2021 Season Preview: Centenary Women's Soccer

Shreveport – Last season's version of Centenary women's soccer was an absolute success, there is no question about it. But, it is also no secret that the tremendous season did not end the way the Ladies wanted, and that is fueling this talented and hungry team as they begin the 2021 season on Friday.

The Ladies head south to Baton Rouge to face the Southern University Lady Jaguars in a non-conference match set for 6 p.m. and then cap off the weekend with a Labor Day match at home on Monday, Sept. 6 versus the East Texas Baptist University Tigers at 5 p.m.

Centenary, led by second-year head coach Morgan Crespo, is coming off another successful season in which the Maroon and White went 8-4 overall and 4-3 in Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference play. The Ladies also fielded one of the top defensive units in program history in the division III era (2011-present) as they recorded seven shutouts to set a single-season record. The Ladies finished the regular season allowing just five goals and outscoring their opponents, 20-5.

Despite that success, the season ended on a sour note as they dropped three-consecutive matches by identical 1-0 scores to end the season. The last two were a heartbreaking double-overtime loss on Senior Day to Trinity followed by a setback to Texas Lutheran in the SCAC quarterfinals at Mayo Field.

Crespo led the Ladies to one of their most successful seasons in program history this past spring, as the Maroon and White enter the 2021 season having won 24 of its last 31 matches over the last two seasons, are 10-6 in its last 16 conference matches, and finished the regular season ranked second in the league in assists, goals, points, and shots and placed a program-record eleven players on the All-SCAC team. Centenary is coming off of its most successful three-year stretch in the D3 era as the Ladies are a stellar 33-13 overall with 16 conference wins over the last three seasons.

Crespo was named the sixth head coach of the Ladies' program in April, 2020 and after just one season at the helm, finds herself at the top of the list in all-time winning percentage (.667) in program history. Eleven different players scored goals for the Ladies last season, five players scored at least two or more goals, and five freshmen found the net. The Ladies were picked to finish fourth in the SCAC this season in last month's preseason poll, earning 40 points. Centenary is 13-4 at Mayo Field over the last two seasons and went 5-3 at home last season.

Senior MF Gabby McDonald (Pasadena, Texas) earned First Team All-SCAC recognition last season and was the Ladies' top offensive player and one of the top performers in the conference. She finished the season ranked tied for fifth in the league in goals (four), fifth in points (10), tied for fourth in assists (two), and fifth in shots (33). She played in 11 games with 11 starts and scored goals in four of the Ladies' first seven games to start the season and tallied one game-winning goal. McDonald is joined by a pair of steady juniors in Sydney Bascomb (Mesquite, Texas) and Yosi Bouslog (Friendswood, Texas), who were named to the  All-SCAC second team last season.

Bascomb was of the top players in the conference as she started all 12 games and scored three goals which was tied for sixth in the SCAC. She had two game-winning goals, which ranked second in the conference and was tied for fourth in assists with two. She finished season with eight points, 34 shots, and 12 shots on goal. Bouslog followed up a fantastic freshman campaign with a solid second season with the Ladies as she played in 11 games with 11 starts and scored first-career goal in a 3-0 Ladies' win on Feb. 26 at St. Thomas. She finished season with two points, five shot, two shots on goal, and was a super defender.

Centenary returns a trio of sensational sophomores in forward Daisy Acosta (Deer Park, Texas), D Alexa Hinojosa (Pasadena, Texas), and MF Cynthia Williams (Bossier City, La.). All three were named to the All-SCAC Freshman Team and Hinojosa also picked up Honorable Mention honors. A pair of steady Junior midfielders, Avery Gilbert (League City, Texas), and Celeste Muniz (Denton, Texas) are also back after combining for five goals, two assists, 12 points, and a pair of game-winning goals last season. Junior D Haleigh Gangloff (Pearland, Texas) has rejoined the team after not playing last season. She played in 18 games with 17 starts as a freshman in 2019 and tallied the game-winning assist in her first collegiate game, a 1-0 season-opening win for the Ladies over LaGrange.

The Ladies will face the challenge of replacing departed senior goalkeeper Maggie Pitcher, one of the top goalies in the conference and one of the most decorated in the D3 era of the program as she finished last season first in the conference in shutouts (6), second in both goals against average (0.35) and save percentage (.922). She also ranked fourth in saves (47) and seventh in saves per game (4.27).

Centenary's roster features a trio of rookie goalkeepers vying to replace Pitcher, along with senior Avery Sanderson (McKinney, Texas). The three freshmen are Madison Ersoff (Shreveport), Emma Oertling (Lake Charles, La.), and Marina Rodriguez (Helotes, Texas). Sanderson played in two games last season and made one start in goal in the Ladies' SCAC Tournament contest versus Texas Lutheran at home on April 17 in which she collected six saves. She logged 91:11 of playing time for the season and recorded one shared shutout. 

The Ladies feature a deeply talented and skilled back line as evidenced by their defensive dominance last season. The likes of Bouslog, Hinojosa, Gangloff, and senior Kat Martinez (San Antonio, Texas) will lead the way. Crespo highlighted a pair of local freshmen in addition to Ersoff that she expects to contribute immediately, in F/MF Mackenzie Williams (Stonewall, La) and F Madeline Milton (Haughton, La.).

Williams, a North Desoto High School product, was named First-Team All-State as a freshman, was also a First-Team All-District selection and played on a team which claimed a district title. Milton was twice named District MVP (junior and senior seasons) and named All-State and First-Team All-Area as a senior. She was named All-Parish MVP and First-Team All-Metro as a junior, First-Team All-District and All-Parish as a sophomore and freshmen.

"We have a good group of returning players and I think one of our biggest strengths is experience," said Crespo. I've really challenged this group to want more than just making the postseason. Ultimately, we want to bring a conference championship home to Centenary College and get to the NCAA Tournament."

"But to reach that goal we have to take it one day at a time and know that every game counts. I've asked them to come to training every day to improve collectively and individually. We don't want to look ahead to next week. I want them to rather focus on the match coming up. If we can do that, I think we achieve a great amount of success and reach our ultimate goal."

The Ladies then hit the road for three-consecutive matches following the opening two contests on Labor Day weekend as they face Alcorn State (Wednesday, Sept. 8 at 6 p.m.), St. Thomas (Friday, Sept. 10 at 7 p.m.), and then Sul Ross State University in a neutral site contest on Sunday, Sept. 12 at Noon in Richardson, Texas.

Centenary returns home in mid-September for a pair of non-conference matches versus Belhaven (Sept. 17 at 5:30 p.m.) and UT Dallas (Sept. 19 at 3 p.m.) as part of a mini weekend tournament featuring American Southwest Conference teams against SCAC teams at Mayo Field. Schreiner University will join the Ladies, Belhaven, and UT Dallas for a three-day tournament featuring both men's and women's matches.

The Ladies then close the month with a pair of road matches at Texas Lutheran on Friday, Sept. 24 at 5 p.m. and then Sunday, Sept. 26 at Southwestern in a match set for Noon. Centenary begins conference play at Trinity on Friday, Oct. 1 at 6 p.m. and then travels to Kerrville, Texas to face Schreiner on Sunday, Oct. 3 at Noon.

Centenary welcomes St. Thomas to Mayo Field for a conference contest on Friday, Oct. 8 at 5 p.m. and then breaks from SCAC play to face LeTourneau on the road, Sunday, Oct. 10 at 5 p.m. The Ladies play their final two home matches of the regular season versus Southwestern (Friday, Oct. 15 at 7:30 p.m.) and then Texas Lutheran (Sunday, Oct. 17 at 2:30 p.m.) for Senior Day. The Ladies close the regular season with a pair of road matches, Friday, Oct. 29 at Austin College (6 p.m.) and at Dallas on Oct. 31 at Noon. The 2021 SCAC Women's Soccer Championship will be held Nov. 5-7 in Irving, Texas and hosted by the University of Dallas.

See the complete Ladies' schedule here: https://www.gocentenary.com/sports/wsoc/2021-22/schedule

Admission is FREE to all Centenary home athletic contests but be advised of current COVID-19 protocols for fans. Live stats and live video stream are available for all Centenary home contests.

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