BEREA, OHIO -- The Baldwin Wallace University womens' soccer team is coming off one of the best seasons in school history and will look to take it a step further in 2013. 

In 2012, BW produced a 12-3-4 overall and 6-2-1 OAC record. With a veteran squad back, including 21 letter winners, six All-OAC and five Academic All-OAC student-athletes, 12th-year Head Coach Reid Ayers is expecting his team to again be better and continue to work toward its goal of winning the Ohio Athletic Conference championship and earning a spot in the NCAA Division III National Tournament.

"I expect big things from this team this year," said Ayers , the second winningest women's soccer coach in school history with 103 victories and has 310 total triumphs in his men's and women's coaching career. "Anything less than a deep run in the OAC Tournament with the chance to compete for an OAC title and an NCAA tourney berth would be a disappointment."

"We lost a great player and leader in Lindsey Cooper, but we return a ton of talent, including three-time All-OAC defender Elizabeth Helser (Fort Wayne, Ind./Canterbury), and have an opportunity to take that next step in the growth of our program," said Ayers. "There will be plenty of battles in preseason camp and the competition will be outstanding.  We can't wait to get started."
    
The Yellow Jackets will be led by its four 2012 All-OAC standouts in Helser, senior first-team All-OAC defender Kayla Losco (Hopewell Township, Pa), senior second-team All-OAC midfielder Rachel Gokey (Seville/Cloverleaf) and sophomore second-team All-OAC goalie Emily Tallmadge (Fairview, Pa.). In addition, senior midfielder Hannah Cavalier (Chippewa Lake/Cloverleaf), who missed last season due to an injury, was an All-OAC pick in 2011 and senior forward Heather Keller (Parma) was All-OAC in 2010.

In addition, Losco is joined as a returning Academic All-OAC student-athlete by senior midfielder Margo Laseak (Mentor), senior defender Emily Sanders (Canton/Jackson) and junior midfielder Carly Norman (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin) and junior forward Ashley Stevens (Mansfield/Lexington). 

A year ago, the backline was a strength of the team. Helser had an excellent season as she earned All-OAC, All-Great Lakes Region (NSCAA) and All-Ohio honors. The three-year starter scored a goal and anchored a defense that recorded nine shutouts and allowed just 12 goals in 19 matches. Helser also was a key in helping goalie Tallmadge have an outstanding freshman season in the net. Tallmadge allowed just 0.61 goals per match and made 71 saves. Helser has three career goals and an assist. Losco led the OAC with nine assists last season as a central defender. She has seven career goals and eight assists for 22 points.

Also on defense, look for Sanders, senior Sami Riveron (Maineville/Kings), sophomores Kadi Tucker (Mason) to add strength and depth. Sanders, who had two assists last season, has a goal and three assists for five career points.

In the midfield, look for senior Lindsey Mikula (Rocky River), who missed all of last season after being named team MVP, to be joined with Laseak and Gokey. Gokey had two goals, including a game-winner, and two assists for six points. She has six career goals and eight assists for 20 points.  Providing depth in the midfield are Norman, sophomores Katie Klespies (Chicago, Ill./Chicago Labratory) and Emma Harding (Akron/Revere) to help. Klespies had a goal and Harding an assist a year ago. Norman also played in 13 matches in the midfield.

The BW offense outscored (33-12) and outshot (283-149) its opponents last season and returns even more firepower. Leading the way are sophomore forwards Audrie Wolfe (Hilliard/Darby) and Cheryl Bell (Piqua). Wolfe and Bell each scored five goals and added two assists to tie for third on the team with 12 points.  Look for the duo to be an even a greater threat this season. In addition, Cavalier had her best season as a collegian in 2011 as she tallied four goals and four assists.

But the scoring doesn't end there as seniors Kari Trivisanno (Mentor) and Keller return with veteran experience and the ability to score. Trivisanno has two career goals and two assists for six points and Keller has 12 career goals and eight assists for 32 points. Also sophomore forward Kelsey Nemeth (Medina) played in 13 matches and scored once.

In goal, Ayers expects a lot of competition between Tallmadge and junior Gabrielle Bodo (Alliance/St. Thomas Aquinas) who has recovered from knee surgery in 2012 after starting 15 matches and allowing 1.43 goals per match with 64 saves her freshmen season. In addition, senior Kristina Mathur (Mason) and junior Hannah Doerbaum (Liberty Township/Lakota East) return to compete for additional playing time this season. 

"Overall, we return a large, veteran contingent and a number of strong newcomers who could help us this fall," said Ayers. "The veterans are a talented group that gained valuable experience the last three seasons.  How they play together as a group this season is the key.  The talent is there but the chemistry is the key."

The Yellow Jackets open the 2013 season on August 31 at the Herb Lauffer Tournament hosted by Penn State Behrend in Erie, Pennsylvania and plays the host school at 5:00 p.m. BW also plays Carnegie Mellon (Pa.) University the next day at 12:00 p.m. The first home match is on Wednesday, September 4th versus Oberlin College on the Tressel Field pitch inside The George Finnie Stadium at 7:00 p.m. The first OAC contest is at Otterbein University on Saturday, October 5th at 4:30 p.m. 

FOR MORE BW Sports Information, please contact Sports Information Director Kevin Ruple by telephone at 440-826-2327 and e-mail at kruple@bw.edu. or Assistant SID Jeff Miller by phone at 440-826-2780 and email at jefmille@bw.edu Fans can access the latest BW athletics information at www.bw.edu/athletics and we invite you to join us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/bwyellowjackets and Twitter at http://twitter.com/bwathletics.