SAN ANTONIO — UTSA will take to the pitch for the first time in 2015 with exhibition matches this weekend against Incarnate Word and I-35 rival Texas State.
The Roadrunners will travel across town for a 7 p.m. contest against the Cardinals on Friday before another 7 p.m. matchup versus the Bobcats on Sunday at Park West Athletics Complex. A live video stream for Friday's match will be available here.
Under the direction of head coach Greg Sheen, UTSA returns 14 student-athletes from last year’s squad that went 6-10-2. Sheen also welcomed 15 newcomers last week when the team reported for the start of fall practices. The squad returns just more than half of its scoring from a year ago despite the graduation of Anissa Munson, who led the team with four goals and eight assists in 2014.
The Roadrunners’ top returning goal-scorer is sophomore Jenny Trommer, who appeared in all 18 matches and totaled three goals, including an overtime winner at Texas State last fall. Junior Katherine Tesno and sophomore Kaja Skare return to help anchor the defense. Tesno appeared in 17 matches with 14 starts last fall and produced 59 saves, while she had a hand in four shutouts. Meanwhile, Skare saw more time on the pitch than any freshman last season, appeared in all 18 matches and added a pair of goals to go along with her defensive effort.
Two sets of high school teammates along with student-athletes from Alaska, California, Hawaii, Ohio and Texas make up the program’s newcomers. After graduating from Round Rock High School a semester early, Cailey Elder began taking classes at UTSA in the spring and got a head start to acclimating herself with her new school and teammates. Additionally, the Roadrunners welcome former San Antonio Reagan standouts Nicole Galan, who was tabbed the San Antonio Express-News Girls Soccer Player of the Year in the spring, and Sam Batley after the pair helped lead the Rattlers to the state semifinals.
UTSA and Incarnate Word have split a pair of previous exhibition matches, with the Roadrunners claiming a 2-0 victory on Aug. 17, 2014. Meanwhile, the Roadrunners are 3-3-2 all-time against Texas State and will meet their former Southland and Western Athletic Conference foe in an exhibition match for the first time.