Women's Soccer | 08/21/24 | 1:19 PM

HELENA, Mont. - The Carroll College Women's Soccer team will officially begin their 2024 season on Wednesday evening at 5 p.m. when they host the University of Lethbridge (Can.) on Valley Bank Field at Nelson Stadium in Helena.

The quest for the Carroll Women's Soccer program's ninth conference crown begins tonight. The Fighting Saints last hoisted the trophy in 2018, but following a successful 2023 season, anticipation and expectations are high surrounding the program.

The 2024 version of the team features all but one member of a 2023 team that went 11-2-4 en route to a second place finish in the Cascade Collegiate Conference standings. Second Team All-CCC defender Natalie Brown has graduated, but several of her senior day classmates from a year ago will give it one more go in the Purple and Gold.

Emily Funseth (Great Falls, Mont. / GR) returns to the midfield for her final season. In 2023, Funseth led the Saints with 10 goals and 24 total points, earning her First Team All-CCC honors as well as a United Soccer Coaches All-Region selection.

Alongside Funseth, three other Captains will look to lead the Saints to new heights this Fall in Zoie Koci (Boise, Idaho / GR), Jaymee Sheridan (Helena, Mont. / SR) and Ella Kuenzli (Colorado Springs, Colo. / JR). In total, the captains combined for 12 goals and 34 points in the '23 campaign.

Three sophomores will look to replicate the on-field success they found last season. Goalkeeper Maria Ackerman (Billings, Mont. / SO) and Defender Avery Lambourne (Billings, Mont. / SO) were both named First Team All-CCC performers in their first year of collegiate soccer, while Delaney Moczan (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho / SO) joined them in the postseason honors section with a Second Team All-CCC nod of her own.

Experience and depth will be the cornerstone of the 2024 team, as 10 starters from a year ago will return to their spots on the pitch. Joining them will be a large freshmen class, featuring playmakers at each level of the field. 

One of the best defensive teams in the NAIA last season (11 goals allowed), Carroll will look to stymie opposing teams once again in '24.

The Saints begin the season in the receiving votes portion of the Preseason NAIA Women's Soccer Coaches' Poll, and will look to vault into the top-25 with strong early season performances against stout competition.

The natural grass field at Nelson Stadium is long gone, and the Carroll Women will make history this evening as the first official competition on the new Valley Bank Field artifical turf. The Saints will take on the Pronghorns from Canada, looking to jump start their season ahead of a midwest swing to Indiana later this week.

Tonight's game is scheduled to begin at 5:00 p.m. Live stats can be followed along HERE, and a live stream will be available to watch, free of charge, on the VEO Live application. Users can download the VEO Live app on any mobile device, then search "Carroll College" to find every Carroll Soccer match this season.

Visit www.carrollathletics.com this evening for a full recap of the action, and to stay up to date with everything going on in Carroll Athletics. 

FOLLOW THE FIGHTING SAINTS
Facebook: @carrollcollegeathletics
Instagram: @cc_saints
X: @CCsaints
#MarchOn