CLAREMORE, Okla. – Rogers State women's soccer will get the 2023 season underway with a road trip to South Dakota on Friday, Sept. 1.
 
In his first season at the helm, head coach Chris Jones led the Hillcats to 5-7-6 record in 2022 and finished ninth in the MIAA. Jones inaugural campaign was hallmarked by a hard-nosed defense that played a bend, but don't break style and shutout opponents six times and only allowed more than two goals once. This year, the MIAA coaches picked RSU to again finish ninth in the standings with 40 points in the preseason poll.
 
The Hillcats return 20 players from last season and add 10 newcomers to the mix. The group of returners features two of the five All-MIAA selections from 2022. Vanessa Gonzalez and Sarah Ovalle combined for two goals and five points last season.
 
RSU will take on Sioux Falls in the 2023 season opener. The Cougars will be looking to bounce back from a rough 2022 campaign that saw them go 0-12-6. Though picked to finish 14th by the league's coaches in the preseason poll, USF returns two critical pieces to success in Sara Miller and Caroline Titze. Last year, Miller was named to the NSIC All-Conference team and started in 17 matches, totaling 1,068 minutes while scoring one goal. Titze started in nine matches as one of the Cougars top goaltenders in 2022, saving 69 shots and recording a .812 save percentage.
 
The Hillcats currently hold a 2-0 series record against USF with this being the first meeting in Sioux Falls. The two sides faced off last year in the friendly confines of Solider Field with RSU taking a 2-0 victory in the second match of the season. Maggie Brown found the back of the net just over five minutes into the game with Delana King scoring the second goal in the 46th minute.
 
Both teams will face off in Sioux Fall, S.D. on Friday Sept. 1. Kickoff is slated for 3 p.m.