XU women's soccer looks to improve

Last season, the Xavier women's
soccer team finished 10th in the Atlantic 10, but with a strong returning group, the Musketeers aim to finish much higher this season.
The team finished 7-8-3, however
they were dominant at home finishing 7-1-1.
Two of the team's top goal scorers, juniors Mariah Whitaker and Ashton Green are returning to the field this fall and are looking
to lead the team's offense.
The team also has its co-leaders in assists from last year returning with senior Leslie Twehues and junior
Lauren Heap.
Unfortunately, the team lost top goal scorer Jessica Brooks, but Whitaker and Green are both prepared to lead the team.
Defender Lauren Heap was named to the A-10 Second team last season for her excellent season
and looks to add more assists this year.
Defensively, the team looks to be strong for years to come with sophomore goalkeeper
Katie Markesberry, who started all but one game in her freshman season.
Markesberry was named A-10 rookie of the week once last year and was named to the A-10 all-rookie
team.
With key pieces of the team returning for the 2012 season, the Musketeers are looking to have a stronger season and make the A-10 Championships in Rhode Island.
The team dropped their first match to a very strong Miami (Ohio) team, losing 3-0.
Five different Musketeers were able to get shots off, but unfortunately none of them were goals. Markesberry recorded three saves in the loss. The team will travel to Muncie, Ind. to face Western Kentucky and Ball State. This year the team has two different road trips that look to test the team. They play four games on the road starting on Aug. 24th and have a six game road trip late in the season.
All but one of the games in the six game road trip are conference matches, making them critical to the team's success this season.
Luckily, the team will finish the season with four home games.
Last season, the team went 2-2-1 in their last five games, so the team is hoping for a similar, if not better, run this season.
All student tickets are free and the Musketeers would love to have a strong student section cheering them on.
The team is prepared to make a big run in the A-10 and to qualify
for the NCAA tournament in November.