Lions continue to strike with good play that they ended last season on.

The Missouri Southern women’s soccer team finished the 2017 season playing very well, and actually reached the playoffs, but were knocked out of their first playoff game by Fort Hays State in PK’s.

They were able to win their final three regular season matches last season. Southern defeated Missouri S&T a week ago today in an exhibition match 4-2.

“We scored four goals, so that’s a bonus,” said head coach Chris McNaughton. “We need to hang our hat on being organized and disciplined defensively.”

Despite the good finish to last season and the victory in the exhibition match, the Lions graduated five very experienced seniors from last season.

“Graduating five experienced seniors hurts us, but we have 21 returning players and having that many athletes who have been together for at least one full season definitely helps our continuity,” said McNaughton.

The Lions enter this season with five seniors again, and five juniors as well, making a total of 10 upperclassmen. A returning upperclassman is junior goalkeeper, Luz Galindo.

Galindo played in and started every match as a freshman, but only played in 10 matches and started nine last year as a sophomore.

Junior forward, Tayler LePage, has started in 32 of 35 matches since her freshman year, and has been a top scorer for the Lions as well.

The Lions will begin their 2018 season tonight in Kansas City, Mo. The Lions are traveling to Kansas City to face Rockhurst University. Since 2015, the Lions have only faced Rockhurst one time, which was last season, in which the Lions were defeated 3-1.

“Last year they beat us up pretty good, but as long as we compete this year and stay out of trouble in certain areas I think we will be fine,” said McNaugton.

This will be back-to-back seasons in which the Lions have started their regular season with a match against the Hawks of Rockhurst.

During last week’s exhibition match, the Lions got their scoring started with a goal from sophomore Carina Calderon at the 22:59 mark of the first period. Missouri S&T tied the game moments later with a goal of their own.

Then senior Alex McCord would get the lead back for the Lions with just three minutes remaining in the first period to make it 2-1. Calderon scored a second goal in the second period, and senior Julia Liberty would close out the scoring for the Lions with the fourth goal of the game.

Players to watch

Players to watch this season may be, junior goalkeeper Luz Galindo, senior Jeanine Escobar, Alex McCord, senior Maria Sturluson, senior Julia Liberty, and sophomore Carina Calderon.