WOMEN'S SOCCER ENTERS 2025 WITH NEW IDENTITY, SAME CORE VALUES

(SAN DIEGO) PLNU Women’s Soccer is coming off an incredible past two seasons which saw the team win Point Loma’s first NCAA national championship in 2023 and follow that up with a Sweet 16 appearance in 2024.

Entering a new year, which begins on Thursday, the Sea Lions look to build off their recent success, which also includes winning five of the last six PacWest Conference championships.

“There’s certainly an identity that each team takes on but the core of who we are doesn't change,” Head Coach Kristi Kiely said. “We will be a group that is striving for excellence, always wanting to grow and get better. We're going to continue to care about each other and pursue that type of culture that's going to show up in a lot of the same ways it already has that have made us successful. The results will take care of themselves.”

This season, Point Loma is replacing a group of seven fifth-year players who graduated and were instrumental in the team’s deep postseason runs the last two years.

But the squad returns 19 players from last year who are ready to carry the torch this season for the preseason PacWest favorites and No. 9 team in the United Soccer Coaches Preseason Poll.

“We're just a bit more inexperienced than we've been in the last two years but we're not young,” Kiely said. “We have this interesting mix of some players who haven't seen as many minutes but now have to step up and play some really critical roles in some really critical moments, but they've seen it and they've been a part of it and have trained against it, which is really valuable.

“Then we have new players who are new and that's great because they're foreign to our opponents. We have some great veteran maturity mixed with a desire to fill some spots and a hunger to continue to move the program forward.”

With different players stepping into more prominent roles, Kiely foresees a slight shift in the team’s play stylistically.

“I think it's a group that wants to and will get forward in a different way and set tempo to the game in a different way than we have in the last couple years at least,” Kiely said. “This group is proving a desire to do it a little differently, just out of what they're good at and we're trying to move in that direction some.

“That part's kind of exciting, just trying to let players be who they are within our system and get them operating at their best self, which is always where we want to be.”

ROSTER

Point Loma brings back six All-PacWest performers, including PacWest Co-Goalkeeper of the Year Julia Pinnell.

“Duarte Andrade (goalkeeper coach) is in heaven with three keepers who all train and compete at a high level and are quality,” Kiely said. “It's fun to have Laine Moraes back from injury. Julia is looking stronger than ever and then Bea Levi gets to be in the presence of those two for a year, which is a gift for the longevity of the program and she'll compete for the position.”

Defensively, PLNU returns All-PacWest center back Zoe Crockett to anchor the backline, while adding a high-level defender in Houston transfer Tatum McCasland.

“Returning Zoe in the back line is our one constant,” Kiely said. “With the way we play, center back is a very important position and can take the most amount of time to learn how to do. Zoe's consistency back there is really helpful and her ability to bring the others along with her will be important.

“Tatum provides depth and brings a level of consistency to our back line. She’s a player who's played at a high level and can handle the game athletically. She’s absorbing all the information very well and is applying it with ease, so she's a fantastic addition.

“Abby Buys is looking very sharp and the additions of the incoming players (Juliet Thrapp, Jade Vachek, Kylee Jerome) will also provide great depth as they kind of step into a learning phase.”

In the midfield, All-PacWest players return in the form of Gianna Masinter and Nikki Ross, as well as Grace Nelson, who can also play center back. UC Davis graduate transfer Kylie Garcia can play in both midfield and in the forward line, bringing tons of quality to the team.

“Kylie Garcia can play in a variety of positions but she just brings a certain composure to the game and an ability to finish,” Kiely said. “She was our leading goal scorer in our last four matchups from the spring, and we certainly hope that continues for her.

“Gianna will likely play a variety of positions but her ability to counter press, take care of the ball and play a bigger ball is great. Ross, her energy and appetite for doing all parts of the position well are great and then the addition of Maddy Saruwatari with the return of Emma Rogers and Sam Wilson, I think there's just a good amount of depth.

“Grace is looking probably as sharp as she's ever looked in all parts of her game. Wherever she ends up on the field, I know she's going to bring a certain level of ability to execute the game plan in and out of possession.”

In attack, All-PacWest forward Alyssa Ketcham is expected to lead the front line, while PacWest Freshman of the Year Priya Torres returns for her sophomore season. Houston transfer Maddie Khan will be a threat for the Sea Lions on the wing as well.

“Ketcham is proving to be effective so far and has a great understanding of what we're trying to do getting to goal,” Kiely said. “Based on what the opponent’s doing, she has an ability to problem solve. She is leading and playing well.

“Maddie Khan is a heck of an athlete and is a very thoughtful player. Between Priya, Natalie Clouse up top and Emma Majors, Lily Larez and Andrea Lozano out wide, they are really good and the level just doesn't drop.

“We have a ton of depth in the midfield and forward line which is exciting. We’re experimenting a little bit about how to keep the best six on the field who are sharpest together at the same time and I think that will change. You’re always looking for partnerships and relationships. We have some players who can do that with a few different people.”

SCHEDULE

Point Loma opens the season on Thursday night in the Pacific Northwest at Seattle Pacific before traveling back home on Friday to host Cal State San Marcos on Saturday at 1 p.m.

The Sea Lions then play at Cal State LA on Wednesday before hosting preseason No. 1 and defending national champions Cal Poly Pomona on Sep. 13 in a rematch of last year’s West Regional championship game. PLNU will then close out its non-conference slate with two more home games against Metro State (Sep. 18) and Fort Lewis (Sep. 20).

“I always want a challenge in preseason and this year is no different,” Kiely said. “I think our first weekend is tough because you fly out for one game, then back home and have to play the next day. Then you have LA and Pomona in the same week and then the last weekend you have two more unknowns.

“They're two hard teams flying out which is great and something different, but we just don't know them as well, so each weekend has its own challenge.”

Point Loma will open PacWest play on Oct. 2 at home against Menlo before concluding its 10-game conference schedule with two home games against Jessup (Nov. 6) and Fresno Pacific (Nov. 8).

In between, the Sea Lions will play a pair of nationally ranked conference opponents in No. 25 Concordia (Oct. 11) and No. 24 Hawai’i Hilo (Oct. 23), both on the road. 

“The conference schedule is always challenging for different reasons,” Kiely said. “Traveling to Hawaii provides an opportunity for us to be challenged in a variety of ways but I think there's great opportunity within our schedule for growth.

“Our players will need to be really sharp about all the things that go into that, scouting reports and individual work, but also rest and regen and taking care of the other pieces that will absolutely be a part of how we perform. Our schedule is challenging.”

PLNU won the first ever PacWest Tournament a season ago and will hope to defend its conference tournament title, Nov. 13-15 on its home field, as one of the top four teams in the PacWest standings.

Point Loma has reached at least the second round of the NCAA Tournament in all six postseasons during Kiely’s tenure and will hope to make that seven straight when the NCAA West Regional begins on Nov. 20.

For the team’s full schedule, click HERE.