Bulldogs Prepare For Season Opener Against Clemson

Final	1	2	T
Citadel (0-1)	0	0	0
Clemson (2-0)	1	0	1

Scoring Summary
1st - 17:41	Heather Marik (Clemson)

Citadel	Clemson
G: N/A A: N/A Sh: Mariana Garcia - 3 Sv: Laura Serafino - 5	G: Heather Marik - 1 A: Maddy Elder - 1 Sh: Liska Dobberstein - 7 Sv: Lauren Arnold - 2

TEAM STATISTICS	Citadel	Clemson
Shots (on goal)	8 (2)	24 (7)
Saves	6	2
Fouls	4	10
Corner Kicks	3	6
Offsides	0	3

full stats

Charleston, S.C. – The Citadel Soccer team travels to Clemson on Monday to open the 2011 regular season against the Tigers.  This will mark the first meeting between the two teams in program history.

The 2009 and 2010 Southern Conference Coach of the Year, Bob Winch, enters his sixth year at the helm for the Bulldogs who will be looking to build on last season's historical 12-8-1(7-4) record and third place conference finish.

The Bulldogs will return 15 players to the field, including five newcomers against the Tigers, who finished the 2010 season 6-13(0-10 ACC), but will enter the game with new head coach Eddie Radwanski, who racked up an impressive 139-65-13 record in his 10 years at SoCon rival UNC Greensboro.

Senior Laura Serafino will start the season in net for the Bulldogs. Serafino finished the 2010 season with a record of 7-4-1 in 980 minutes of play and 57 saves. Helping Serafino in the backfield will be Leah Hawkins, Shanna Couch, Hannah Warne and freshman Grace Raines.

Center-midfield freshmen Karina Schneider and Anastasia Mesa will play in their first collegiate match on Monday with sophomores Ruth Leiva and Nicole Levermann playing on either side of them in the left and right forward positions.

Leading the attack for the Bulldogs will be the sophomore tandem of Vanessa Aponte and Mariana Garcia. Aponte scored the game-winning goal in the double-overtime thriller against Furman last season on Washington Light Infantry Field during the Southern Conference tournament quarterfinals game. That game marked the Bulldogs first SoCon Tournament appearance and win in program history. Garcia racked up 10 goals and 21 points, earning her both the SoCon and Freshman Player of the Year award.

The Citadel will return home on Thursday, Aug. 25 at 4 p.m. to compete against Winthrop University on WLI Field in the home opener.

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