LOUDONVILLE, NY – Following a challenging match against a defending conference champion to begin the 2022 season, Siena Women's Soccer (0-1) will look for success at home for the first time this year. The Saints will kick off a nine-match home slate at Hickey Field by hosting Holy Cross (0-0-1) on Sunday, August 21 at 1 PM.
Sunday's contest will be broadcast live on Siena All-Access, and can be viewed at SienaSaints.com/Watch. Up-to-the-minute score updates will also be provided at @SienaWSoccer on Twitter.
With three of its first four matches of the year set to be played away from home, Siena dropped a 2-0 decision at four-time defending NEC Champion Central Connecticut State Thursday evening, with one Blue Devil goal coming of a penalty kick in the 12th minute, and an insurance score added one minute into the second half. Seven different Saints recorded a shot in the loss, while junior goalkeeper Angela Fini recorded seven saves in her collegiate debut in-between-the-pipes.
Venturing deeper into its 43rd varsity season, the Saints will look to shake off its season-opening woes by continuing what has been consistent success at home in recent memory. Under the direction of 24th year head coach Steve Karbowski, Siena has posted an impressive 82-30-16 home mark over the past 15 seasons, including a 38-11-4 record in non-conference home play. The Saints are 19-11-3 in home openers since 1990, and will look for its third straight victory to open a home campaign, after taking down Iona in a 6-0 in March 2021 and Earning a 2-0 win over Binghamton last fall. Siena's nine home matches will take place on Hickey Field this season, with the team holding a remarkable 10-1-3 record on the turf over the last two seasons.
The matchup with the Crusaders will continue a stretch of four matches in 11 days to begin non-conference play, with three of the Saints' first four matches of the season set to take place on the road. Siena will head to New Hampshire next Thursday for a primetime duel at 6 PM before visiting ACC foe Syracuse on Sunday, August 28 at 1 PM.
Siena and Holy Cross are set to meet for the second straight season and the 23rd time overall since 1990, with the Crusaders holding an 11-9-2 advantage in the head-to-head series. The Green and Gold have had the nod in the series most recently, with seven of the last eight meetings ending in either a win or tie in their favor, including a 2-1 victory in Worcester last fall which featured a goal from current Siena sophomore Rebecca Rolland. Holy Cross took a 3-0 victory during the teams' most recent bout in Loudonville, but the Saints have claimed two of the last three meetings at home against their Bay State foes.
Picked to finish ninth in the 2022 Patriot League Preseason Coaches' Poll, Holy Cross opened its season by playing MAAC foe Iona to a scoreless draw Thursday evening. The Crusaders held a 12-9 shots advantage and held possession for over half of the match, with five saves coming from sophomore goalkeeper Olivia Dublin. The visitors are looking to rebound off a 1-15-1 campaign in 2021, and open non-conference play with a trio of MAAC opponents in Iona, Siena, and Fairfield.
