Season Preview: Women's Soccer looks for 13th consecutive winning season

By Caleb Scott

ADA — The Ohio Northern women's soccer team will look to post its 13th consecutive winning season under 13th-year head coach Mark Batman this fall.

The Polar Bears return a strong core from last year's squad and add seven newcomers in the 2016 freshman class.

Northern returns 21 letterwinners in 2016, including senior All-Ohio Athletic Conference honorees Shelby Stephens and Michaela Gutierrez and junior All-OAC honoree Hannah Reich.

ONU will look to finish in the top half of the OAC standings for the 11th consecutive season. 

Sophomore forward McKenna Welsh will see an extended role this season after ranking second on the team in 2015 with seven goals. 

Stephens, who ranked third in the OAC with 10 goals and led the conference with 11 assists in 2015 will look to lead Northern.

"The expectations are really high for the players this season," said head coach Mark Batman. "They really feel like they can improve on what we were able to accomplish in 2015."

The freshman class will bring a wealth of high level talent to the 2016 team.

"Our freshmen are really meshing well with the upperclassmen so far."

Northern will look to the experience of seniors Kathleen Carley, Sarah Huster, Haley Napier, Ellie Schmalzl, Missy Ward, Rachel Weigman, Stephens and Gutierrez in 2016.

The Polar Bear schedule will feature nine contests in September and nine matches in October, including 11 home games.

"Our schedule this year will be a very competitive one. September will be a good test for our team and we think we will be able to compete in each game."

For updates on ONU Women's Soccer, visit www.onusports.com.