Michigan
Washington
First Touch #1: U-M to Open 2017 Hosting Washington, Idaho State
8/15/2017 3:44:00 PM | Women's Soccer
» Women's soccer will be the first team at Michigan to open 2017-18 competition, hosting Washington (Friday, Aug. 18) and Idaho State (Sunday, Aug. 20) at U-M Soccer Stadium.
» Reilly Martin, Ani Sarkisian and Taylor Timko were named to the Big Ten Preseason Honors List.
» Michigan returns seven key starters from the 2016 season, while its 11-person freshman class is the No. 6 recruiting class in the nation.
THIS WEEK
 Friday, Aug. 18 -- vs. Washington (U-M Soccer Stadium), 8 p.m.
 Tickets | Live Stats
 Sunday, Aug. 20 -- vs. Idaho State (U-M Soccer Stadium), 2 p.m.
 Tickets | Live Stats
• Social Media: Facebook | Twitter
• Game Day Information: U-M Soccer Stadium Information | Ticket Information
PROMOTIONS
• Washington: Glow Night, Blue LED Sticks Giveaway (first 500 fans) [ more promotions ]
• Idaho State: Kids Go Blue Club Day, BCBSM Postgame Penalty Kicks, Postgame Autographs, Michigan Tambourine Giveaway (first 500 fans) [ more promotions ]
Under the direction of 10th-year head coach Greg Ryan, the University of Michigan women's soccer team (0-0) will be the first U-M sport to begin 2017-18 athletic competition, kicking off its 24th season as a varsity program with a pair of matches this weekend. The Wolverines will take on Washington on Friday (Aug. 18) at 8 p.m. and Idaho State on Sunday (Aug. 20) at 2 p.m., with both matches being played at U-M Soccer Stadium.
Individual and group tickets are still available for the entire 2017 season. To purchase tickets or learn more about women's soccer tickets, visit the women's soccer ticket page.
WOLVERINE BITES
• Michigan has not lost a home opener in the last five seasons, going 4-0-1 in those games.
• The Big Ten released its annual preseason coaches' poll on Monday (Aug. 14), and Michigan was picked to finish fourth behind Penn State, Northwestern and Rutgers, respectively. Additionally, Reilly Martin, Ani Sarkisian and Taylor Timko were named to the Big Ten Preseason Honors List. It marked the second straight season on the list for Martin and Sarkisian. Martin and Sarkisian were both named to the All-Big Ten second team following the 2016 season. [ Release ]
• Fifth-year senior Ani Sarkisian and senior Alyssa Dillon are leading Michigan as team captains for the 2017 season, marking the second consecutive season as captain for Sarkisian and the first for Dillon. Both captains were appointed by their coaches and teammates in February and have led the Wolverines through their spring season, summer training and 2017 preseason.
• Michigan's 29-person roster consists of seven seniors, five juniors, six sophomores and 11 freshmen -- grouped by athletic eligibility. The Wolverines returned 15 letterwinners from the 2016 season, including seven that started double-digit games -- Ani Sarkisian (20GP, 20GS), Reilly Martin (20GP, 19GS), Sarah Jackson (18GP, 18GS), Abby Kastroll (19GP, 19GS), Jada Dayne (19GP, 19GS), Jackie White (18GP, 13GS), and Rubina Veerakone (18GP, 12GS).
• Two Wolverines returned to the field in 2017 after missing the 2016 season. Timko is back in the lineup after missing the entire 2016 season with a knee injury. She tied for the team lead in points in 2015, with seven goals and three assists. Junior/sophomore Sura Yekka was absent last season as she trained with the Canadian U-20 Women's National Team in preparation for the 2016 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup. Both players would have likely started at outside back in 2016, and will be key pieces of Michigan's defense this season.
• Michigan's 11-person freshman class is ranked No. 6 in the nation, with four players ranked in the top-60 individually, according to TopDrawerSoccer. Hillary Beall is ranked the No. 1 goalkeeper and the No. 9 player overall in the class of 2017, while Alia Martin (No. 36), Sarah Stratigakis (No. 47) and Nicki Hernandez (No. 59) are also ranked in the top 60.
• Michigan returned 68 percent (23-of-34) of its goal scoring and 81 percent (26-of-32) of its assist production from last season. U-M's biggest loss is Nicky Waldeck, who recorded nine goals and three assists in 2016. Three Wolverines who posted double-digit points are back in the lineup -- Martin (7g, 10a), Sarkisian (6g, 5a) and Kastroll (5g, 4a). Martin's 10 assists were tied for first in the Big Ten.
• Sarkisian is tied for fifth all-time at Michigan with 20 career assists. Amber Berendowsky (1996-99) holds the record with 33. Sarkisian would need three assists to take over fourth place from former teammate Corinne Harris (2012-15). Her 12 assists during the 2014 season rank fifth all-time in Michigan's single-season records, while Martin's 10 assists in 2016 rank tied for seventh.
• Michigan is coming off its fifth straight 10-win season, when it finished with an overall record of 10-5-5 and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2013. U-M had a 6-3-2 record in Big Ten play, finishing fourth in the conference, and advanced to the Big Ten Tournament semifinals for the second consecutive year. Michigan scored 34 goals during the 2016 season, for an average of 1.7 per game, while it gave up just 23 goals, an average of 1.15 per game.
• Michigan has two players on its roster who have recorded a hat trick during their Wolverine careers -- Sarkisian (Oct. 11, 2015 vs. Illinois) and Timko (Aug. 21, 2015 vs. Eastern Michigan). Timko poured in four goals in Michigan's exhibition match against Western Michigan on Aug. 11; however, those goals do not officially count toward her career goal statistics.
• Ryan has a 97-58-30 record through his first nine seasons at Michigan and is just three wins shy of hitting the 100-win mark.
• Ryan is one of six Big Ten head coaches with at least 10 years of coaching experience in the Big Ten -- Ryan (18th season) -- Michigan (2008-present) and Wisconsin (1986-1993), Tom Saxton, Michigan State (27th season), Lori Walker-Hock, Ohio State (21st season), Janet Rayfield, Illinois (16th season), Erica Walsh Dambach, Penn State (11th season), and Paula Wilkins (17th season) -- Wisconsin (2007-present) and Penn State (2001-06).
Breaking Down the Line Up
FORWARDS
Junior Reilly Martin, a 2016 All-Big Ten second team selection, led U-M with 24 points in 2016, on seven goals and 10 assists. Her 10 assists were tied for first in the Big Ten. She has posted nine goals and 15 assists through her first two seasons in Maize and Blue. Martin is three assists away from breaking into the all-time top-10 list for career assists at Michigan.
Junior Abby Kastroll finished fourth on the team in 2016 in points with 14, on five goals and four assists. One of the most hardworking and physical players on Michigan's roster, she has the ability to play up top or in the midfield.
Fifth-year senior co-captain Ani Sarkisian, a 2016 All-Big Ten second team member, was third on the team with 17 points in 2016, on six goals and five assists. She has started all 61 games in her Michigan career and would need 19 starts this season to break into the all-time top 10 for career starts at U-M. Sarkisian is tied for fifth all-time at Michigan with 20 career assists.
MIDFIELD
 Junior Jackie White, Michigan's 2016 Most Improved Player, played in 18 games with 13 starts and recorded one goal and two assists at holding midfield in 2016. She is great in possession and will help organize Michigan's young midfield this season.
Freshmen Sarah Stratigakis and Nicki Hernandez are likely to start in the midfield. Stratigakis has experience with the Canadian Senior Women's National Team and has also captained the U-17 and U-20 teams, while Hernandez has experience with the U.S. U-17 National Team. Both players are dynamic attacking midfielders that can create scoring opportunities for themselves and their teammates.
DEFENSE
Michigan has an extremely deep defensive unit with a great deal of talent and youth.
Sophomore Jada Dayne, Michigan's 2016 Rookie of the Year, started at center back in 19 games last season. She is an extremely quick defender with great ability in the air. Her lone goal in 2016 came off a header in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Senior Rubina Veerakone worked her way into a consistent starting role in 2016, playing in 18 games with 12 starts. She is a talented one-on-one defender at the outside back position and can also move up the outside to help distribute on the attacking end.
Sophomore Brooke Cilley worked her way into more consistent playing time in 2016, playing in 13 games with one start, as she rehabbed a knee injury that occurred during high school. She will likely play center back alongside Dayne or freshman Alia Martin and can also play in the central midfield if needed. Martin, the Gatorade Indiana Girls Soccer Player of the Year and a NSCAA High School All-American, is traditionally a center midfielder, but has been playing center back throughout preseason.
Junior/sophomore Sura Yekka is back in the lineup at outside back after missing the entire 2016 season while training with the Canadian U-20 Women's National Team in preparation for the 2016 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup. Yekka played in all 21 games with 12 starts as a freshman in 2015. She is a quick one-on-one defender and can also push up on the outside to help distribute for the attacking players.
Senior/junior Taylor Timko returns to the starting lineup after missing the 2016 season with a knee injury. Playing outside back, Timko was Michigan's leading offensive producer in 2015 with seven goals and three assists. She combined to score five goals in Michigan's two exhibitions matches last week. While she will primarily play outside back, Michigan's talent and depth could allow her to push up as an outside midfielder.
GOALKEEPERS
Michigan has one of the most talented goalkeeping units in the country with four quality goalkeepers. Each of them possess different strengths and styles that could benefit Michigan when playing different opponents.
Senior Sarah Jackson was U-M's go-to starter in 2016, starting 18 games and recording a goals against average of 1.01 and six shutouts.
Fellow senior Megan Hinz also has valuable experience as a starter, as she started 19 games during the 2015 season and posted six shutouts.
Freshman Hillary Beall is the No. 1 goalkeeper in the Class of 2017, according to TopDrawerSoccer and will challenge for that top spot as well.
OPPONENT PREVIEWS
Scouting Washington
Head coach Lesle Gallimore, who is in her 24th year at the helm of the program, leads a Huskies team that went 7-12-1 a year ago. The Huskies missed out on the NCAA Tournament in 2016 after qualifying in two straight seasons (2014 and 2015) and 14 total times under Gallimore. Washington returned two of its top three scorers, which include Shannon Simon (7 goals) and Kimberly Keever (4 goals). Sarah Shimer, who was UW's primary goalkeeper in 2016, is back in net. Shimer started 12 games last season, recording a goals against average of 1.45 and three shutouts.
Series vs. Washington: Washington has won all three meetings between the two teams in program history. Michigan made a trip to Seattle to face Washington in 2015, narrowly losing the match, 1-0, on a diving header in the 89th minute.
Scouting Idaho State
Under 11th-year head coach Allison Gibson, Idaho State is coming off a 7-13-0 season in 2016, when the Bengals finished eighth in the Big Sky Conference with a 4-6-0 mark. ISU returned eight starters from a year ago, including Michaela Didericksen, who had a team-best seven goals and added one assist. Goalkeeper Shawna Hennings, who posted three shutouts and a goals against average of 1.88 in 2016, returns to lead Idaho State's three-person goalie squad. ISU will play at Chicago State on Friday, Aug. 18, prior to coming to Ann Arbor for Sunday's (Aug. 20) matchup.
Series vs. Idaho State: Michigan and Idaho State will face off for the first time in the history of the two programs. Â
TWEET OF THE WEEK
Shoutout to Reilly, Ani and Taylor for being named to the @bigten
— Michigan Soccer (@umichwsoccer) August 14, 2017
Preseason Honors List!
READ >> https://t.co/pvOp4LqXuW#GoBlue pic.twitter.com/slBi6kmxgR
UP NEXT
 Friday, Aug. 25 -- at Ole Miss (Oxford, Miss.), 7 p.m. CDT
 Sunday, Aug. 27 -- vs. Toledo (U-M Soccer Stadium), 8 p.m.
