Boston College
Jacksonville University
The New Era of Women’s Soccer Kicks Off Against Jacksonville
August 14, 2024 | Women's Soccer
BC will face Jacksonville in Thursday afternoon’s season-opener.
CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. - The Boston College women's soccer team will open up the 2024 season on Thursday afternoon against Jacksonville University, kickoff is scheduled for 11 a.m.
The team returns to action on Sunday as they face Merrimack on Sunday with a 1:00 p.m. kickoff.
Both contests will stream on ACC Network Extra.
Game 1 | Boston College vs. Jacksonville University
Thursday, Aug. 15 | 11:00 a.m.
Newton Lacrosse & Soccer Field | Newton, Mass.
Game 2 | Boston College vs. Merrimack
Sunday, Aug. 18 | 1:00 p.m.
Newton Lacrosse & Soccer Field | Newton, Mass.
WHAT'S ON TAP . . .
- The Boston College women's soccer team opens up the 2024 season on Thursday, Aug. 18 against Jacksonville State.
- BC begins the 2024 season with a four-game homestand starting on Thursday.
A WIN ON THURSDAY WOULD . . .
- Give Boston College its first win of the season and second against Jacksonville.
- Move the Eagles to 10-1-0 in the last 11 season-openers.
- Give head coach Chris Watkins his first win at Boston College.
ABOUT BOSTON COLLEGE
- Boston College went 3-9-6 overall and 0-6-4 in ACC play during the 2023 season ... the Eagles were 2-4-3 at home and 1-5-3 on the road.
- BC returns four of its top five scorers from a season ago in Ella Richards, Aislin Streicek, Sophia Lowenberg and Bella Douglas.
- In goal Wiebke Willebrandt returns, she started in all 18 games last season - going 3-9-6 with a .722 save percentage, 1.78 goals against average, and three shutouts.
SERIES HISTORIES
- This is the second meeting between the Eagles and Jacksonville. The two sides met in 2014 with the Eagles taking home the victory.
- Sunday's bout against Merrimack will mark the first time the two sides have met.
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ABOUT HEAD COACH CHRIS WATKINS
- Entering his first season at the helm of the Eagles, Chris Watkins was named the program's sixth head coach on Dec. 12, 2023.
- Watkins arrived on the Heights after serving as the head coach at Gonzaga for seven seasons.
- Watkins helped the Zags to the 2023 West Coast Conference championship - the first conference title in the history of the program - en route to Gonzaga's first trip to the NCAA Tournament in nearly two decades.
- Prior to Gonzaga, Watkins served as an assistant coach at BYU for five seasons.
- He began his collegiate playing career at Drake, setting the school's single-season scoring record in 1988.
MEET THE CAPTAINS
- The Eagles are captained this season by graduate student Emily Sapienza, senior Sarai Costello and senior Wiebke Willebrandt.
- Costello played in 18 of 18 contests in 2023 while logging 90 minutes in all 18 contests.
- Sapienza, is a graduate student forward who started in all 18 contests, logging 1304 minutes this past season. She played the full 90 in five games while recording 26 shots with nine shots landing on goal. Sapienza finished the season with two assists that tied for second-best on the team.
- Willebrandt, a graduate student goalkeeper starting in all 18 games a season ago, posted three shutouts with a .857 save percentage. She made a career-high 14 saves against Pitt (Sept. 30), and also made at least seven saves in four games. Willebrandt opened the season with a shoutout for the third consecutive season.
