FULTON, Mo. -- The William Woods University women's soccer team will kick-off the 2013 season with a home matchup against Avila University. First kick for the game, sponsored by McDonald's, will be at 5 p.m.
Matchup                                        Â
This will be the season opener for both squads. William Woods is coming off a 10-8-1 season that included a 5-3 mark in the American Midwest Conference, earning them in a tie for fourth place during the regular season. The Owls return a heap of talent, including a pair of first-team All-AMC selections in Ashley Deckard and Jamie Palermo.
Last season Deckard's 10 assists led the team, while the mark was tied for second-highest total in the AMC. Palermo, who was also in her first year of collegiate soccer, tallied 14 goals on the year to lead the team. She also ranked fourth in the conference last season in goals scored.
Avila University was hit hard by graduation last year and will have 11 newcomers on the team this fall. Yet, the Eagles return a good deal of key pieces that helped them to a 10-8-1 mark during the 2012 season. AU returns two-time All-HAAC Second-Team selection Jamie Nilica. The return of Nilica is a big key to Avila's success this season as this will be her third year serving as team captain.
Statistically speaking the Eagles also return a bulk of their goals from last season, as Caryn Welch (11 goals in 2012) and Tracie Geile (5 goals in 2012) were two of the top three scores from a year ago. AU also has experience between the posts with the return of three-year starter Stephanie Gartner.
High Expectations
The 2013 edition of the William Woods' women's soccer team comes into the year with high expectations. Last season the Owls finished just one game back from second place in the AMC and had to settle for a fourth-place tie with Lyon College.
WWU returns four All-AMC players in juniors Ashley Deckard (First-Team), Jamie Palermo (First-Team), Danielle Wilson (Honorable Mention) and sophomore Jordan McNamara (Honorable Mention).
Head Coach Randy Hall believes that this year's squad is one of the most talented teams he has had and he believes the pieces are in place for his team to become the dominant team in the AMC this year.
Avoiding the 'Sophomore' Slump
William Woods had three first-year players play a significant role during the 2012 season. Each player earned all-conference honors during their rookie year and will look to avoid the dreaded 'sophomore' slump that sometimes happens to a player their second time around conference play.
Junior Jamie Palermo highlighted this group by earning First-Team All-AMC honors. A New Mexico All-State selection during her high school days, Palermo returned to the field after spending two years solely focused on golf at William Woods. In her first year back, she led the team with 14 goals and 32 points.
Another junior, Ashley Deckard, transferred in from NCAA Division I Western Illinois University last season and made an immediate impact on the field. Her 10 assists last season were the highest total for a player since 2003, when Sarah Moranville tied the school record for most assists in a season with 11.
Sophomore Jordan McNamara started out last season with a bang, by scoring five goals in the team's first five games. Yet, she slowed down the rest of the way only to find the back of the net just three times in the final 14 games.
Staying Close To Home
Owl fans will have an ample amount of opportunities to see their team in action during the 2013 season as the schedule features a lot of local flavor. William Woods plays every regular season game in the Show Me State this year.
The Owls will have 12 games in Fulton this year, including the annual matchup against crosstown rival Westminster College. WWU will play its first seven games in Fulton, before they travel to Central Methodist University on Sept. 24.
The longest road trip for the Owls will be on Oct. 23 when they travel to Park University, a 165-mile trip. In fact, the Owls will only travel 1,006 miles this year roundtrip.
Series At A Glance
These two squads have met on 10 previous occasions and the series record is evened up at 4-4-2. The Eagles have been a torn in the side of the Owls during the Randy Hall era, as the head coach has never beat Avila in four tries.
Last season, AU defeated WWU 5-3 in Kansas City on Sept. 12. A pair of goals by Jordan McNamara gave the Owls a 3-2 lead going into the half, but Caryn Welch netted two goals in the second half, giving her a total of four on the day, to lead the Eagle to the come-from-behind victory.
Get Social With The Owls
In addition to the traditional outlets, fans can keep up with the latest news about William Woods Athletics via our social media channels. Checkout our Facebook page (Facebook.com/WWUOwls) and twitter feed (@WWU_Owls).
Check back with wwuowls.com for a full recap of this and every game during the 2013 season.
