HELENA, Mont. – Carroll College women's soccer hits the road, first taking on MSU Billings Thursday at 3 p.m. before traveling to Walla Walla, Wash. to take on Whitworth University and Whitman College at 12 p.m. on Sept. 5 and 6 respectively. 
 
The Saints will rely on experience and leadership to help carry them in these early games, especially returning Frontier Conference Player of the Year Jamie Carter.
 
"It is nice to know that you can rely on our senior junior leadership," head coach David Thorvilson said. "We only graduated three players and that comes with a lot of depth. We are going to lean on it a lot over this weekend."
 
These matches against challenging opponents early in the season will be a good test for what is expected to be a tough Cascade Conference this year.
 
 "With this being our first year in the Cascade, non-conference are very important to get you ready for the quality of teams sitting in your conference," Thorvilson said.  "To get to go play a University of Calgary, MSU Billings, and turn around and play two very good Division III schools in Whitworth and Whitman, these are the type of games you have to play if your expectations are high going into conference and this year they are for us"
 
Carroll gave up just one goal in the first two matches of the season and they will continue to lean on the defense against three tough opponents this week.
 
 "We are lucky enough to have a veteran defensive line and their ability to play together and communicate defensively then transition the ball to the offense for us is a tremendous asset to have," Thorvilson said. "If we can score some goals, our defense is going to keep us in games if not win games for us."
 
Thursday is MSU Billings' first game of the season. In 2014, the Yellowjackets went 11-4-2 to finish second in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference and advanced to the GNAC Championships for the second time and three years.
 
Whitworth is 1-0 on the season and Whitman College is 0-1, both are NCAA Division III schools.  The Pirates opened their season against Carleton (Minn.) on Wednesday with a 2-0 shutout at home.  Whitworth finished last year 8-11-1, however winning four of their last five matches.
 
Whitman dropped their first match against College of Idaho, losing in double overtime, 1-0.  The Missionaries record last year was 9-7-4, and their first winning record in conference, 7-5-4, since 2008.