The 2011-12 America East season officially kicks off Friday with five of the league's nine women's soccer teams in action, including reigning champion and preseason favorite Boston University.
The Terriers, won their fourth straight America East title and made their sixth straight NCAA appearance last year, will face crosstown-rival Boston College at 4 p.m. in Newton. The Eagles, who are ranked fourth in the nation, broke up the Terriers' shutout streak in the first round of the NCAA Tournament last year en route to a 2-1 win.
Boston U., which brings back eight starters back and 16 letterwinners from a squad that went unbeaten in America East play and shut out 13 straight opponents last season, will be led senior forward Jessica Luscinski, the league's reigning Striker of the Year. She ranked second in America East with 31 points on 12 goals and seven assists last year.
Also in action Friday will be Stony Brook, which finished second in the regular-season standings last year and is picked to repeat that performance in 2011. The Seawolves will travel to Loudonville, N.Y. for a date with Siena, last year's MAAC champion, at 2 p.m.
Senior forward Dominique Adamo, a first-team All-America East midfielder in 2011, who ranked sixth among league leaders with 17 points, will again carry the Seawolf attack, which returns 91 percent of its scoring output from last year.
Elsewhere Friday, UMBC will visit American at 4 p.m., while Binghamton will host SUNY-rival Buffalo at 6 p.m. and Hartford will face Old Dominion at 7 p.m.
The Retrievers, who return 15 players from last year's team including all-rookie goalkeeper Lauren Kadet, are looking for their second-straight win in a season opener. Binghamton, the 2009 runner-up, lost just one starter from last year's team and bring back five of six players who scored goals last year. Hartford, which has won a league-best 10 conference titles, are strong up front and in the back with first-team all-conference forward Amelia Periera and senior goalkeeper Lauren Brodeur, who posted a 1.13 goals-against average last year, both returning.
Vermont, which brings back 23 letterwinners from last year, opens its season Sunday at Colgate at 1 p.m. while Binghamont travels to Delaware State (1 p.m.), UMBC hosts Campbell (1 p.m.) and Boston U. hosts Northeastern (7 p.m.)