Live Friday vs. Bryant: Live Stats | Live Video

Live Sunday vs. Sacred Heart: Live Stats | Live Video

Stony Brook, N.Y. - The Stony Brook women’s soccer team kicks off its 2016 season with a two-game homestand against two Northeast Conference opponents. They open vs. Bryant on Fri., Aug. 19 at 5 p.m. before hosting the Sacred Heart Pioneers on Sun., Aug. 21 at 3 p.m.

Preseason Outlook

Stony Brook returns 18 letterwinners from the 2015 team that finished 6-9-3 and a point out of the America East Playoffs. Among the returners are senior all-conference performers Priscilla Wiggins (2nd Team) and Raven Edwards (First Team). The Seawolves gained momentum in their spring season, recording a 5-0 record.

Scouting Bryant

Bryant is coming off a 5-11-3 campaign in which they scored just 11 goals in 19 games and didn’t have a player tally more than one goal. The Bulldogs improved as the season went on, compiling a 4-2-2 record in NEC play and qualifying for the playoffs. They return  five of their 11 goal scorers from a year ago along with goalkeepers Kayla Conrad and Rachel Brightman, who combined to post a 1.90 goals against average with six shutouts.

Scouting Sacred Heart

The Pioneers, coming off a 4-13 season, were picked sixth out of nine teams in the Northeast Conference Preseason Coaches’ Poll. Gone to graduation is last year’s leading goal scorer Dana Cosmedy and her seven tallies, but the Pioneers do return sophomores Lindsay Corallo and Alex Mesropyan. Corallo led Sacred Heart with five assists to go with three goals, while Mesropyan finished second on the team with four goals. Defense was the Pioneers’ kryptonite last season as they allowed 40 goals in 17 matches (2.33 per game).

Edwards Climbing the Ranks

Edwards (West Orange, N.J.) finished second in the America East in goals last season with nine and has scored 18 through her first three seasons, ranking tied-for-eighth in program history. She needs six goals to move into the top five in the school’s record books.

New Era

Brendan Faherty was named head coach of the women’s soccer team in December of 2015. Faherty most recently spent three seasons at the University of Washington, guiding the Huskies to NCAA Tournament appearances in his last two, including a trip to the NCAA Third Round in 2014.

Prior to his time at Washington, Faherty spent three seasons as an assistant at the University of Massachusetts and eight seasons as the head coach of the University of New Haven.

Joining Faherty’s staff is Sarah Martinez, a standout player at the University of Washington, and Sade Ayinde, an All-ACC player at the University of Maryland.