2019 Season Begins At Home

Friday, August 23

Seattle, WA

7:00 PM

University of Washington

Portland

August 20, 2019 | Women's Soccer

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SEATTLE - The 2019 season kicks off this weekend as the Huskies play host to Portland this Friday and Seattle U on Monday, starting the campaign with a pair of rivalry games. Washington defeated both teams in the 2018 regular season and will look to start the season strong in non-conference play.

The Huskies began this year with an exhibition match against Gonzaga in Spokane, defeating the Bulldogs 2-1. Olivia van der Jagt and Ruby Hellstrom scored in the game, while Helena Reischling and Ameera Hussen earned assists.

Washington is 14-10-1 under Lesle Gallimore in their season openers, outscoring their opposition 55-34. This will be the first time since 2014 that Washington has started the season at home. That year, the Huskies defeated Kentucky 4-1.

		RUN IT BACK
Washington returns almost all of last year's scoring, losing just three goals from the 2018 season due to Pascale Dumesnil's graduation. Olivia van der Jagt, Summer Yates, Kaylene Pang, Sianna Siemonsma, Ameera Hussen, and Ruby Hellstrom all scored multiple goals in 2018 and are back for 2019. Washington has not had more returning multi-goal scorers since 2013, when they returned seven from 2012's 10-6-3 squad. Washington has not had as many returning scorers as this year's ten since 2002.

		DEFENSE DON'T QUIT
Every single start on defense and at keeper from 2018 returns this year, including four players that started every game. Kaylene Pang, Taylor Sekyra, Lisa Jensen, and Siena Ruelas all started every game, while Laura Roberts and Jessica Udovich split the final 19 starts on defense. Washington did not lose a single minute played from their backline. Washington has a combined 176 starts on it, including two players (Sekyra and Jensen) who have each started over 45 games in their careers.

		INTERNATIONAL FLAVOR
Mireya Grey played with Team Jamaica at the 2019 World Cup this summer. Washington has now had at least one representative playing at the last four World Cups, stretching back to 2007. Grey joins Hope Solo (United States), Amanda Perez (Mexico), Veronica Perez (Mexico), Tina Frimpong (United States), Dominique Bond-Flasza (Jamaica), and Clare Rustad (Canada) as Washington's World Cup alums.

		UP NEXT: PORTLAND
Lost 1-0 to Washington last year 1-3-0 against Washington over last five years 32-11-3 all-time at Husky Soccer Stadium (includes neutral site games) Started 2019 with 3-2 exhibition win over UBC

		UP NEXT: SEATTLE U
0-12-0 all-time against Washington Lost 5-0 last year to the Huskies at Seattle U Made 2018 NCAA Tournament (lost to Stanford)