SDSU soccer readies for tune-up at UMKC

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The South Dakota State women's soccer squad kicks off its 2019 campaign with a road exhibition Saturday, traveling to Kansas City to face the UMKC Kangaroos. The match is set for 5 p.m. at Durwood Stadium.

The exhibition contest concludes two weeks of preseason camp for the Jackrabbits, who are coming off a 12-6-1 season that saw the team claim its second consecutive Summit League regular-season crown. SDSU returns seven starters and 17 letterwinners, including two-time Summit League Goalkeeper of the Year Maggie Smither.

Smither and Leah Manuleleua were named as Players to Watch by the league earlier this week and are part of a six-member senior class tasked with leading the 2019 squad.

SDSU was picked second in the preseason poll and will host the 2019 Summit League Championship in November.

South Dakota State's top five scorers from 2018 return, including Manuleleua (14 points) and Karlee Manding (12 points), who each had five goals. Team captain Carina McLennan added five assists and a pair of goals, while Marisa Schulz and Abigail Kastens both found the net three times.

Defensively, Kaitlin Zabel carries the most experience for a back line that surrendered only 11 goals last season, as the junior has started 32 consecutive games for SDSU.

UMKC was 16-5 a year ago, finishing 7-1 in the WAC. The Kangaroos saw Rylan Childers (midfielder) and Abbey Small (defender) selected as the league's preseason offensive and defensive players of the year, respectively, and welcome eight starters back for 2019.

UMKC will rejoin the Summit League next season.