Rock Hill, S.C. – Winthrop women's soccer opens the 2021 season with back-to-back home games beginning Friday, Aug. 20 at 7 p.m. as it takes on Alabama State on Eagle Field.
| Winthrop Women's Soccer Game Information |
| Matchup |
Winthrop (0-0-0) at Alabama State (0-0-0) |
| Date/Time |
Friday, Aug. 19 | 7 p.m. (EST) |
| Location |
Montgomery, Ala. | ASU Soccer Complex |
| Live Statistics |
Click Here |
| Live Stream |
None |
| Social |
Twitter - @WinthropWSoccer / @WUEagles | Instagram - WinthropWSoccer | #ROCKtheHILL | #EverStand |
SEASON OPENERS
Eagles are 5-9-5 all-time in season openers. This marks just the 5th time in program history that Winthrop opens its season on the road. All-time the Eagles are 1-2-1 when opening on the road.
ALABAMA STATE SERIES HISTORY
This is just the second meeting all-time as the same two teams met in the 2021 season-opener on Eagle Field that saw the Eagles earn a 2-1 victory in double-overtime.
Jessica Gengler netted the golden goal for the Eagles in the 103rd minute.
FOOT NOTES
- Fourteen players and five starters return from the 2021 squad
- The top four scorers from a year ago are gone from a team that had 12 different players score at least one goal
- The Eagles were 3-5-0 in road games in 2021
- Sophomore Emma Smith is the top returning scorer (2g, 1a) as she came off the bench in all 15 games she appeared
- The five returning starters are highlighted by junior goalkeeper Izzy Giarrizzi and sophomore defenders Adelle Pruitt and Lily Meisten
- Pruitt and Meisten were the starting center backs in 2021
- Returning starters also include senior's Bailey Fudala and Leah Greene
- Junior Janae Massey, who missed the 2021 season and started 8-of-9 appearances in 2020, returns from injury
- Giarrizzi was 6-7-2 last season with a goals against average of 1.75 and made 80 saves
- Her 80 saves were the 9th most in a single-season in program history
- She was the first Eagle since Karly Gustafson in 2015 to record at least three shutouts in a season
- Giarrizzi was 3rd in the Big South in saves per game at 5.33, which ranks 7th in a single-season for an Eagle
- This year's squad features eight freshmen, four sophomores, nine juniors and three seniors
- This will be the 348th game in Winthrop women's soccer program history
- Spencer Smith is in his 13th season as head coach and coached in his 200th game for the Eagles on Sept. 25, 2021 vs. USC Upstate
- Smith is currently fifth all-time in Big South history for victories (six wins behind 4th)
LOOKING AHEAD
The Eagles will be back in action on Thursday, Aug. 25 at 6 p.m. when they host VMI in their home opener at Eagle Field.
FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA
To keep up with the latest news on the Winthrop women's soccer program follow the Eagles on Twitter (@WinthropWSoccer), Instagram (@WinthropWSoccer) and Facebook (/WUWomensSoccer)
