The University of Dayton women’s soccer team opens up the 2013 season with two exhibition games. The Flyers play at Michigan Friday and host Miami (Fla.) Sunday at Baujan Field.

Here is a position breakdown and look at the 2013 Flyers’ squad in Head Coach Mike Tucker’s words.

Goalkeepers
Jordin (Melchert) is coming back from an injury. We are not sure yet what part of the season when she will get back in. It won’t be in the beginning of the season.

Our most experienced returnee is Heather Betancourt. We were really happy to see her progress throughout the year and how that has carried over to the spring season. She has proved to us she can do a good job in net.

She will get challenged by the two freshmen. Bridget Bielski is excited coming in. She has some big-game experience at the club level. Bridget is very strong. Elizabeth James is coming off an injury and just getting cleared so it will take her a little bit of time. She is very talented. Elizabeth is 6-foot tall and that sets her apart. We’ve seen her for several years and she is a very good technical goalkeeper. Those two freshmen will push early and hard.

We feel good overall where we’re at for goalkeeper. We’d just like to have them all healthy.

Defenders
If we started right now, the way we ended the spring season, we have five players we feel very confident in. Our two center backs Meghan Scharer and Sarah Senoyuit have been solid throughout all last year and this past spring. Both of them have solidified the central defense for us. On the outside we have Alli Klinefelter as a returning starter. We are extremely confident with her and she is a big-time outside back, but she is fighting through some injuries right now.  Fortunately, we got a lot of good time from two of our younger players this spring, Jasmine Whitaker and Megan Herr. They’re both very capable of stepping in and playing at a high level right away.

As always, we brought some players in who are very talented and will challenge them. Sarah Byrne has played as a center back but we will probably look more at playing her on the outside in the back. She is fast, and really good in the air. Courtney Klosterman is more of a center back. She is tall and wonderful on set pieces. She is fast and strikes the ball well. Erin O’Malley will be a holding midfielder or center back. She is a very highly regarded player; she plays on a very competitive club team at a high level and performs well. She will find her way out on the field.

Kathleen Golterman is a utility player. We see her playing wide in the back but she is also capable of playing in the midfield, and really anywhere you need her. She is a solid, mistake-free type of player.

Midfielders
We are loaded at this position. We’ve got a few people who are more strictly wide players. We have to start off with Juliana Libertin. Jules is going to have a huge year. It’s not a breakout year because she has been very good the last three years, but we expect her to pick up some of the slack from Colleen Williams who scored a lot of goals during her time as a Flyer. Jules will either score or create opportunities. Steph Emery can play on the outside. She is as talented as anyone we have. She can score goals, create and finish.

Catherine Devitt, a freshman, is going to surprise some people. She has had ACL injuries the last two years and been inactive. For her, it is going to take time to get in, but I know the type of player she is and I can already see she can get back to her former playing days.

Meghan Blank is a crafty kid who can play wide or up top. She scores goals. She is an exciting player to watch. Alyson Smigel had a breakout this spring. During the fall she did not play much for us but she had a great spring season and has moved herself into the mix. Chelsea Rose is gritty, tough and quick. She is learning the midfield spot after playing mostly in the back. She will find a spot out there. She is one of those kids you like to have out on the field.

More in the middle of the field, Haley Keller had a good year last season and just kept getting better and better. She is one of our top players when she is on.

Ashley Campbell, whether she is in the midfield, up top or wide, she’s going to score. She is one of the most dangerous players on the field. Coming off her international experience (playing for Team Canada U-20 team), we expect her to come in very confident and ready to go. Nicole Waters, who we always thought she would be an incredible player, had a great year last year. This spring she took even more of a leadership position on the field. After her international experiences with team Canada, she is pumped and excited to have a good sophomore year.

 Libby Leedom is another kid who can score goals in any number of ways and she can set up people. She can be in the middle of the midfield or play up top. We expect her to contribute big time. Lesley Chilton had a really good spring for us. Lesley, as a returning player, we misplayed her in the back last year. She is definitely a midfielder. Whether it is inside or out, she is crafty and this spring she started using her physicality more for us. She is a solid player, and an important player for us.

Forwards
Steph Emery can play in the midfield or up top. Whether or not she is in the midfield (true with her, Libby Leedom and Ashley Campbell)…they will play a lot at both positions. They all can play both positions and be equally effective in either role.

Diarra Simmons is a freshman and is as athletic a kid of anyone we have. She has played in important international games and performed well. She will put some people on their heels.
Kelsey Smigel has proved in the past two years that she is capable of scoring goals. She has a gift for finishing.

Goals and Expectations
Our seniors have been here all summer. I know what their goals are and they line up with mine. We don’t like to be in second place. Our goal is to put ourselves right back in front. They are as dedicated of a group that I’ve seen in a long time. We’re not going to let them down. Not playing in the NCAA last year hurt. We left a couple of games sitting out there that we shouldn’t have. We will go out this year with a little more purpose and more resolve to get back to where we were.

Our style of play is not going to change much at all. We like to dictate the game, rather than adjust to it. The way we play causes a lot of issues for other teams. We’ve got the players that get the game, and understand the game and capable of taking on those roles.

We believe that we put the other team under pressure at all times. We get numbers forward. We pressure you if we lose it. We organize real well behind the ball. Typically for us we outshoot other teams. A lot of our focus is that we defend as a team as well.

We’ve had good opportunities with our staff in tact to go back and reflect on what we did well last year. We’re extremely prepared and ready for this season. We are very fired up for this season.