MOUNT ST. MARY'S (0-0) at GEORGE WASHINGTON (0-0)
Friday, Aug. 22 | 5 p.m.
GW Soccer Field | Washington, D.C.
LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO

MOUNT ST. MARY'S (0-0) at TEMPLE (0-0)
Sunday, Aug. 24 | 3 p.m.
Ambler Soccer Field | Ambler, Pa.
LIVE STATS | LIVE AUDIO

MOUNT UPDATE: Head Coach Tom Gosselin begins his eighth season at the helm for his alma mater with road games at George Washington on Friday and Temple on Sunday. In 2014, the Mount St. Mary's women's soccer program will be competing in its 23rd season. Friday's game in Washington, D.C. will mark the fourth time in five seasons that the Mount has opened the year on the road. 

THE RETURNERS: The Mount welcomes back 14 letterwinners from last season, including Emma Blair and Alicia Mirando who scored two goals apiece in 2013. Since the beginning of the 2012 season, the Mount has gone with a two-goalkeeper system with Rachel Bourne and Vicky Cocozza splitting time. Now back for their junior seasons, Bourne and Cocozza look to build on last year's success when they combined for four shutouts. 

THE NEWCOMERS: Eight freshmen and one transfer student make up the group of incomers for Tom Gosselin's squad this season. Five of the freshman hail from Maryland, two are from Virginia and one is from New Jersey. The lone transfer is sophomore Rachel Steelman, who is from New Jersey and played her freshman season at Division II Merrimack. 

THE SCHEDULE: The Mount will play 19 regular season games in 2014. Of the 19, 11 of them are against non-conference opponents. The Mount is also set to host eight games at Waldron Family Stadium beginning with a 1 p.m. showdown with Lehigh on Sunday, Aug. 31. 

ABOUT GEORGE WASHINGTON: The Colonials put together a 7-6-5 record in 2013, reaching the Atlantic-10 Tournament for the first time in 11 seasons. Selected seventh out of 14 teams in the A-10 preseason poll, GW placed Alex Brothers and Kristi Abbate on the Preseason All-Conference Team. GW allowed just 16 goals last year and shut out eight opponents. 

LAST SEASON VS. GEORGE WASHINGTON: In last season's match on Sept. 20 at Waldron Family Stadium, the Mount and GW played to a 0-0 draw. Jackie Corley took a team-high four shots for the Mount, which was outshot by a 19-8 margin in the game. Mount goalkeeper Vicky Cocozza turned away seven shots in the second half and overtime to preserve a shutout. For the Colonials, Alex Neal and Elizabeth Casey took four shots apiece.

ALL-TIME SERIES VS. GEORGE WASHINGTON: The Mount holds a 0-2-1 all-time record versus GW dating back to the first meeting in 2009.

ABOUT TEMPLE: Coming off a 6-12-1 record last season, the Owls were predicted to finish ninth in the American Athletic Conference's preseason poll. Temple began the 2013 campaign with a 5-3-1 non-conference record before going 1-8 in conference play and falling to SMU in the AAC Tournament. Temple's top three goal scorers with three goals apiece in 2013, Erin Lafferty, Ingrid Mello and Alyssa Kirk, are all back for another season.  

LAST SEASON VS. TEMPLE: In last year's contest at Waldron Family Stadium, Temple picked up a 1-0 victory over the Mount on Alyssa Kirk's 43rd minute goal. The Mount came within inches of tying the game, but Jackie Glanfield's header rang off the cross bar in the 63rd minute. In goal, Vicky Cocozza made nine saves for the Mountaineers. 

ALL-TIME SERIES VS. TEMPLE: Temple has won all three matchups with the Mount. The Owls picked up wins in 1996 and 1997 before last season's 1-0 victory over the Mount. 

MOUNT IN SEASON OPENERS: Mount St. Mary's has won its last three season openers, taking down Rider (2011), Towson (2012) and UMBC (2013). The Mount holds a 4-18 record in season openers and is 3-4 under Tom Gosselin in opening day games. 

PRESEASON POLL: In the annual Northeast Conference Preseason Coaches Poll, Mount St. Mary's was selected to finish ninth. Reigning NEC Champion Saint Francis University was tabbed to repeat this season, while LIU Brooklyn, Central Connecticut State, Fairleigh Dickinson and Wagner rounded out the top five in the poll. Sacred Heart was selected sixth by the coaches, followed by Bryant, Robert Morris and the Mount. 

UP NEXT: The Mount travels to Washington, D.C. to take on American on Thursday, Aug. 28 at 4 p.m. 

SEASON PREVIEW