University of Richmond Athletics
Spiders Open Season At JMU Tournament Friday
08/22/2013 | Women's Soccer
UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND, Va. -- The Richmond women's soccer team begins its 2013 season at the James Madison Tournament Friday at 7:30 p.m.
Live coverage for the Tournament can be found at JMUSports.com.
Richmond will play host JMU Friday at 7:30 p.m. and conclude tournament play with Old Dominion at 11 a.m. Sunday. The Spiders then return home to host Longwood Friday, Aug. 30 at 7:30 p.m.
Richmond was selected to finish fourth in the A-10 in voting conducted by the league's head coaches last week. Senior captain Becca Wann was tabbed to the preseason All-Conference first team as was sophomore back Ashley Riefner. Freshman Kaleigh Kurtz garnered preseason All-Rookie honors.
Richmond returns seven starters from last year's squad, including All-American forward Wann. Wann is a two-time A-10 Player of the Year and has been All-Conference selection every year as a Spider. Fellow captain Crystal Koczot returns to anchor the Spider defense. The Wheaton, Md. native appeared in every game last season and had an assist against Old Dominion. Koczot has appeared in 51 games, earning 47 starts to go along with three assists.
Adding experience to the Spider defense will be Riefner, who started every game of her freshman campaign. The addition of Kurtz to the Spider defense will also boost the Spider backline. Kurtz, a Greer, S.C. native, is a three-time All-State Player of the Year and won Defensive Player of the Year as a sophomore.
After its home opener with Longwood, Richmond plays eight-straight road contests before returning to Robins Stadium to host Saint Louis Friday, Oct. 4 at 7:30 p.m. The Spiders host Massachusetts Sunday, Oct. 27 at 1 p.m. in its final home game of the season.
The top eight teams in the league standings will compete in the 2013 Atlantic 10 Women's Soccer Championship to be held Nov. 7-10 at Sports Backers Stadium in Richmond, Va.
