Women's Soccer | 8/12/2025 2:47:00 PM

LOCK HAVEN, Pa. - The Bloomsburg women's soccer team looks ahead to the 2025 campaign with a preseason ranking of fourth in the PSAC Preseason Poll unveiled Tuesday afternoon. The poll is voted on by the conferences' coaches.

The Huskies are coming off a 9-5-5 season in 2024 with a fourth-place finish in a highly-competitive PSAC East at 7-4-5. The appearance in the PSAC Championships continued a run of nine consecutive for head coach Matt Haney

At the top of the East sits Shepherd with seven first-place votes after the program's best season in history. The Rams earned their first PSAC Championship and Atlantic Region crown in 2024. West Chester and Kutztown hold the No. 2 and No. 3 positions in the poll, each claiming a first-place selection. Behind Bloomsburg in the preseason rankings include East Stroudsburg (No. 5), Millersville (No. 6) and Shippensburg (No. 7). Lock Haven and Mansfield wrap up the poll in eighth and ninth, respectively.

In the West, the Gannon Golden Knights lead the way with seven first-place votes after winning the West a season ago. Slippery Rock claims the second spot and is the lone other team to receive a nod for the top spot. IUP, Seton Hill and Pitt-Johnstown occupy the No. 3 through No. 5 spots in the preseason rankings while California (Pa.), Edinboro and Clarion round out the poll in sixth through eighth.

KEY RETURNERS
The anchor for Bloomsburg will be senior goalkeeper Samantha Merklin (Effort, Pa./Pleasant Valley) in net. In her first season with the Huskies, Merklin proved in herself as one of the best goalies in the conference, region and nation. Merklin was a first-team D2CCA All-Region selection and a third-team United Soccer Coaches All-Region choice while also picking up first-team All-PSAC East honors. Statistically, the senior shot-stopper was elite, recording a .684 goals against average on a .882 save percentage. Merklin was the only goalkeeper in Division II last season to average at least five saves per contest with a save percentage eclipsing .880.

A key to Bloomsburg's continued team philosophy will be a strong defensive backbone and the team has the pieces in place to do the same. Along the backline, the Huskies return three of its four starters in Lindsey Bull (Bloomsburg, Pa./Central Columbia), Brooke Coco (Blackwood, N.J./Paul VI) and Makayla Lear (Orangeville, Pa./Benton Area). The trio combined for 48 games played with 45 starts and the chemistry among the three juniors will be key.

The Huskies will have support in the midfield among a quartet of returners, including Laci Bell (Baltimore, Md./Sparrows Point), Anna Dalesandro (Robesonia, Pa./Conrad Weiser), Sydney Donovan (Middletown, Del./Appoquinimink) and Olivia Thompson (Pottstown, Pa./Owen J. Roberts) who bring a mix of experience and goal contributions. Up front, Alexa Arrigale (Blackwood, N.J./Highland Regional) and Anika Krasnai (Lancaster, Pa./Manheim Township) will look to build upon flashes from moments at the spear of the attack to help Bloomsburg in its 2024 efforts.

SCHEDULE NOTES
The Bloomsburg women's soccer team plays an 18-game schedule in 2025 with an even split of nine home and road contests

The Huskies' season begins with the non-conference slate and season opener on Thursday, September 4, at Queens College. The first home game at a newly refurbished Steph Pettit Stadium for Bloomsburg will be on Saturday, November 6 against NCAA Tournament qualifiers West Virginia State.

The first month of conference play opens on Wednesday, September 10 against Mansfield. The team is on back-to-back road trips in its next stretch, heading to Millersville on Saturday, September 13 before a match at Shippensburg on Wednesday, September 17. The Huskies return home Saturday, September 20 to take on West Chester before heading back on the road for a short ride on Wednesday, September 24 to take on East Stroudsburg. Bloomsburg wraps up the month at home against defending PSAC Champions Shepherd on Saturday, September 27.

October begins on the opening day of the month with a home matchup against Lock Haven. On Saturday October 4, the Huskies are on the road to take on Kutztown to wrap up the first half of the conference slate. The second half begins with consecutive road games against Shippensburg (10/8) and Millersville (10/11). The matchup against the Marauders at Steph Pettit Stadium will be senior day. Bloomsburg goes on to face off against Mansfield on Wednesday, October 15, getting a break before returning to the pitch to take on East Stroudsburg on Wednesday, October 22 at home. October concludes with a road trip to West Chester (10/25) and a home match against Kutztown (10/29). 

The Huskies final two games of the season are on the road. Bloomsburg heads to West Virginia to take on Shepherd on Saturday, November 1 prior to taking on Lock Haven on Wednesday, November 4 in the regular-season finale. 

The first round of the PSAC Tournament is set for Saturday, November 8. The semifinals and finals will be hosted by the highest remaining seed in the East on Friday, November 14 and Sunday, November 16.

FOLLOW ALONG
All Husky home games will be streamed on the Bloomsburg Digital Network in partnership with Bloomsburg University Sports Network (BUSN) and Blue Frame on the PSAC Sports Digital Network. Live stats will be provided through SIDEARM Sports and NCAA Live Stats.