Concord Opens Up Season with Tough Test Against Gannon

Concord Stats - Gannon Stats - Live Stats - Live Video

ATHENS, W.Va. – The Concord University women's soccer team begins the 2022 season when hosts Gannon 1:00 p.m. Thursday in a non-conference clash at the Paul Cline Complex in Beckley, West Virginia.

LIVE COVERAGE
The Concord University Sports Information Department will provide live in-game statistics and live streaming video of Thursday's contest.

Live Stats
Live Video

SERIES HISTORY: Concord leads 2-1

LAST FIVE MEETINGS
2006: Gannon 2 – Concord 0
2005: Concord 1 – Gannon 0
2002: Concord 3 – Gannon 0

CONCORD AT A GLANCE
2021 Overall Record: 20-1-3 (Division II Atlantic Region Champions/Elite Eight)
2021 MEC Record: 13-0-3 (MEC South Division and Tournament Champions)
2021 Home Record: 12-1-2
2021 Away Record: 8-0-1

NATIONAL RECOGNITION
The Mountain Lions begin the season ranked 12^th in the United Soccer Coaches' Division II National Poll. Dating back to last season, Concord has spent 14 consecutive weeks ranked with 11 of those coming in the top 20. Senior midfielder Courtney Smith returns to CU's lineup after her All-American season in 2021 that saw her finish second in Division II in assists with 16.

RECORD WATCH
Fifth-year senior forward Leah Foster begins the season with 126 career points, second all-time at Concord. The Wigan, England native needs six points to tie and seven points to pass Gemma Nortcliffe (2007-10) for the all-time program lead. Foster's next assist moves her into the all-time lead at Concord with 36. Head coach Luke Duffy begins his seventh season on the sidelines with 72 career wins. With the exception of the COVID-shortened spring 2021 season, Duffy has posted double-digit wins in four of his other five seasons in Athens. The all-time program record for coaching wins at CU is held by Steve Barrett (1999-07) with 87.

FAST OUT OF THE GATE
Senior forward Rachel Bell has made a habit of finding the scoring column in the first game of the season. As a freshman in 2019, Bell tallied the only Concord goal in a win against Seton Hill. In last season's 3-1 home win against Chowan, the Brampton, England native netted two goals, including a score 65 seconds into the season. Foster recorded two assists in last season's season-opening win while Smith had one of her 16 assists to begin the campaign. In the spring 2021 season opener at West Virginia State, Foster tallied a hat trick.

TOP FLIGHT MATCH
Thursday will be a matchup of two teams that participated in last season's NCAA Tournament. In fact, Concord and Gannon came close to facing each other in the second round of the national postseason. GU held a 1-0 lead before falling to Bloomsburg 2-1 in overtime in the first round. Concord then knocked off Bloomsburg, 4-0, in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

GANNON AT A GLANCE
2021 Overall Record: 12-4-3 (NCAA Tournament First Round)
2021 PSAC West Record: 11-2-3 (Second in PSAC West)
2021 Home Record: 5-1-3
2021 Away Record: 7-1

SCOUTING THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS
Gannon was especially tough on the road last season as it won seven of its eight true road games, only dropping a contest to then No. 23-ranked Slippery Rock. GU has to replace its top scorer from a season ago in Taylor Lewis, but brings back Sarah Fails who tallied 18 points (seven goals, four assists), including scoring in the NCAA Tournament game against Bloomsburg. All-conference goalkeeper Kennedy Solymosi is back for her fifth year in net while head coach and reigning PSAC West Coach of the Year Colin Petersen begins his 21^st season at Gannon.