WILKES-BARRE, PA (August 29, 2019) --- The King's College women's soccer will look to return to the postseason for the first time since 2015 with the beginning of the 2019 season on Friday night at Penn College in Williamsport.

A big group of newcomers means this year's squad will look a little different on the pitch despite returning three of the top five point-scorers from a year ago. The Monarchs have a great balance of newcomers and returners at each position who will challenge for time all year. There are also a few student-athletes on the squad that will be seen at different positions on the field at various times in the match.

FORWARDS
Senior Sophia Sacknievich and junior Emily Harrington are the top returning forwards from a team that scored 19 goals in 16 matches last year. Sacknievich did her damage early in the season with a goal in each of the first two matches and then added an assist against Wilkes. She has played in 41 of 48 matches during her three years and had a great transition last year to the forward position after being a defender her first two years. Harrington had six points on two goals and two assists last year including the game-winning goal against FDU-Florham where she out muscled the Devil keeper on a loose ball outside the box and then knocked the ball into the back of the net. The two-sport star uses her speed and strength very well to win balls while drawing defenders to setup her teammates for scores. Junior Bekah Araujo will also see time as a forward this year when she is not commanding the Monarch defense.

The Monarchs have four freshman that will compete for time and look to contribute right away. Kristen Dobkowski is from Merrick, NY where she was an All-Conference player for team that won a conference title during her four years. Grace Conover is from Gibertsville, PA and graduated from Boyertown Area High School. Kristina Keithley is from Elkton, MD where she was a multi-sport student-athlete. Shay Cobb will also see time as a forward when she is not in her normal position of defender. Cobb is from Spring City, PA and graduate of Owen J. Roberts High School where she won back-to-back PAC titles as a member of the soccer team.

MIDFIELDERS
The Monarchs have a lot of returning talent in the midfield in senior Natalie Poulton, junior Breanna Jacinto, and sophomores Alyssa Macher and Casey Genovese. Poulton will lead the group with her experience having played in all but one match during her three years while recording two assists. Jacinto also has a lot of experience having played in all 32 matches during her career. The junior has four career points on one goal and two assists. Macher and Genovese each saw quality minutes in nearly every match a year ago and add talent to the deep and experienced group.

Freshmen Angelina Falcone and Daniela Mangipane are expected to compete for time with the already strong midfielders. Falcone, a local product from nearby Pittston, PA, is the younger sister of assistant coach Elana Falcone and has been impressive in preseason. The Scranton Prep graduate scored a goal in the team's scrimmage last week on a nice cross from Harrington. Mangipane is from Mount Carmel, PA and was also a member of the track and field team for the Tornados.

DEFENDERS
King's defense has been very strong in recent years and this year should be no different. Two years ago, the Monarchs allowed a program record 13 goals in 16 matches. Araujo along with classmate Lauren Geiger will look to anchor the defense in improving that record this year. Araujo started every match last year and is the team's most experienced defender as a junior. Geiger has played 23 matches in her two years while recording four points on a goal and two assists. Both of her assist occurred in a late season victory over Keystone last year. The duo will be joined by a pair of sophomores in Kara Keim and Abby Castle. Keim had an impressive rookie season where she earned Second Team All-Conference honors. The sophomore has the ability to score from nearly anywhere on the pitch with all three of her goals last year coming from distance. She scored the game-winning goal on a rocket of a shot from outside the box in a victory over Centenary last year. Castle started nine matches and played in 14 as a freshman after a strong career playing for Red Lion High School.

Three new faces will compete for time in Cobb, Melissa Klecker, and Bria Smith. Cobb was an outside back for the Wildcats of OJRHS while also a member of the track and field team. Klecker is from Hanover, PA and was an All-County second teamer for the Mustangs of South Western High School. Smith played with Conover at Boyertown Area where she was an attacking midfielder and forward for four year.

GOALKEEPERS
Tara Bender returns for the Monarchs after a great freshman year that saw her earn Honorable Mention honors. The sophomore started 11 matches and appeared in 13 recording a 1.95 GAA and a .729 save percentage. She recorded two shutouts and made a season-high 10 saves against Wilkes. She was named the MAC Freedom Defensive Player of the Week after a brilliant performance shutting out the high-scoring Devils of FDU-Florham while facing a season-high 18 shots in the conference opener.

Two new faces in Erica Blackburn and Rachel Nelligan are expected to give Bender some competition for time in net. Blackburn is from Marlboro, NJ and helped lead Saint John Vianney to the 2017 A-Central Division Championship. She made 222 career saves in her four years playing in goal for the Lancers while being named to the All-Shore Conference All-Star game. Nelligan is a local product from Dallas, PA who led the Mountaineers to the District 2 Class 3A Championship in 2017 with impressive 10 saves in the Championship match against top-seeded Abington Heights.

SCHEDULE
The Monarchs will play their first four matches on the road starting on Friday night at Penn College. They will finally play at McCarthy Stadium for the first time when they take on Albright College at 7 p.m. on September 14. Conference play begins on October 5 with a big-time matchup against Eastern University at 1 p.m. in McCarthy Stadium. The Monarchs have the advantage of playing four of their seven MAC Freedom matches at home including matches against conference favorites and nationally-ranked Stevens (October 19) and Misericordia (October 26). King's will also host DeSales on October 15 in what should also be an important match that could decide their postseason fate.