FAIRFIELD, Conn. — The Sacred Heart University women's soccer team begins its quest toward a conference championship this weekend, taking on the Explorers of La Salle University in a non-conference clash on Sunday, August 18. Kickoff from Park Ave Field is scheduled for noon. 
 
Kickin' It
Following a third-consecutive postseason berth in the Northeast Conference (NEC), the Pioneers usher in a new era of women's soccer at SHU, making the jump from the NEC to the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC). The Pioneers amassed 178 wins during their 25-year stint in the NEC, winning the 2001 NEC Tournament as one of two times the program had reached the NEC Tournament Championship. 
 
Last season, the Pioneers battled through a daunting non-conference and conference schedule, finishing the 2023 campaign with a 6-9-4 record under sixth year head coach Matt Micros. Having gone 0-3-2 through the first five games - grabbing draws against two juggernauts in Yale and Maine - the Pios grabbed their first win of the season against Manhattan (whom the Pios will face this season on Sept. 21) before rattling off a 5-4-1 conference record that included three wins in the final four matches to earn a third-consecutive postseason berth. 
 
SHU looked to avenge its 2022 NEC Tournament exit on penalty kicks during the 2023 installment of the NEC postseason but could not make its way past Howard University, capitulating in a 1-0 defeat to conclude the 2023 season. Though the Pios had an early exit, the accolades rolled throughout the postseason as the trio of Morgan Bovardi, Grace O'Hara and Shea Kelleher earned all-conference nods. 
 
On La Salle
La Salle heads into Connecticut with a game in hand under its belt, dropping a close match against Bucknell, 1-2. The Explorers are attempting to build off a momentous 2023 campaign that saw them go 12-6-3 overall, highlighted by an 8-1-1 record in the Atlantic 10. Following their outstanding regular season, the Explorers were downed by Saint Louis in the A-10 Championship game, 3-0. 
 
The Explorers return a plethora of talent from their roster a year ago including leading goal scorer Haley Gschrey who bagged 8 goals – including two during the A-10 Tournament - and two assists in 21 appearances for La Salle, landing on the A-10 All-Conference Second Team. Justyce Hollenbach, Elizabeth Estrada and Ricshya Walker all return to La Salle after posting double-digit point totals a year ago with all three being named to A-10 All-Conference lists. 
 
Between the sticks, Michela Augudaro returns for the Explorers as part of a trio of goalkeepers who are back for La Salle this season. She has started in 44 games during her career while making 47 appearances and enters the season with a career goals against average of 1.25 which is tied for fifth in the program's history. 
 
Paul Royal leads the Explorers in his 22^nd season as the bench boss at La Salle and has amassed 211 wins in his head coaching career which ranks 18^th among DI coaches. Royal has sent his teams to the NCAA Tournament five times and was named the A-10 Coach of the Year for the fifth time last season. 
 
O' Captain, My Captain
Graduate student Grace O'Hara and senior Jaci Budaj comprise the leadership tandem for the Red & White during the 2024 campaign having been named captains over the summer. O'Hara was named captain of the 2024 squad having provided a plethora of offense through her first three seasons in the Red & White. The Pittsford, N.Y., native appeared in 18 matches and made 16 starts last season. O'Hara led the Pios with 20 points last season and posted her third-consecutive eight-goal campaign. 
 
Budaj earns the captaincy after appearing in 16 games during her third season donning the Red & White. During the course of her career, she has tallied three assists and has logged over 1500 minutes of game action in 44 appearances for SHU.  
 
Triple Threat
Bovardi returns for her junior season in the Red & White having been named to the All-NEC First Team last season for her offensive prowess. The Boxford, Mass., native was placed second on the 2023 squad with 19 points including 8 goals. Bovardi ranked first among all sophomores in the NEC last season in points and nabbed a brace against both Boston College and Delaware State for the first time in her career. Her 39 points currently ranks fifth all-time in program history while her 17 career goals rank fourth. 
 
O'Hara returns to the Pios after another stellar offensive season, nabbing All-NEC Second Team honors with 20 points including eight goals. The Pittsford, N.Y., native played in 18 matches last season and hit the eight-goal plateau for the third-consecutive time in her career which saw her place in a tie for third in that department in the NEC last season. Her three game-winning goals were also the most of any Pioneer in 2023. O'Hara currently ranks second all-time in program history in points and goals, needing just four points to break the all-time career points record set by Paula Pineda who earned 62 points from 2000-2003. 
 
Kelleher makes her sophomore debut this season after a stellar rookie campaign in 2023, earning All-NEC Rookie Team honors. The Kingston, Mass., native played in every match last season for SHU and finished third on the squad with 14 points which placed her third in the conference among all first-year players. Kelleher scored her first collegiate goal in the 7-0 drumming of Delaware State and earned her first multi-goal game in the 3-0 win over LIU, ultimately finishing with six goals during the 2023 campaign. 
 
Pios in the Polls
The Pioneer women's soccer team has been picked fifth in the 2024 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Women's Soccer Preseason Poll. The Pios grab the fifth-place nod, alongside Rider University, after posting three-consecutive postseason berths in the Northeast Conference (NEC) including finishing as the NEC Tournament Runners-Up in 2022. 
 
The Red & White are slotted in the top half of this season's poll along with fellow in-state foes Quinnipiac and Fairfield, with the former grabbing 10 first place votes and picked to finish as regular season champions after winning the MAAC Postseason last year. The Stags, whom the Pioneers took to a 3-3 draw in a meeting last season, racked up one first place vote and were picked to finish in second.