CALDWELL, N.J.- The Caldwell University women's soccer team opens their 2017 season on the road with a pair of contests. The Cougars take on Franklin Pierce University on Friday night at 7 pm. Caldwell wraps up their season opening trip on Sunday as they travel to Saint Anselm College for a noon start time.
 
The Cougars under eleventh year Head Coach Nate Guagliardi look to build on the program's second conference title. The defending CACC Champions finished the season with a 12-8-2 overall record and came in second place with a 9-3-0 conference mark.
 
Caldwell defeated Nyack College 3-1 in the opening round of the CACC Championship and advanced past Holy Family with a 3-1 win in penalty kicks following a 0-0 tie through two overtimes. The Cougars edged Georgian Court 1-0 in the CACC Championship match to earn the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Division II Championship. Caldwell fell to LIU Post 3-0 in the opening round of the NCAA Division II Tournament.
 
Caldwell returns four of their top five scorers from last season led by junior Emily Valerian (Roseland, N.J.), who earned CACC First Team All-Conference honors. Valerian led the Cougars with 22 points on 10 goals and two assists. She netted three game-winning goals, including the lone goal in the CACC Championship victory against Georgian Court. Valerian was selected to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America All-East Region Third Team as well as the Division II Conference Commissioner's Association (D2CCA) Second Team All-East Region.
 
Junior Carlyn Salus (Pompton Lakes, N.J.) was the team second leading scorer last season as she totaled 20 points on nine goals and two assists. Salus added one game-winning goals for the Cougars. Junior Jessica LaConde (Huntington Beach, Calif.) 14 points on five goals and four assists with one game-winning goal. Sophomore Meghan Grundhauser (Easton, Pa.) chipped in 13 points on five goals and three assists last season.
 
The Cougars return a solid group of players in the midfield and defense led by senior Shelagh Kerrisk (Keansburg, N.J.), who started 21 games last season and totaled seven points with five assists. Junior Haley Kopf (Jackson, N.J.) also returns for the Cougars on defense after starting 21 of 22 games played last season. Also back for Caldwell are sophomores Emily Osborn (Beachwood, N.J.) and Racquel Chong (West Orange, N.J.). Osborn started all 22 games last season, while Chong played in 22 games and started 21.
 
In the CACC preseason coaches poll, the Cougars were picked in finish in second place. Caldwell earned four first-place votes, totaling 154 points behind Georgian Court University (161 points).
 
The 2017 schedule features nine home games, six of which are conference matches. Caldwell opens CACC play on the road at Chestnut Hill College on Saturday, September 9. The Cougars home opener takes place on Tuesday, September 12 as they host Molloy College at 4 pm. Caldwell's first home conference game is on Friday, September 15 at 4:00 pm at the Kiwanis Oval. For the complete schedule, click here.