CMS Women's Soccer Faces George Fox in 2023 Opener Friday Morning

CLAREMONT, Calif. - The Claremont-Mudd-Scripps women's soccer team will begin the 2023 season when it hosts George Fox for a Friday morning kickoff at Pritzlaff Field, beginning at 10 a.m.

The Athenas come into the new season picked to finish third in the SCIAC, after ending third during the regular season a year ago with a 5-2-5 league mark, before  reaching the championship game with a 2-1 win over second-seeded Cal Lutheran in the semifinals. Cal Lutheran was picked to finish second, with defending champion Pomona-Pitzer holding down the top spot. 

CMS returns all four of its All-SCIAC award winners from a year ago, including junior midfielder Kaitlyn Helfrich, who has been named first-team all-league in each of her first two seasons. She also earned the SCIAC Newcomer of the Year in 2021 as a first-year, and Cate Lewison made it two straight Newcomers of the Year for the Athenas last fall when she earned the honor as well. 

Helfrich was joined on the All-SCIAC first team by center back Emma Fogg, who returns for her junior season, while sophomore midfielder Riley Zitar earned her way onto the second team in her debut season last fall.

CMS is in strong shape in the central defense, where Fogg and Annie McKinley started the year as center backs, and McKenzie Emmons and Ivy Doran filled in when McKinley was injured. Sophomore goalkeeper Sadie Brown also moved into the starting lineup on opening day as a first-year and already brings a wealth of experience into her second campaign, while senior Laurel Ovenell had significant playing time as a holding midfielder last fall.

At the offensive end of the field, Helfrich (five goals) and Lewison (three goals) will be the primary scoring weapons, while Ava Schmitt, who had the game-winning goal against Cal Lutheran in the SCIAC Semifinals, has six goals in her career. Tori Holden will be playing a striker position this season after playing on the wing earlier in her career, while Annie Parizeau was off to a promising start to her rookie campaign, with a goal against nationally ranked Chicago to her credit before being sidetracked by an injury. Chloe Valkin will also look to expand her role as an attacking midfielder. 

After facing George Fox, the Athenas will complete their opening weekend by hosting UC Santa Cruz for a second home contest on Sunday at 11 a.m.