ORANGEBURG, S.C. – The SC State women's soccer team opens the 2015 season today against Southern University in the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Tournament in Edinburg, Tex. The match starts at 5 p.m. Eastern Time.
 
The Lady Bulldogs also play on Sunday in the UTRGV Tournament when they take on Incarnate Word at 12 p.m. Eastern Time. Live stats for both matches are available at www.sidearmstats.come.utrgv/wsoc.
 
SC State returns nine players from last season and welcomes nine newcomers for head coach Sandy Burris' third year guiding the team. Leading the returnees is sophomore forward Naydeen Cabalo, who earned College Sports Madness Independent second-team honors last season. She was second on the team with six points in 2014, and she totaled 16 shots, nine shots on goal and three goals.
 
Also returning for this season are seniors Rhea-Anne Currie (forward), Haley Austin (goal keeper), Alexis Godley (midfielder) and Katelyn Kern (goal keeper). Junior midfielder Justina Jarema, sophomore midfielders Valery Fernandez-Davila and Tierra Pullard and sophomore goalkeeper Mahogany Fisher are also back to build on what they did for the Lady Bulldogs last season.
 
Burris welcomes juniors Marissa Horton (forward/Agoura Hills, Calif.), Alexandra Kidd (defender/Whittier, Calif.) and Mary Pierce (forward/Beaverton, Ore.), sophomores Taylor Brittingham (goalkeeper/Kennesaw, Ga.) and Alexandria Trujillo (defender/Lakewood, Calif.) and freshmen Brandy Vaca (midfielder/Yorba Linda, Calif.), Cortney Welch (forward/Hinesville, Ga.) and Justine Zepeda (midfielder/Paramount, Calif.) to the squad for what hopes to be a successful year.