Starting 2023 With Air Force

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - UNF women's soccer opens its 28th season in program history with Air Force Thursday, August 17 at home. It'll be the second meeting between these two teams and the first since an overtime bout in 2019.

MATCH DETAILS
Who: UNF vs. Air Force
What: Season and home opener
When: Thursday, Aug. 17 at 7 p.m.
Where: Hodges Stadium
Live Stats: unfospreys.com
Watch: ESPN+

MATCH NOTES
Series History

This is the second all-time meeting between the two teams after UNF and Air Force clashed in a wild overtime affair in 2019
The Falcons took that inaugural meeting, 3-2, getting a golden goal in the first overtime
UNF took a 2-0 lead with two scores in the first frame, with Thais Reiss and Leah Ferlin tallying one score apiece
Air Force scored in the 75th and 87th minute to force overtime
The game was not only an overtime thriller but featured some humid and rainy conditions.

Last Time Out
UNF concluded the 2022 season with a 3-3-4 mark in ASUN play, reaching the first round of ASUN Postseason play before coming up short in a defensive struggle at FGCU, 1-0.

Preseason Honors

North Florida was tabbed third in the ASUN Preseason Coaches Poll
Sofia Miliancano, Allyna Thurston and Zara Siassi all made the Preseason All-ASUN Team
Miliancano put the league on notice with her play last year and was named ASUN Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year
Thurston was named to the United Soccer Coaches Defenders to Watch List

Scouting Report

Air Force went 7-7-4 last year in head coach Laura Busby's inaugural season with Air Force
The Falcons will stay in Florida to take on another ASUN team in Stetson before departing
Freshman forward Caeli Sherman was tabbed to the Mountain West All-Newcomer Team a year ago
The Falcons scored 15 goals and permitted 20, taking 10 more shots than its foes a year ago
Sherman paced the team with four goals, with sophomore Jenna Rubidoux finishing just behind her with three
Keeper Sydney Davis tended goal for 13 games as a junior last season
Head coach Laura Busby was previously the head coach at Jacksonville.

Season Openers

UNF is 4-0 in season openers under head coach Eric Faulconer
Last year the Ospreys got a goal from Jersi Dadah to top Middle Tennessee State at home
The Ospreys have opened the year at home twice in Faulconer's tenure as head coach
UNF's last loss in the season opener was in 2018.

Non-Conference - Looking Ahead

UNF's 19-match slate features some very interesting opponents in non-conference play, including a match against 2022 NCAA DI semifinalist, Florida State
UNF hosts the Noles, ECU, UW Green Bay and Troy in addition to Air Force
The Ospreys play road non-conference matches at Georgia Southern, UCF and Mercer before opening ASUN play at home Sept. 14 against FGCU.

Taking Inventory

The Ospreys return a veteran team that features 25 returners
19 of the 38 Ospreys are underclassmen, with 20 being upperclassmen
UNF returns 88 percent of its scoring from last year while goalkeeper Sofia Miliancano brings back 12 matches of experience from a season ago
UNF's stingy defense in 2022 brings in a stretch of allowing just one goal from Oct. 9 through Oct. 27.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Jersi Dadah

Sofia Miliancano

Zara Siassi

Allyna Thurston

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