Newburgh, N.Y. – After having its originally scheduled 2021 Season Opener postponed on Wednesday, the Mount Saint Mary College Women's Soccer team will now begin the 2021 campaign on Friday afternoon on the road at Skidmore. Kick-off with the Thoroughbreds is slated for 4:00 p.m. with Live Stats and Video available for those who are unable to attend.  
 
Spectator Policy: Please note that Skidmore will require masks for all spectators at its home events, regardless of vaccination status.
 
At A Glance: Following the cancelation of the 2020 season, the Mount returns to action for the first time since suffering a tough 1-0 loss to Manhattanville in the Semifinal Round of the 2019 Skyline Conference Championship, a span of 656 days. The Knights closed the 2019 season with a 9-10-1 overall record, but earned the top seed in the Skyline Conference Championship following an unbeaten 9-0-1 record in conference play.
 
The Knights outscored their opponents 55-35 in 2019, scoring nearly three goals per game. The Mount finished with 139 points as a team while allowing just 99 to its opponents.
 
Mount Saint Mary featured four All-Skyline Conference selections in 2019, highlighted by First Team selections for Chrissy Cannella, Brittany Bornstad (Linden, N.J.), also tabbed the league's Defensive Player of the Year, and Julia DeSantis (Islip, N.Y.). Gina Rivera landed on the Second Team for the Knights.
 
Forward/Midfield: The offensive group needs to replace 18 goals and 39 points from Cannella as well as six goals and 14 points from Rivera. Nikki Carter (Southington, Conn.) is the top returning point producer for the Knights after registering three goals, four assists and 10 points during her sophomore campaign.
 
Lauren Engel (Red Hook, N.Y.) and KellyAnn Platt (Staten Island, N.Y.) return after recording three goals apiece in 2019 with Maggie Zecca (Mountainside, N.J.) chipping with a pair of markers. Liz Ellsworth (Suffern, N.Y.), Lauren Grippi (East Islip, N.Y.), Jackie Lindsay (Baldwin, N.Y.) and Marilena Mangiaracina (Franklin Square, N.Y.) all registered a goal in 2019.
 
Ashley Hunter (Massapequa, N.Y.) posted an assist for the Mount splitting time between the offensive group and the backline with Ashlee Peters (Fishkill, N.Y.) seeing time in eight games in her first collegiate season.
 
Head Coach Christopher Lyn will rely on a talented group of newcomers to support the offensive attack with a group that includes: Kate Bazylewicz (Farmingdale, N.Y.), Caroline Schrag (Cornwall-on-Hudson, N.Y.), Megan Stosch (North Babylon, N.Y.), Brooke Leahy (Rockaway Beach, N.Y.), Darla Petricca (New Hyde Park, N.Y.), Kitty Masayda (Watertown, Conn.), Amanda DeVito (Massapequa, N.Y.), Wendy Guerra (Newburgh, N.Y.), Alexis Grippi (East Islip, N.Y.) and Mary Langan (New Hyde Park, N.Y.).
 
Defense: 2019 All-Conference picks Bornstad and DeSantis anchor the backline and are coming off productive seasons both defensively and offensively. Bornstad led the team with six assists and totaled eight points. Bornstad was one of just four players to start all 20 team games in 2019 while DeSantis made 19 starts and chipped in a goal for the Knights.
 
Julia Accetura (Prospect, Conn.) also returns on the backline for the Mount after starting 18 games in 2019 and producing a goal in nearly 1,200 minutes of action. Sharon Pena (Harrison, N.Y.) supports the defense after getting time in five contests in 2019.
 
The defensive unit will turn to a strong group of newcomers for support with a half dozen new players looking to impact the game starting on Friday. The new group includes freshman Alexa Centrone (West Babylon, N.Y.) and sophomores Chloe Kennedy (Middletown, N.Y.), Vanessa Vasilakis (Franklin Square, N.Y.), Alyssa Millburn (Middlebury, Conn.), Raina Quinones (West Babylon, N.Y.) and Shannon Neiswenter (New York, N.Y.).
 
Goalkeeper: The Knights will go with a pair of new keepers in 2021 in sophomore Christina Kakavas (Hopewell Junction, N.Y.) and freshman Caroline Brucato (Massapequa Park, N.Y.).
 
Head Coach: Lyn returns to the sidelines for his fifth season (sixth year overall) and has led the Mount to a 46-29-5 overall record and an impressive 33-3-1 mark against league rivals. The Knights have advanced to the Skyline Conference Championship Final three of the previous four years and Lyn was tabbed the Skyline Conference  Coach of the Year in 2017.
 
The Schedule: the Knights open the season with four straight road contests before opening the home schedule with a non-conference game against RPI on September 15. The conference slate begins at St. Joseph's-Brooklyn on September 21 and the Mount will have a season-long six game home stand from October 5-October 24. The Knights play seven of their final eight games and home leading into the Skyline Conference Championship which commences on October 30.
 
Note: The 2021 is subject to change rapidly due to any new guidance or restrictions put in place.