Women's Soccer: 2014 Preview

DEFIANCE, Ohio – A new era in Defiance College Women's Soccer begins as Jenny Vincent takes over for her first season as a head coach.

DC brings back a strong core of seniors from last year's team that missed the playoffs by just one spot in the standings.  The Yellow Jackets finished 3-5-1 in Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference play last season.

With the returning upperclassmen paired with the talented incoming freshman, DC looks to make a push for the postseason.

Defense:  Senior honorable mention All-HCAC selection Chelsie Moyer (Tipp City, Ohio / Tippecanoe) will help lead the young defense in the 2014 campaign.  Moyer saw the most time on the field as a Yellow Jacket last season starting all 19 games and will need to bring that experience to help a young DC defense get started off on the right foot.  She ended the season with one goal offensively and was part of a defense that allowed just 1.85 goals per game. 

Junior Jillian Crowell (Kalamazoo, Mich. / Plainwell) will be the lone other upperclassmen in the backfield with Moyer.  The junior saw action in 18 games last season and started seven. 

Midfield:  The middle of the field will be patrolled by two talented seniors, both of which were HCAC Preseason Players to Watch.  Melina Alexander (Kalamazoo, Mich. / Plainwell) and Lindsay Bubnick (Vandalia, Ohio / Butler) will bring a ton of experience to the position.

Bubnick was a second-team All-HCAC selection last season following a year that saw her score a team-tying high six goals to go along with an assist for 13 total points to be the top returning point scorer for 2014.  She led the team in shots taken with 57 with a team-high 28 of those shots on net. 

Alexander started in all 19 games last season and has played in all but one game during her career.  She tallied 12 shots last season, but did not record any points offensively. 

Forward:  The forward position is where DC brings back the most depth from last season.  Three players that saw action a year ago will again look to log major minutes on the offensive side of the field this year.

Maegan Redick (Lima, Ohio / Shawnee) comes back as the lone senior in the front field for the Yellow Jackets.  She will return as the second highest returning goal total from last year following Bubnick.  In 16 games, Redick put in four goals to go along with an assist for nine points.  In a 2-1 victory against Oberlin, Redick recorded a goal and an assist to aid in both goals scored in the win.

Junior Erica Islas (Lockhart, Texas / Lockhart) also comes back as an offensive threat in the fall.  Last season, she scored two goals and added two assists for a total of six points.  Her six points were fourth most on the team. 

In addition, Sophomore Kayleigh Marshall (Tipp City, Ohio / Bethel) will also look to do some damage for the Yellow Jackets on offense.  Last season she scored the other goal for DC in the 2-1 victory against Oberlin.  The goal was also the game-winner and was her only shot taken during the season.

DC will kick off the season with the Purple and Gold Classic on Friday, August 29 and Sunday, Aug. 31.  On Fridday, the Jackets host Waynesburg (Pa.) College at 2:30 pm.  Two days later Defiance welcomes in Heidelberg University with kickoff slated for 2 pm.