Utica, NY- The Utica College women's soccer team opens up its 2015 campaign looking to challenge for a spot in the always competitive Empire 8 Conference Tournament.  UC kicks off the season Tuesday afternoon as it hosts Brockport. Game time is scheduled for 4 p.m.
 
MELLEY LEADS THE WAY: The Pioneers return eight starters from last year's squad, including leading scorer Maddisen Melley (Wappingers Falls, NY/Roy C. Ketcham)… Melley netted seven goals on the season while leading the Pioneer defense that allowed just 2.41 goals per game. 
 
BERKOWITZ DOES IT ALL: Sophomore Keri Berkowitz (Racine, WI/Racine Saint Catherine's) will look to lead the team on the offensive end once again… Berkowitz was third in scoring as a freshman (two goals, four assists), despite playing six games at goalkeeper… As a keeper, she compiled a .759 save percentage and 2.54 goals against average. 
 
DONOVAN ON D: Senior Morgan Donovan (Farmingdale, NY/Half Hollow Hills East ) will return for her final season to spearhead the back line for the Pioneers… Donovan has played in and started all 34 games in the last two seasons, providing a stable presence on the defensive end.
 
JOURNEY WOMAN: Senior Krystine Alvear (Ossining, NY/Ossining) is the active leader in games played (47)…  She has started all 47 games she has played in, while compiling four goals and two assists. 
 
LOOK WHO'S BACK: Utica also returns seniors Kelly Heimerle (North Babylon, NY/North Babylon), Maddison Vitale (Ilion, NY/Ilion), and Cassandra McNitt (Ballston Lake, NY/Shenendehowa), juniors Brianna Marfe (Mahopac, NY/Good Counsel), Elizabeth Feigum (Milford, NJ/Delaware Valley Regional), Xiomara Rodriguez (Bay Shore, NY/Brentwood), Ciara McIlvenney (Pleasant Valley, NY/Arlington), and Sara Kubera (Utica, NY/Notre Dame), as well as sophomores Alexis Bianchi (Frankfort, NY/Frankfort Schuyler), Amanda Pawlikowski (Vernon, NY/Vernon Verona Sherrill), Brittany Motta (Lake George, NY/Lake George), Caitlin Hopkins (Climax, NY/Greenville), Jordynn Miller (Clifton Park, NY/Shenendehowa), and Elanna Green (Pittsford, NY/Pittsford Sutherland).
 
NEWCOMERS: Utica welcomes ten new faces to the team, including freshmen Abby Reilly (Brookfield, NY/Brookfield), Gabrielle Esposito (Rotterdam, NY/Mohonasen), AnnaLisa MacPhee (Latham, NY/Shaker), Jenna Mazza (Frankfort, NY/Sauquoit Valley), Erin Ferrente (Wolcott, NY/North Rose-Wolcott), Sandra Pineda (Utica, NY/Proctor), and Samantha Marko (Saratoga Springs, NY/Schuylerville), as well as sophomore Caitlin Roorda (Herkimer, NY/Herkimer), and junior Melanie Carlson (Remsen, NY/Remsen)… Sophomore Kimberly Beattie (Levitton, NY/Division Ave), who is also a member of the UC softball team, joined the squad and junior Jamie Enders (Cazenovia, NY/Cazenovia) returns to the goal after taking a year off. 
 
SCHEDULE HIGHLIGHTS: The 2015 campaign features nine home games, four of which will be Empire 8 Conference match ups… Utica will play four new opponents this year including Hilbert, Medaille, Johnson & Wales, and Elms College.
 
BENCH BOSS: This season, the Pioneers will be led by first year head coach, Eileen Coyle…  Coyle comes to Utica after spending last season on the sidelines at Endicott College...  Prior to her one-year stint as an assistant coach at Endicott, she spent three seasons as an assistant coach at St. Lawrence University.