ROLLA, Mo. – Missouri S&T's women's soccer team will look for a bounce-back season in Jane Grimley-Gunn's second season at the helm, as the Miners get their 2023 campaign started Friday when they open a weekend road trip against Delta State in Cleveland, Miss.

The Miners were solid on the defensive end for much of the season, allowing more than two goals in only two games in a season that ended at 3-8-4.  After losing 3-0 in their conference opener at Illinois Springfield, S&T gave us just 15 goals over its final 11 contests and closed the year with a shutout win over Indianapolis.

The goalkeeper for that shutout, Viktoria Johnson (Granite City, IL/Granite City), returns to the net this season after posting a 1.49 goals against average in 1,332 minutes last fall.  Most of the Miners' back line that plays in front of her is also back, led by seniors Andersyn Foster (Belleville, IL/Althoff Catholic), Ashley Haag (Keller, TX/Keller Central) and Allison Cole (Mansfield, TX/Mansfield). 

One area the Miners are looking for improvement in is on the offensive end, as they scored just 11 goals during the season.  Of those 11 goals, only three were scored by players that are on the 2023 roster – Foster, Haag and Lauren Bulcroft (Claremore, OK/Verdigris) all had one goal apiece – but also among the returners are Lily Chung (Cottleville, MO/Francis Howell Central), who scored three times in 2021 and Beth Roberts (Lake St. Louis, MO/Liberty), who has four goals and four assists during her career.

In addition, the Miners have a number of newcomers on the roster that could make an immediate impact, including 10 in their freshman class.

ABOUT DELTA STATE: The Lady Statesmen finished the 2022 season at 10-7-2 and went 7-5-2 in the Gulf South Conference; Delta State was picked to finish seventh in the 14-team GSC this fall.  The team's leading scorer from last season, Jae'lasha Julien, returns after a year in which she recorded seven goals and two assists, while Robyn Moody scored four times last season.

Bailey Daugherty returns in goal, where she had a 1.07 goals against average and 56 saves in 1,685 minutes last fall.

ABOUT CHRISTIAN BROTHERS: The Buccaneers also finished above the .500 mark in 2022 as they went 9-6-3 overall and 6-4-3 in conference play.  CBU graduated its top two goal scorers in Cheyenne Smith (17 goals last season) and Julia Valentin (six goals), but Lara Brewis, a three-goal scorer, is back.  Also returning is goalkeeper Chloe Hillyer, who had a 1.75 goals against average and 72 saves a year ago.

Christian Brothers was picked to place ninth in the Gulf South in the league's pre-season rankings.