Even though she likes what she has seen so far, first year HU head women's soccer Emily Cripe admits she doesn't know for sure what to expect when the Pipers open the 2017 season this weekend. Hamline will do so out of sight of the locals with non-conference games in Oregon at Lewis & Clark on Friday, September 1 and George Fox on  Saturday, September 2. "This weekend, I want to see how we compete," Cripe said. 

Cripe inherits a team that advanced to the MIAC postseason for the first time ever last year, finishing with an 11-7-2 overall record. There is a healthy dose of veterans around with four seniors and six juniors back. But there are also nine sophomores and 11 first year players vying for playing time. How it all mixes together with the new coach and her staff will be interesting and exciting to watch. 

There is plenty of offense returning. Arendje Louter, a junior and Kaley Roberts, one of those sophomores, tied for the team lead in scoring with with  nine goals and five assists each. Siri Parker, also a sophomore and a much healthier Anna Futterer added four goals apiece. 

One of Cripe's big areas of reconstruction will be in the middle field and back wall, which was hit hard by graduation. There are two seniors back. Alicia Williams alternated between there and going up front last year. Teylen Sheesley played there as well. Williams played 551 minutes there and Sheesley 615. Among the returning defenders, Lolly Higa drew the most playing time last year, starting 16 games. 

The biggest unknown, however, is in goal. Amy Ramras practically rewrote the school record book last year, starting all 19 games with a goals-against mark of 0.88. A pair of freshmen -- Kat Armstrong and Melanie Hopkins -- have been battling with sophomore Dani Wright (who also plays hockey) in a lively competition for the starting job in the net.

The opening weekend is a homecoming of sorts for the Pipers' western contingent, which consists of 11 Washington state natives, two from Alaska and one each from California and Hawaii.

The Pipers play at Wis-River Falls Sept. 6 before playing the first of nine Paterson Field games against Minn-Morris on Sept. 8 at 2:00 p.m.That is the last game before the heavy lifting starts with the MIAC opener at Macalester Sept. 12. By then, Cripe, a former player and coach at D-I Seton Hall, hopes to have a good feel for her team and see if history can repeat itself. 

"We had an awesome training camp," Cripe said. "The girls worked hard and competed a ton. There are no easy games in the MIAC. The goal this year is to compete in all of them."