The 2015 OUA soccer season gets underway this weekend as the Windsor Lancers soccer program travels up the 401 to take on the Guelph Gryphons and Brock Badgers.   
 
The Lancer women's program is looking to continue their strong performance from 2014. The Lancers hosted a home playoff game after finishing the season with an 8-7-1 record to place fourth overall in the OUA West. A heartbreaking overtime loss to Ottawa in the first round has left the Lancers hungry for continued success in the regular and post seasons.
 
Windsor brings in a strong group of local recruits that will make an immediate impact on the field. Four members of the LaSalle Stompers join the Blue & Gold including defenders Keely Baggio, Jordan Carr, and Daniella Valente, and midfielder Paiten Stephens. 
 
Tecumseh's Brittany Gill from the Michigan Gators will join the Lancers in the backfield, while Kristin Melo of the Eastside Kickers will play midfield. Additional recruits include Toronto's Jenysis Gordon and transfer Lacey Marcoux from Notre Dame College in Ohio.  

In addition to these exciting recruits, the Lancer women will rely heavily on returning veterans Laura Lecce and Meg Roberts to anchor the back. With these key contributors, along with Giulia Barile, Cara Cirovski, and Tess Roberts in the mid field, and Krystin Lawrence in net, the Lancers will prove to be a difficult challenge to anyone in the league.

Meanwhile, after an intense training camp and pre-season, the Lancer men are excited to start what looks like a promising year. After posting an 8-7-1 record in 2014 the Lancers will look to improve on those numbers. 

With a strong incoming class led by recruits Noah Pio, Jamar Redhead, Leighton James Speechley-Price, and Marcus Diloreto, head coach Steve Hart believes they are capabable of improving on last year's fifth place finish.  


"We have some exciting talent on the roster this season," said Hart. "We performed extremely well in our recent pre-season road trip & game against Ciociaro, giving a very mature and organized performance, and I am confident we can have a successful year."
 
The key to the Lancers success this season will be the contribution of captain, and OUA all-star Jack Sargent, as the fourth year mid fielder brings a great deal of strength and leadership both on and off the field.  Along with Sargent, the Lancers will depend on fifth year forward Mike Pio and second year midfielder Chris Al-Youssef to help build the foundation of the team alongside fourth year forward Iyowuna Jumbo and defensemen Tony Falkenstajn and Akbal Gill.
 
The Lancers 2015 season kicks off on Saturday afternoon in Guelph as the women take on the Gryphons at 1:00pm, followed by the men at 3:15pm. They will then head to Brock to face the Badgers on Sunday.
 
Windsor will play their first set of home games on September 11th when they host the Waterloo Warriors at Alumni Field. The women will kick off at 6:00pm that night, followed by the men at 8:15pm.