SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – A bunch of familiar faces return for the 2017 season as the Skidmore College women's soccer team looks to make noise in the Liberty League. The journey for the Thoroughbreds begin on Friday, Sept. 1, as Skidmore will host Bridgewater State at Wachenheim Field, a 3 p.m. start.
 
The Thoroughbreds were hot to end last season, wrapping up 2016 with a 3-1-1 mark in the last five contests to bring its overall record to 6-7-2.
 
Skidmore is a veteran squad with seven seniors and six juniors highlighting the 2017 season. Up top, junior forward Emma Basso will lead the forward group, looking to replace the production of All-Liberty League forward Emily Saliterman. Basso was second on the team with four goals.
 
Skidmore has a ton of options in the midfield, led by the playmaking trio of senior Jemimah Cochrane and juniors Courtney Shaw and Emily Mendes. Cochrane only appeared in six contests due to injury, but still managed to tally a pair of goals. Mendes leads all returning players with nine points on three goals and three assists. Shaw shared the team lead with three assists, adding a goal. Senior Christina Sanzari will also anchor the starting midfield group, tallying a goal and two assists last season. Senior Brianna Cochran and junior Sydney Gellerman will also see time in the midfield.
 
The Skidmore defense will be anchored by both senior Julia Leslie and Pheobe Martell-Crawford. The pair, along with senior goalkeeper Alyssa Rollins led the Skidmore defense to five shutouts last season. Seniors Claudia Lamberty and Liz Forelle, and sophomore Brianna Worobel also headline this veteran group.
 
Rollins stepped into a full-time starting role in net last season, going 3-5-1 with a pair of shutouts. She tallied a solid 1.72 goals against average in 15 games and 10 starts. Freshman Shannon Tanner joins the Thoroughbreds as another option in goal.
 
Tanner is one of nine Thoroughbred freshmen added to this year's squad. Noa Mills, Molly Kosh, Cat Quintana, Quincy Lucin, and Abba Weimer will patrol the defense, while Lauren Winkler and Yasmine Boukari will see time in midfield.