MORRIS, Minn. – Today the women's soccer team begins the 2015 season when they take on Saint Ben's at 5 p.m. The Cougars begin the season with four road matches before coming home on September 15 to face Martin Luther.
 
The matchup with the Blazers is first of three straight vs MIAC opponents. This weekend UMM will play Hamline and Augsburg on back-to-back days.
 
Minnesota Morris returns All-UMAC players Emma LaChance, Molly Hancuh and Tori Jordan. The team has ten players back from a team that fell in extra-time in the 2014 UMAC Championship. Seven newcomers enter the fold and Sydney McAdam is back after a year out.
 
Last season the key for the Cougars was their defense, allowing just 12 goals in 21 matches. The team had 14 shutouts, eight by returning All-Region keeper Torri Jordan. She allowed just .67 goals per game and had 52 saves while allowing just nine goals in 13 matches.
 
The story could be what is in front of Jordan. Morris did lose a group of players that controlled the ball and turned the opponent offense away.
 
The top two scorers, LaChance and Hancuh, are also back. Together they combined for 56 of the Cougars 140 points last year. Morris will have to replace a core of players but over half their scoring is back.