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Rockhurst University Athletics

Kaley Nieters
Doug Schveninger

Women's Soccer

Rockhurst faces Missouri Southern in season opener

Kaley Nieters led the Hawks with 10 goals and 24 points in 2016.
The Rockhurst women's soccer team is coming off its most successful season in school history entering the 2017 season. The Hawks won 17 games and shared the regular season championship in the Great Lakes Valley Conference in 2016.

Rockhurst opens the 2017 season Friday night at Missouri Southern with six returning starters and 12 letterwinners off last year's 17-3-2 team.

"We lost some key starters, but we bring back a solid core," said Rockhurst coach Greg Herdlick, who has posted 194 victories in 18 years at Rockhurst.

Senior forward Kaley Nieters and junior defender Jessica Smelcer are back after earning first team All-GLVC honors year. Nieters led the team with 10 goals and 24 points, while Smelcer helped the defense hold opponents to 10 goals in 22 games.

The defense will be strong again this year with the return of three other starters in junior Abby Zeltmann, and sophomores Cathy Rometti and Colleen Pikus. Junior forwards Mia Zanaboni and Mackenzie Moore, and junior midfielder Maddie Dierkes also have a lot of experience. Sophomore goalkeeper Rosie Breheny started four games last year, only allowing one goal in 405 minutes.

"Our biggest challenge is integrating 20 new players with half of them contributing key minutes," Herdlick said.

The top newcomers are junior midfielder Lauren Merlo (transfer from Saint Louis University), freshman forward Cate Sommerhoff, freshman midfielder Jillian Leetch, freshman defender Caroline Romme and junior defender Ellie Corrigan (transfer from Eastern Illinois).

The Hawks open the conference season with their home opener on Friday, Sept. 8 at 5 p.m. against the Lewis Flyers.
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Players Mentioned

Rosie Breheny

#0 Rosie Breheny

GK
5' 8"
Sophomore
Maddie Dierkes

#21 Maddie Dierkes

M
5' 6"
Junior
Mackenzie Moore

#2 Mackenzie Moore

M
5' 4"
Junior
Kaley Nieters

#16 Kaley Nieters

F
5' 7"
Senior
Colleen Pikus

#23 Colleen Pikus

D
5' 7"
Sophomore
Cathy Rometti

#18 Cathy Rometti

D
5' 7"
Sophomore
Jessica Smelcer

#25 Jessica Smelcer

D
5' 5"
Junior
Mia Zanaboni

#12 Mia Zanaboni

F
5' 6"
Junior
Abby Zeltmann

#22 Abby Zeltmann

D
5' 7"
Junior
Lauren Merlo

#8 Lauren Merlo

M
5' 5"
Senior
Ellie Corrigan

#13 Ellie Corrigan

D
5' 5"
Sophomore
Cate Sommerhoff

#15 Cate Sommerhoff

F
5' 2"
Freshman

Players Mentioned

Rosie Breheny

#0 Rosie Breheny

5' 8"
Sophomore
GK
Maddie Dierkes

#21 Maddie Dierkes

5' 6"
Junior
M
Mackenzie Moore

#2 Mackenzie Moore

5' 4"
Junior
M
Kaley Nieters

#16 Kaley Nieters

5' 7"
Senior
F
Colleen Pikus

#23 Colleen Pikus

5' 7"
Sophomore
D
Cathy Rometti

#18 Cathy Rometti

5' 7"
Sophomore
D
Jessica Smelcer

#25 Jessica Smelcer

5' 5"
Junior
D
Mia Zanaboni

#12 Mia Zanaboni

5' 6"
Junior
F
Abby Zeltmann

#22 Abby Zeltmann

5' 7"
Junior
D
Lauren Merlo

#8 Lauren Merlo

5' 5"
Senior
M
Ellie Corrigan

#13 Ellie Corrigan

5' 5"
Sophomore
D
Cate Sommerhoff

#15 Cate Sommerhoff

5' 2"
Freshman
F