
Scouting Saint Xavier
The Golden Eagles will face off against Saint Xavier University for the third consecutive season to begin 2016. Cornerstone beat the Cougars 1-0 in 2015 and 2-0 in 2014 giving them a 2-0-0 all-time record against SXU. Saint Xavier finished 2015 with a 5-13, 3-9 CCAC record. As a very young team in the previous two match-up's, SXU will bring plenty of experience in 2016 with 10 seniors looking to contribute on the varsity roster along with the overall points, goals, and assist leaders returning. Senior Christina Sperando is the captain of the Cougars recording a season high 1218 minutes, 10 points, and four goals last year.
 
Date: Monday, September 5
Time- 1 p.m. EST
Location- Grand Rapids, Mich. (CU Soccer Field)
Internet Coverage: Live Video/Stats
 
Scouting Saint Francis
CU will stay in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletics Conference for the second game of the year as they host Saint Francis (Ill.). The Fighting Saints went 11-5-2, 7-3-2 CCAC in 2015 for a fifth place finish in conference play. USF looks to get shots off early and often as they recorded 307 shots last year resulting in 39 goals, while their opponents only put up 188 shots and 23 goals. First Team All-Conference player Alex Truhlar led the Saints offense in 2015 with a team high seven goals and four assists while teammate Jessica Kiely recorded a team high 57 saves in the net.
 
Key Returners
Cornerstone will return six of the 11 starters from last season. Starting keeper Allison Snowden returns for her senior season after starting every match last year and recording a 72.4 save percentage. Senior Bria West and sophomore Alexys Riksen will also return to the pitch, after combining for 31 points in 2015.

2015 Season Recap
The Golden Eagles finished last season with a 13-7, 6-4 WHAC record tying a team high in wins over the past 10 seasons. CU finished in a tie for fourth place in conference regular season play, and ended the season with a 5-0 loss to No. 2 Northwestern Ohio in the WHAC Tournament Semi-Final.
 
Fresh Faces
Cornerstone will see eight fresh faces take the field this season, as Coach Randy Strawser looks to replenish the talent lost from the 2015 senior class. Six of the eight freshmen to join the club are local recruits from the state of Michigan, while new comers Meredith Haddad and Annie Sidler will join Cornerstone from Ohio and Illinois.
 
 
Women's Soccer Contact: Jesse Campbell
CU Athletics: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
Women's Soccer: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram