GUNNISON, Colo --- The Western Colorado women's soccer team opens the season Friday afternoon as the Mountaineers travel to Alamosa to take on Western Oregon for a 1 p.m. neutral site match at Adams State's campus. Western then travels to Grand Junction on Sunday for a non-RMAC contest against Colorado Mesa.
 
THE MOUNTAINEERS HEADING INTO 2019 | 2018 SEASON STATS
Western is coming off a 4-12-1 campaign in 2018, including a 4-8-1 mark in RMAC play. The Mountaineers allowed just 1.59 goals per game last season, but are hoping to get more of an impact in the goal-scoring department as Western averaged less than a goal per game (12 goals in 17 contests – 0.71 per game).
 
The Mountaineers do return their leading scorer from a season ago in senior Megan Wheelock after the midfielder scored three goals and added an assist in 2018. Sophomore defender Alex Mason scored a pair of goals as a freshman last season and sophomore midfielder Casey Ober had a goal and an assist while junior defender Aly Hargrove, junior midfielder  Caitlyn Cox and senior midfielder Andrea Grillo each had a goal apiece. Junior forward Jessie Jacobsen also had an assist for Western last season.
 
The Mountaineers did lose their top six  players when it comes to minutes played, though junior midfielder Parker Barnhardt (1,143), Grillo (1,131) and Wheelock (1,066) logged more than 1,000 minutes each last season.
 
Western will have a new starting keeper this season after Emille Eckhart played all but 17 minutes for the Mountaineers last season. Sophomore Kaeyla Noble (who played in two games last season) and junior Grace Walker will be the options for Western this season at goalkeeper.
 
Also returning for the Mountaineers this season is senior defender Delaney West, sophomore defender Kilee McKenna, sophomore forward Poper Negaard, sophomore defender Casey Elnicki and sophomore midfielder Macey Arseculeratne.
 
Players looking for their first taste of action for the Mountaineers this season include senior transfer Katie Barr (Tiffin University), sophomores Courtney Mooney and Sadie Vohsman and freshmen Laura Pelino, Karina Davalos-Morales, Greta Goldsberry, Caileen Sienknecht and Missa Webb.
 
WESTERN OREGON HEADING INTO 2019 | 2018 SEASON STATS
This will be the season opener for the Wolves, though they've played two exhibitions matches (Linfield and Clark College) and have scrimmaged Humboldt State. Last season Western Oregon went 5-9-3 overall – allowing 1.71 goals per game while scoring 0.76 per contest.
 
Western returns top scorers in Selene Konyn (three goals) and Alyssa Tomasini (two goals, three assists) as well as senior goalkeeper Alex Qualls – who played every minute for the Wolves last season.
 
COLORADO MESA HEADING INTO 2019 | 2018 SEASON STATS
The Mavericks open the season Thursday on the road against University of Texas-Permian Basin in Odessa before making the long trek back to Grand Junction to host the Mountaineers on Sunday in a non-conference matchup.
 
CMU went 6-7-4 last season, including 4-6-3 in RMAC play and missed the postseason by a game. The Mavs allowed 1.25 goals per game last season while scoring one per contest. CMU edged Western 1-0 last season on a goal in the 29th minute by Ryanne Parker.
 
The Mavs' two top scorers in Parker (four goals, three assists) and  Alexis Allard (three goals, two assists) while three of the four goalkeepers that made starts last season – Emily Signorio (10 starts, 1.05 GAA), Kamrie Gunderson (three starts, 1.21 GAA) and Jessica Jolley (one start, 1.64 GAA).