HIGHLANDERS HOST HOWARD ON FRIDAY IN 2012 SEASON OPENER

NOW PLAYING: 2012 Women's Soccer season preview

RADFORD, Va. -- Radford women's soccer kicks off the 2012 season at home on Friday at 7:00 pm when it hosts Howard on the pitch of Patrick D. Cupp Memorial Stadium.

Coming off a 2011 Big South Championship, Radford returns 10 starters to a squad that tied for the league's regular season title the past two seasons and finished 2011 with a conference-record eight wins (8-2) and a 15-6-1 overall mark.

In addition, Ben Sohrabi's Highlanders return their top-three goal scorers and distributors to an offense that saw 19 different players record a goal or an assist, while the entire defensive unit reunites after posting 12 clean sheets and a 0.94 goals against average.

Leading the charge offensively is the junior duo of Sahar Aflaki and Julie Ruh'e. Aflaki, the 2011 Big South Tournament MVP, enjoyed a late season offensive surge when she was inserted into the starting lineup with seven games left in the season. She scored eight of her team-best nine goals during a five-game span, including a hat trick in the Big South tournament semifinal against Liberty. Ruh'e continued to score and distribute during her sophomore campaign adding seven goals and five assists, complimenting her seven-goal, six-assist rookie year.

Joining this duo will be local standout Mary Wiley of Radford and junior defender Sydney Golden. Wiley, who will be entering her senior season, tallied four goals and three helpers in 2011. Along with being part of the stingy Highlander defense, Golden dished out a team-best seven assists last season.

On the defensive side of the field it's another duo of juniors that lead a veteran backfield. The last two Big South Defensive Players of the Year, defender Tyler Drake (2011) and goalkeeper Che' Brown (2010), anchor a unit that has posted 22 shutouts and 0.79 GAA the past two seasons.

Joining the experienced group of veterans will be a group of 11 talented freshmen, eight of whom are from Virginia.

Radford hits the road for its next contest on Sunday, Aug. 19 at 2:00 pm against Virginia.

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