Women's soccer looks for continued improvement under Latifi

BETHANY, W.Va. (Aug. 23) - A new era will commence for the Bethany College women's soccer program in 2018, as Head Coach Afrim Latifi will embark on his first season following successful stops as a college assistant and high school coach.

Latifi spent the past two seasons as an assistant coach at Gannon University, a NCAA Division II program in Erie, Pennsylvania. Prior to his tenure at Gannon, Latifi spent three seasons as the head girls' soccer coach at Villa Maria Academy in Erie, Pennsylvania where he coached the team to the 2015 Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) Class AA State Championship.

Latifi will inherit a Bethany roster that will welcome back each of its top-four scorers from a season ago and will enter the season tied for seventh on the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) Preseason Coaches Poll.

On offense Latifi will return sophomore forward Riley Meyers (Dubois, Pa./DuBois Central Catholic) and senior midfielder Lexie Metz (Frostburg, Md./Mountain Ridge). Meyers was an All-PAC Second Team honoree and posted a team-leading seven goals (14 points) during her rookie campaign. Meanwhile, Metz was the team's second-leading scorer with five goals, including two game-winning markers. Metz notably scored the game-winning goal in the team's 1-0 win over eventual-league champion Thomas More last season.

In addition to Meyers and Metz, the team is also set to return both junior Rebecca Lee (Huntington, W.Va./St. Joseph) and sophomore Gabby Capaldi (Steubenville, Ohio/Catholic Central) who started all 19 games last season. Senior Lindsey Cornish (McKeesport, Pa./South Allegheny) started 18 games on defense a year ago and also figures to play a prominent role on the team.

At goalkeeper, incoming freshman Alex Moore (Portland, Ore./Glencoe) will get the first chance to replace Anna Riddle, who graduated this past spring. Moore prepped at Glencoe High School near Portland where she helped the Crimson Tide go 14-3-1 and make an appearance in the Oregon 6A State Semifinals this past season. 

Latifi is also looking for immediate contributions from his other incoming freshmen, including Grace Chambers (Uniontown, Pa./Laurel Highlands), Lauren Hilliard (Wellsville, Ohio/Beaver Local), Allison Paxton (Canonsburg, Pa./Canon McMillan), Emily Vetri (Sparrows Point, Md./Sparrows Point) and Lexi Henry (Washington, Pa./Trinity).

The Bison have a pair of scrimmages scheduled against West Liberty and La Roche, before opening the regular-season on Friday, August 31 with a non-conference game at Bison Stadium against Pitt.-Greensburg at 7:30 p.m.