SEASON PREVIEW: Women's Soccer primed to start 2025 season
(Rochester Hills, MI) - The Rochester Christian University Women's Soccer team is preparing for play ahead of their 2025 season before they take on Indiana East in their first match on August 23rd at the Michigan Stars Soccer Complex in Washington, Michigan. Head Coach Skipper Mukhtar is beginning his third season at the helm of the Warriors.
(Rochester Hills, MI) - The Rochester Christian University Women's Soccer team is preparing for play ahead of their 2025 season before they take on Indiana East in their first match on August 23rd at the Michigan Stars Soccer Complex in Washington, Michigan. Head Coach Skipper Mukhtar is beginning his third season at the helm of the Warriors.
2024 SEASON REVIEW
The Warriors made their third straight appearance in the WHAC tournament last season after finishing sixth in the regular season with an overall record of 6-7-6 and a Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) record of 5-4-3.
2025 SCHEDULE OUTLOOK
Click here for the 2025 Schedule Release
ROCHESTER CHRISTIAN PERSONNEL
The women's soccer team this season will feature 28 players, including 17 returning players from the 2024 team and 11 newcomers.
The team this season will be led by six seniors, including Kennedy Fraser, Mya Freeland, Olivia Howes, Samantha Johns, Rachel Mccleese, and Jenna Schodowski, and the team's seven juniors, including Alena Amaya-Rodriguez, Jordyn Green, Shelby Holyfield, Victoria Kebbe, Mackenzie Fournier (RS), Sydney Hawks (RS), and Kaylah Joyce (RS).
The underclassmen on the 2025 roster are Makenna Kennedy, Sabrina Kirykoza, Aliana Perez, Sara Scoggins, Laila Vanhoorelbeke, and Natalie Vernon, who are all sophomores, and Ava Davis, Gianna Kay, Sophia Landsiedel, Marlana Mieczkowski, Kamryn Morici, Brooklyn Perron, Noelle Preast, Karli South, and Jillian Wilkinson (RS).
The offense returns the top three of the top four goal scorers from a year ago, including Olivia Howes, Laila Vanhoorelbeke, and Mya Freeland, who tallied nine, four, and three goals, respectively. Howes and Kennedy Fraser led the team last season with five and four assists, respectively, while Freeland, Aliana Perez, and Jenna Schodowski each recorded two assists.
The Warriors' main goalkeeper from last season is also returning in Sabrina Kiryakoza, who tallied over 1,400 minutes in goal, had a 1.25 goals against average, and saved 75 shots. Mackenzie Fournier also recorded time in goal with 270 minutes, with a 1.67 goals against average and seven saves.
2024 TEAM STATS
|
Team Info |
|
|
Overall Record |
6-7-6 |
|
WHAC Record |
5-4-3 |
|
WHAC Place |
6th |
|
Statistics - Offense |
|
|
Goals Scored |
35 |
|
Shots |
354 |
|
Shot % |
9.9% |
|
Shots on Goal |
163 |
|
SOG % |
46.0% |
|
Assists |
23 |
|
Corner Kicks |
100 |
|
Penalty Kicks |
0-1 |
|
Statistics - Goalkeeping |
|
|
Goals Allowed |
25 |
|
Goals Allowed Avg. |
1.32 |
|
Saves |
82 |
|
Save % |
76.6% |
|
Shutouts |
6 |
2025 WHAC PRESEASON POLL
In the 2025 WHAC Preseason Coaches poll, the Warriors were voted to finish in sixth place after receiving 85 points.
Northwestern Ohio claimed the top spot in the conference, by a narrow margin, with 136 points, with five first-place votes, while Aquinas was right behind them with 134 points and garnered six first-place votes. Siena Heights was the final team to receive a first-place vote as they were voted third with 111 points. The final two spots in the top five were Lourdes and Cornerstone with 105 and 102 points, respectively.
Rounding out the final six spots were Lawrence Tech (65 points), Madonna (61), Indiana Tech (57), Cleary (47), UM-Dearborn (27), and Defiance (12).