The 2018 HU women's soccer team opens the season Friday, Aug. 31 at Wis-Stout. The Pipers take on the Blue Devilsin a game that is now slated for a 5:15 p.m. start. Second year head coach Emily Cripe welcomed back three returning goalies (Kat Armstrong, who led the MIAC with 99 saves as well as a now healthy Dani Wright and Melanie Hopkins, who had a shutout among her three efforts) and a talented freshman in Lauren Secora to keep opposing strikers at bay. 

The 2018 Pipers are short on seniors with just three but heavy on juniors (nine) and sophomores (eight) -- many of whom have game experience. For example, in the midfield there is Grace Trocinske, who made the MIAC Honorable Mention squad as a freshman last year,;Jenna Sampson, a junior who will also serve as a co-captain this fall, had seven points in 18 games last season and Madison Putnam, a senior with 44 games experience. Jensen Sevening, who played 34 games over two seasons in the midfield but sat out last year, is back for her senior season this fall. 

A veteran back wall will lead the way early as the Hamline women's soccer team opens its second season under head coach Emily Cripe. All three goaltenders plus four defensive regulars return for the Pipers, whose run for a playoff spot in 2017 fell just short en route to an 8-8-2 overall record. Ellie Baxter has played both there and at defense. If she is opted for the latter, she will likely work with  Brenna Dolney, a sophomore, and junior Ali Eastman (a co-captain for 2018), both of whom also played the entire schedule in 2017. Also returning: Kimberley Hatlestad, a senior with 22 games experience. 

On offense, Ashlee Olson is the top returning scorer up front. The Eyota, Minn. native found the net five times in 2017 and had the highest shots on goal percentage of any HU regular last year (.737). She will get help sharing the offensive load from Ciara Gregory, a junior transfer who was an All-Conference player at Augsburg. 

Following the game at Stout, the Pipers open Paterson Field play against Cal Lutheran (16 wins last year), Sunday, Sept. 2 at 10:30 a.m. After three more non-conference games, HU starts MIAC play against Macalester on Sept. 11 at 4:00 p.m