Broncho Soccer Begins 20th Season Friday

8/31/2017 12:57:00 PM | By: Chris Brannick

Central Oklahoma sophomore Asha Haile and the Bronchos open the 2017 season Friday in Commerce, Texas against Angelo State. [UCO Photo Services]

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COMMERCE, Texas – The University of Central Oklahoma soccer team is set to open the 2017 season with a pair of games at Texas A&M-Commerce. The Bronchos will play Angelo State Friday at 5 p.m. before squaring off with Commerce on Sunday at 1:30 p.m.

"We're ready to get the season started," UCO head coach Mike Cook said. "We had a good preseason, and we know we can still get better, so we are ready to get this thing going and see what we look like in a real game."

Cook enters his 20th season as head coach of the Bronchos. He started the program in 1998 and has accumulated 280 wins since. Cook has also led the Bronchos to the NCAA tournament 11 times.

Cook takes a veteran lineup to Texas and into the new season. Though there is only one senior on the team – returning All-MIAA selection Mikayla Lowery – there are 12 juniors on the roster with a bevy of experience.

"With Mikayla, you know what you're going to get," Cook said. "She is truly an outstanding young lady and happens to be really good at soccer. For the juniors, it's time for them to step up and be leaders. They've played a lot of minutes over the past two seasons and it's time for them to really step up."

The junior class – which has a combined 345 games played – begins with forward Katie Killion. The Broken Arrow, Okla. native won MIAA Freshman of the Year honors in 2015 and is a two-time First Team all-league selection. Killion has scored 22 career goals, leading the Bronchos in each of the past two seasons.

Along with Killion, Camrie Hurst, Caitlin Moore, Casey Herndon, and Morgan Cherry have each played over 40 games. Hurst has six career goals scored, while Moore and Cherry each have five. Kentia Kokis, another junior, returns after missing last year. She scored eight goals as a freshman in 2015.

The sophomores on Cook's roster aren't shy of experience either. There are seven of them and Kelsey Gordon leads the way. The center-back was one of the best in the league as a true freshman and is looking to improve on that performance. Another sophomore, Asha Haile is a speedy forward with great ball-handling skills. She was a leading scorer for the Bronchos at different times last year before finishing second on the team with six goals.

The freshman might be called upon too this weekend. Cook has never been shy about putting them into the game and looking to them to do some of the heavy lifting.

Central Oklahoma will be on the road next week with a Thursday contest at Southwestern slated for 4 p.m. UCO then opens the home slate of the 2017 schedule at Tom Thompson Soccer Field Saturday, Sept. 9 at 1 p.m. against Oklahoma Christian.

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