Women's Soccer | August 17, 2022

SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. - The La Salle University women's soccer team opens the 2022 season officially on Thursday night with a matchup against Seton Hall. Kickoff from Owen T. Carroll Field is set for 6:00 p.m.

ABOUT THE EXPLORERS

• La Salle, who narrowly missed out on a spot in the Atlantic 10 Women's Soccer Championship a year ago, returns its top six scorers from a season ago.
• Senior Emily Banashefski paced the team with eight points and tied for the team lead with four assists, while A-10 All-Rookie Team honoree Lauren Costello has a pair of goals and two assists.
• Banashefski's classmate Camaren Cox also added two goals and six points, while junior Kelli McGroarty had a team-high three tallies for the Explorers in 2021.
• Another A-10 All-Rookie Team selection Shea Collins matched Banashefski with four assists, and yet another first-year player from a season ago - Haley Gschrey - added two goals as a top reserve.
• In addition to a strong returning group, head coach Paul Royal welcomes eight newcomers to the roster including a pair of experienced transfers in Courtney Butlion and Kirsty Woodacre. 
• Butlion and Woodacre were teammates at Eastern Florida State College in Cocoa, Fla. last season, helping the Titans to the school's first National Junior College Athletic Association National Championship. 
• Royal, now in his 20th season at the helm of the La Salle women's soccer program, is one of the top coaches in the Atlantic 10, earning five trips to the NCAA Tournament during his tenure and has sent 16 players to the professional ranks. 

ABOUT THE PIRATES

• First-year head coach Josh Osit, who previously served as an assistant coach at Columbia, inherits a team that went 6-12 a season ago and 1-9 in BIG EAST play.
• The six wins were the most for a Pirates team since the 2012 season.
• Seton Hall returns its top two goal scorers from a season ago in senior forwards Naomi Welch and Julia Aronov, who both tallied four goals.
• Senior Grace Gordon has started for the Pirates in net each of the last two seasons and has totaled 143 saves over 28 games.