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Saint Joseph's: Watch | Live Stats

Villanova, Pa.- The Wildcats 2019 season will kickoff on Thursday afternoon at Higgins Soccer Complex against the LSU Tigers at 4:00 P.M. on BEDN.  Following the season opener Villanova will host the Saint Joseph's Hawks for a Sunday afternoon game set to kickoff at 1:00 P.M. that can be seen on Nova Nation All-Access.

A Look at the Wildcats:  Villanova was picked sixth in the BIG EAST Preseason Coaches Poll and is coming off a nine-win season in 2018.   The nine wins was the most in a single season in six years and being picked sixth is the highest preseason ranking the Wildcats have had in five years.  This season all 11 starters are returning to the pitch along with all of the Wildcats goal scorers from last season. 

Returning as captains this season is a trio of seniors, Kristin Barbour, Claire Fell, and Conner Huggins. 

There are 10 newcomers that joined the squad for the 2019 season, eight freshmen and two transfers in Sam Rosette (Virginia) and Brice McInroy (Tennessee).

Last Time Out: Last season Villanova defeated both LSU and Saint Joseph's on the road.  The Wildcats and Tigers 2018 meeting took over four hours to complete due to multiple weather delays but Bri Austin netted the game winner three minutes into overtime to give the Wildcats the 2-1 win.  In the meeting down Lancaster Ave. at Sweeney Field Austin this time set up Chloe O'Neill for the lone goal of the game as the Wildcat's shut out the Hawks 1-0.

A Look at the Tigers:  LSU was voted No. 24 in the preseason United Soccer Coaches poll.  This season the Tigers are returning 11 letterwinners from the 2018 squad that advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament and won the program's first SEC Tournament title.

LSU had Chiara Ritchie-Williams, Tinaya Alexander, Marlena Cutura and Shannon Cooke named to the 2019 SEC Soccer Coaches' Preseason Watch List.

A Look at Saint Joseph's:  The Hawks will take on the Drexel Dragons Thursday night before arriving at Higgins on Sunday afternoon.  Last season Saint Joseph's went 14-5-2 and 8-2 in A-10 play before falling the VCU in the A-10 Championship game. 

In the A-10 preseason poll the Hawks were picked to finish fourth while graduate student forward Dakota Mills, senior midfielder Gabrielle Vagnozzi, and sophomore defender Mackenzie Ehresman were voted onto the Preseason All-Conference Team.