University of Northern Iowa Athletics
University of Northern Iowa
Clarke (Exhibition)
UNI soccer battles Clarke in preseason finale
8/9/2023 9:45:00 AM | Women's Soccer
UNI soccer vs. Clarke (Exhibition)
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3 p.m. CT | Aug. 11, 2023
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Cedar Falls, Iowa | UNI Soccer Field
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CEDAR FALLS, Iowa --- UNI soccer wraps up its 2023 preseason on Friday afternoon as the Clarke University Pride make their way west from Dubuque to take on the Panthers in their final preseason exhibition at the UNI Soccer Field.
The Panthers will go to work after a 2-1 exhibition loss to Iowa State on Monday night. Forward/midfielder Olivia Knoepfle provided UNI's lone goal on a wide open, unassisted shot past the goalkeeper in the ninth minute of play earlier this week.
UNI is scheduled to open the 2023 regular season on the road at St. Thomas (Minn.) next Thursday, Aug. 17 in St. Paul.
The Pride prepare to enter a new season following a 12-6-2 mark last fall, which included an appearance in the Heart of America Conference Tournament semifinals. Forward Shannon Catchur returns for her senior season after scoring ten goals with five assists in 2022, while also returning a pair of quality goalkeepers in April Lashomb and Faith Krapfl.
Friday's match will also see the return of former UNI assistant coach Josh Printz to Cedar Falls after serving on the Panther staff from 2011 through the 2015 season. Printz has accumulated a record of 66-59-6 since being named Clarke's head women's soccer coach in 2016.
The purple and gold return 21 players from their 2022 roster, including the program's sixth First Team All-Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) selection in forward Lauren Heinsch, who led UNI with five goals last season, as well as the MVC in shots per game (3.0).
Senior forward Ashley Harrington also returns after leading the Panthers with four assists also returns, along with 2022 MVC All-Freshman Team honoree Caroline Hazen (2 goals), as well as Sydney Burskey (3 goals, 3 assists), Allison Groothius (3 goals).
In goal, Caitlin Richards returns for her senior season after leading the MVC in minutes in goal (1,640:14) and saves (81) last fall. Richards was also named to the MVC All-Tournament Team in 2022.
UNI bolstered its roster during the offseason with the addition of eight new players, including seven new freshmen signees. Among the new faces on campus for the Panthers are forward Camille Landphair, who scored a school record 130 career goals at Dike-New Hartford High School, fifth-most in state history, as well as defender Lindsey Overmann from Class 2A soccer power Waverly Shell-Rock. UNI's lone transfer in defender/forward Rielly Chesna comes to Cedar Falls after appearing in 15 matches with a pair of goals scored last season at Long Island University.
On the sidelines, head coach Bruce Erickson begins his seventh season at the helm of the Panther program. With a UNI record of 43-43-17, Erickson is the winningest coach in program history looking to return the Panthers to the postseason.
UNI finished the 2022 campaign with a 6-6-8 record and 2-2-6 mark in MVC play. With a program record eight ties during the season, the Panthers finished sixth in the MVC table qualifying for the conference tournament. UNI edged Belmont in a 1-0, double overtime victory in the opening round, before taking down third-seeed UIC in a 4-2 penalty kick shootout.
