CANYON, Texas – The No. 10 Lady Buffs of West Texas A&M opens the 2019 season on Thursday, Sept. 5, on the road against CSU-Pueblo at Rawlings Sports Complex in Pueblo, Colo. 
 
The defending South Central Region Champions open the season in Colorado for the fourth time in program history and third time in six years. 
 
A LOOK AT THE LADY BUFFS
Head coach Chad Webb enters his 10th season in charge of the women's soccer program at West Texas A&M. The former Buff standout returns eight starters from last year's team that went 15-4-3 including a program-best 14-game unbeaten streak. 
 
All-American Hannah Kelley-Lusk leads the attack f or West Texas A&M as the junior scored nine goals and six assists for a team-high 24 points in 2018. The Farmington, N.M. native heads into her junior season with high expectations as she was named the Lone Star Conference Preseason Offensive Player of the Year. Calista Cordero join Kelley-Lusk in attack along with Khaline Jacob and Hannah Duffy. Cordero has appeared in 45 games during her career scoring six goals with two assists. Jacob scored a team-high 11 goals in 2018, 1o of those coming in the first 10 games. 
 
The midfield will be patrolled by seniors Mackenzie Taylor and Marlene van Mourik and sophomore Jessica Diaz. Taylor is on pace to finish as the program leader in minutes played as the Grapevine, Texas is 72 minutes away from becoming the eighth Lady Buff to register more than 5,000 minutes. van Mourik ranks seventh in program history in shots (134) and 10th in assists (13).
 
Reigning LSC Defensive Player of the Year, Cheyenne Orozco anchors a defense that will play in front of new goalkeeper this season. The junior centre back has been a staple in the back for the Lady Buffs having started in all 45 minutes. Samantha Silvestre is back for her senior season at left back while Maliyah Mendoza will look to build on an impressive freshman season where she scored three goals including a brace in a 2-1 win over Angelo State to clinch the LSC title. 
 
The trio of Natasha Worm, Daniela Estrada and Marissa Hernandez are faced with replacing all-conference goalkeeper Courtney Dippel. Worm and Hernandez are both freshman while Estrada comes to Canyon after three seasons at Georgia Southern. 
 
CSU-PUEBLO
Sierra Cardenas enters her third season at the helm of the CSU-Pueblo women's soccer program where she has accumulated a record of 19-14-4.
 
The ThunderWolves were picked to finish seventh in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll as they look to replace their top four goal scorers from a season ago.
 
CSUP does return senior goalkeeper Rylie Martin, who appeared in 17 matches last season including 15 starts. The Colorado Springs, Colo. native recorded three shutouts with one of those coming against the Lady Buffs. She ranked fifth in the RMAC in saves (72) and 10th in save percentage (.783) in 2018. 
 
THE SERIES
Entering Thursday's contest, the all-time series between the two schools is tied at 5-5-1 including 2-2-1 in games played in Pueblo, Colo. Prior to dropping a 2-0 decision to the ThunderWolves last season, the Lady Buffs had won five straight in the series from 2001-2007. 
 
LAST TIME AGAINST THE THUNDERWOLVES
The Lady Buffs and ThunderWolves opened the 2018 season in Canyon where CSUP walked away with a 2-0 victory thanks to a pair of goals in a two-minute period.
 
West Texas A&M outshot the ThunderWolves 13-6 including 9-5 in the second half but were undone by goals from Michelle Moure and Laikyn Koss. 
 
NEW FACE IN GOAL
For the first time in four years, Courtney Dippel will not be in goal for the Lady Buffs when they take the field on Thursday afternoon. The multi-time all-conference performer appeared in 77 games during her four-year career where she made a program record 361 saves including 104 as a senior.
 
MS. RELIABLE
Mackenzie Taylor enters her final season in Maroon & White with a chance to become the program's all-time leader in minutes played. If she stays healthy, the two-time Lone Star Conference Champion has a strong chance of passing Lindsay McHorse's record of 6,551. 
 
10 WINS AWAY FROM THE CENTURY MARK
WT head coach Chad Webb enters his 10th season in charge of the women's soccer program at WT 10 wins shy of 100 career victories. The former Buff standout has led the Lady Buffs to 10-plus wins in four consecutive seasons including consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament.  
 
STARTING OFF ON THE RIGHT FOOT
During Webb's tenure as head coach, the Lady Buffs are 3-5-1 in season openers including 0-2 in games played in Colorado. West Texas A&M last won a season opener on the road back in 2011 with a convincing 7-0 victory over UT Permian Basin in Odessa. 
 
LSC PRESEASON POLL
The Lady Buffs were picked to finish first in the Lone Star Conference Women's Soccer Preseason Poll for the second straight year receiving 18 first-place votes. Newcomers Dallas Baptist were picked second followed by St. Edward's in third, Angelo in fourth and Texas A&M-Commerce in fifth. 
 
Kelley-Lusk was named the Preseason Offensive Player of the Year with DBU's Maggie Scales and SEU's Annabel Sweeney were named the defensive and goalkeeper of the year respectively. 
 
UNITED SOCCER COACHES PRESEASON TOP 25
West Texas A&M enters the 2019 season ranked 10th in the United Soccer Coaches Preseason Top 25 released on Aug. 7. The Lady Buffs are one of four schools from the South Central Region represented in the poll including conference rival Dallas Baptist (17th). 
 
UP NEXT
WT finishes its Colorado Road Trip with a showdown against No. 24 UC-Colorado Springs on Sunday, Sept. 7. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. CT.