Midwestern State vs. Colorado Mesa
Thursday, Sept. 4, 2014 | 1:30 p.m.
Dirks Field | Durango, Colo.
Records: Midwestern State (0-0); Colorado Mesa (0-0)
Live Video: GoSkyhawks.com (PPV)  
Live Stats: GoSkyhawks.com  
 
Midwestern State at Fort Lewis
Saturday, Sept. 6, 2014 | 1:30 p.m.
Dirks Field | Durango, Colo.
Records: Midwestern State (0-0); Fort Lewis (0-0)
Live Audio: GoSkyhawks.com  
Live Video: GoSkyhawks.com (PPV) 
Live Stats: GoSkyhawks.com 
 
The Weekend
Midwestern State opens the season with a pair of matches at the Fort Lewis Women's Soccer Classic in Durango, Colo. The Mustangs take on Colorado Mesa Thursday afternoon before taking on the host Skyhawks on Saturday. Both games kickoff at 1:30 p.m. at  Dirks Field.
 
Scouting the Mavericks
Colorado Mesa is coming off of a 7-11 campaign in 2013 finishing seventh in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference with a 6-8 mark. The Mavericks were picked to finish ninth in the RMAC Preseason Poll. Sophomore forward Monica Carlos is CMU's top returning offensive threat logging four goals with two assists last fall, while junior forward Ashley Wallace added three goals and three assists. Senior Sarah Schnetzler, a three-year starter and third-time All-RMAC pick in 2012, returns in between the posts after allowing a 1.65 goals against average in 2013 with five clean sheets.
 
About the Series
Midwestern State meets Colorado Mesa for the eighth time on the pitch Thursday afternoon in Durango. The Mustangs own a 5-2 edge in the series which dates back to the 2002 season as the teams face each other in the season lid lifter for the third straight season. The Mavericks claimed a 3-1 win in 2012 while MSU took a 1-0 win in 2013 on a Kensli Pounds goal in the 59th minute at Grand Junction. This is the first meeting between the squads at a neutral site.
 
Scouting the Skyhawks
Fort Lewis rolled to a 16-6 overall mark advancing to the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference finals before falling to No. 2-ranked Colorado Mines. The Skyhawks hosted the South Central Regional falling to St. Edward's (Texas) in the second round. FLC was picked to finish fourth in the RMAC's 2014 preseason poll after placing third last season with a 10-4 league mark. Junior Brooke Milliet is the Skyhawks' top returning scorer netting three goals in 2013 while sophomore midfielder Jordan Hix added a goal and a team-high five assists as FLC lost 24 of its 28 goals scored last season. Junior Caitlyn Espinosa returns in goal allowing a scant 0.49 goals against average with 13 shutouts.
 
About the Series
Midwestern State meets Fort Lewis for the eighth time on the pitch Saturday afternoon in Durango. The series is tied at 3-3-1, but the Skyhawks have claimed the last three meetings taking a pair of 3-0 results in 2006 and 2012 before claiming a 2-0 win last season in Grand Junction. MSU is 1-2-1 all time against the Skyhawks taking a 4-2 win in 2002.
 
For Openers
Midwestern State enters its 20th year of women's soccer sporting a 12-7 record in season openers. It will mark the fifth time the Mustangs have started the campaign in Colorado. MSU is 2-2 in the previous four openers in the Rocky Mountain State falling to Colorado Christian (2-1) in 1999 and Colorado State-Pueblo (4-0) in 2000 before taking wins over CSU-Pueblo (1-0) in 2006 and Colorado Mesa (1-0) in 2013. The Mustangs have claimed wins in four of its last five lid lifters.
 
The Clarke Era Begins
Damian Clarke begins his first season at the helm of the Midwestern State women's soccer program, but returns to his former stomping grounds with his new Mustangs. Clarke amassed a 106-31-17 mark in seven seasons at Fort Lewis leading the Skyhawks to the NCAA Division II postseason three times advancing to the Elite Eight in 2010. He ranks 11th on NCAA II's winningest active coaches with a .744 winning percentage.
 
Mustangs picked to win Lone Star Conference
Midwestern State is picked to win its third Lone Star Conference title in the last four seasons after claiming championships in 2011 and 2013, but by the narrowest of margins. MSU received six first-place votes for a total of 80 points slightly ahead of Angelo State (7 first-place votes, 72 points) while West Texas A&M (61), Texas A&M-Commerce (51), Texas Woman's (27) and Eastern New Mexico (24).
 
Cottrell is LSC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, Part 2
Junior forward Ashley Cottrell was tabbed LSC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year for the second straight season. The Arlington native earned NSCAA and Daktronics All-South Central Region honors after leading the LSC with 11 goals and five game winning tallies in 2013. She is a two-time All-LSC first-team performer claiming LSC Offensive Player of the Year honors as a sophomore after taking Freshman of the Year accolades in 2012.
 
Hannon, Catney headline six returning starters
Junior midfielder Morgan Hannon, who earned NSCAA second-team and Daktronics first-team All-South Central Region honors in 2013, and senior midfielder Katy Catney, a first-team All-LSC performer last season, join junior forward Ashley Cottrell to headline a solid group of returning starters for the Mustangs. Hannon and Catney scored three goals each in support of Cottrell's 11 tallies. Junior defender Alexandria Edwards joins sophomores Haley Britton and Katie Huff to give MSU three solid returners on defense.
 
Looking Ahead
Midwestern State takes on Western State Colorado in its home opener Friday, Sept. 12 at the MSU Soccer Field before hitting the road to take on two-time defending Great American Champion Southwestern Oklahoma State two days later in Weatherford.