SEASIDE, Calif. — After finishing the preseason with a 1–0 friendly victory over UC Merced, the Cal State Monterey Bay women's soccer team is ready to open the 2014 season in earnest when it hosts Notre Dame de Namur Thursday (Sept. 4) at the Otter Sports Complex. Kickoff is scheduled for 3 p.m.

CSUMB is coming off a 6–10–2 campaign in 2013 while NDNU was 6–11–1 last season.

Youth will be served for the Otters this season with 10 freshman among the 11 newcomers on the roster. Nevertheless, Head Coach Erin Reinke (@Erin_Reinke) will rely heavily on a solid core of returns to lead the way early.



Senior goalkeeper Lily Garza (Redwood City/CC of SF) returns from a sensational junior campaign in which she set Otter records for goals against average (0.69) and save percentage (.830). At the other end of the pitch, Jami Murray (Newbury Park/CC of SF) tied Alyssa Matheson's 5–year–old school record with seven goals. Her 14 points in 2013 rank No. 3 on the Otter single season list.

NDNU holds a 5–2–0 lead in the all–time series, including wins in the last two games, both played in Belmont. The Otters will be looking for their first win over the Argonauts since posting a 2–0 victory at the Otter Sports Complex on  Sept. 8, 2009. NDNU earned a 2–1 victory in the opener for both teams last season. Murray scored for the Otters. Adriana Cortez had a brace for NDNU.

After battling the Argonauts, the Otters will host Central Washington University Saturday (Sept. 6) at 2 p.m. Both games this week will be the second game of men's/women's doubleheader action. The Otter men play NDNU Thursday at 12:30 p.m. and Northwest Nazarene University Saturday at 11 a.m.