Women's Soccer Set to Open 2022 Slate with PRCC on Friday Night

Friday, August 5

Hattiesburg, Miss.

5:30 p.m.

Southern Miss

PRCC (exh.)

Women's Soccer Set to Open 2022 Slate with PRCC on Friday Night

8/4/2022 1:27:00 PM | Women's Soccer

HATTIESBURG, Miss. -- The Southern Miss women's soccer team is set to open the 2022 season with an exhibition match against Pearl River Community College on Friday night. Kickoff from the Southern Miss Soccer Complex is set for 5:30 p.m.

The 2022 Squad
Southern Miss returns 13 players from a team that was crowned Conference USA West Division Champions last season for the first time in program history. Those players include GK Alex Helbling (Highlands Ranch, Colo. / Richmond), M/D Samantha Stiglmair (Kharlshuld, Germany / Mississippi State), M Ilana Izquierdo (Cali, Colombia / Commeva), M/F Adaira Nakano (Ontario, Canada / St. Thomas Aquinas Secondary), D Nolubabalo Shishuba (Cape Town, South Africa / Western Cape), M/F Blessing Kingsley (Carlow, Ireland / Presentation College), F Alice Williamson (Meridian, Miss. / West Lauderdale HS), D Tay Collum (Brandon, Miss. / UAB), D Madisyn Flammia (Panama City, Fla. / A. Crawford Mosley HS), M Elexia Nelson (Niceville, Fla. / Niceville HS), D Natalie Wilson (Orange Park, Fla. / St. John's Country Day), D Patricia Gasparovicova (Pezinok, Slovakia / Evanjelicke Iyceum) and M Ryan Smith (Biloxi, Miss. / Biloxi HS).

Head coach Mohammed El-Zare also added Mississippi State transfer Esmeralda Figueroa (Laurel, Miss.) and Fresno State transfer Kesaia Bruni (Ontario, Canada) to the mix.

The 10-player freshman class includes GK Lena Blake (San Antonio, Texas / Byron P. Steel HS), D/F Taylor Stewart (Hattiesburg, Miss. / Oak Grove HS), M Bernadett Stefan (Budapest, Hungary), D Mallory Tapper (Brandon, Miss. / Northwest Rankin HS), F Syndey Magliocca (Terrebonne, Canada / College Saint-Sacrament), D Emily Welch (Brandon, Miss. / Northwest Rankin HS), M Shaelynn Quick (Florence, Miss. / Florence HS), F Grace Gilmore (Wake Forest, N.C. / Wake Forest HS), D Lexi Griffin (Panama City, Fla. / Arnold HS) and F Julia Boaventura (Salvador, Brazil / St. John's Country Day).

Bringing Back Firepower
Izquierdo returns for her sophomore campaign after posting a team-high 21 points her freshman season. The midfielder tallied seven goals en route to being named C-USA First Team All-Conference, C-USA All-Freshman Team, C-USA All-Tournament Team, and United Soccer Coaches All-South Region Second Team. The Golden Eagles will be without Izquierdo for the start of the season due to the Colombian native representing the U20 Colombian National Team at the U20 Women's World Cup in Costa Rica.

Including Izquierdo, Southern Miss returns six of its 12 goal scorers and two of its top-three points leaders. Kinglsey finished with six goals a season ago and added two assists for 14 total points. Other goal scorers back for the 2022 season are Stiglmair (two), Smith (two), Flammia (two) and Shishuba (two). Kinglsey was a United Soccer Coaches All-South Region Third Team selection last season.

The Opponent
Pearl River is coming off an 8-6-2 season where it fell to Holmes Community College in the MACCC/Region 23 Tournament. The Wildcats welcome back starting goalie Anita Guðmundsdóttir who went 7-4 with 1,180 minutes in net. She tallied 74 saves and averaged 1.30 goals against per game.

Follow Along
Follow @SouthernMissSoc on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook for updates throughout the game.