8/28/26
 
SCRANTON, Pa. – Lackawanna College women's soccer will kick off the 2026-2027 campaign on Saturday, August 29^th, with a home-opening contest against future PSAC opponent Shippensburg University. The game is set for a 1:00pm ET start at Schautz Stadium in Dunmore, PA.
 
The Falcons
Lackawanna has played a pair of scrimmages, and Saturday's contest marks the start of their regular season. It's the first game for Lackawanna College against a PSAC opponent in any sport, and it marks the start of the second season under head coach Juan Almonte.
 
Hired in July 2025, Almonte cobbled together a roster and competed for ten games last season, sometimes competing with just nine student-athletes, but the Falcons program made great strides, and coach Almonte hit the recruiting trail hard to find young, talented players.
 
With only three returning players from last season, the Falcons have a lot of young, first-year players set to step into major roles in 2026. One of those young players is up front, Aislyn Fitzgerald (Langhorne, PA), who coach Almonte feels can have an immediate impact on how the Falcons attack. Fitzgerald is a first-year player who starred at Neshaminy HS, making the District 1 Class 4A quarterfinals and ran hurdles for Neshaminy in her time there.
 
In the midfield, Darexy Monroy (Pleasantville, NJ) can provide immediate offensive bite, while controlling the middle of the park. Monroy had 103 goals and 45 assists in her high school career. She also played flag football in high school.
 
At the back, the Falcons will rely on players like Kosisochukwu Nwozuzu (Brooklyn, NY) to help add some strength to the defensive front. Nwozuzu is a strong, physical player that can help shore up the middle of the defense in front of keeper Sophia Arvelo (Allentown, PA), a four-year starter in high school at Bethlehem Catholic who has great shot-stopping ability and is comfortable with the ball at her feet.
 
The Raiders
Shippensburg (0-0-1) went 4-9-3 a year ago and is one game into the season, coming off a 2-2 draw at home against West Virginia Wesleyan this past Thursday. The Raiders, after falling behind 1-0 in the first minute, scored a pair of goals inside of ten minutes of game time in the first half to take a 2-1 lead, but the Bobcats finally found the equalizer late in the second half, scoring off a headed attempt in the 87^th minute. Shippensburg had a chance to win it late, but a 1-v-1 didn't result in the goal, and the game ended in a draw. Shippensburg outshot WVW by 14-to-5 and had a 17-to-4 advantage in corners.
 
The Raiders are coached by longtime leader Rob Fulton, starting his 21^st season at the helm for Shippensburg, where he's won 135 games in his career. Fulton, in his two decades in charge, has turned Shippensburg into a steady, competitive program, earning four PSAC Tournament appearances in his time, including a semi-final appearance that earned his 2013 squad an NCAA tournament bid. That team went 12-6-1, his best finish to date, and the Raiders made the second round of the national tournament. Fulton was an assistant for both the men's and women's teams at Shippensburg for two seasons before taking over the head job in 2006.
 
The 2026 Raiders have five senior players and seven juniors, and they return their top three scorers from last season. 15 sophomores and first-year players round out the sizable roster for Shippensburg, a solid mix of youth and experience.
 
Shippensburg was picked to finish seventh out of eight teams in the ultra-competitive PSAC East coaches' preseason poll. Three teams in the east are ranked or receiving votes in the United Soccer Coaches national rankings heading into the season, including #6 West Chester, #17 Shepherd, and Kutztown, receiving votes. Last year, the east sent four teams to the NCAA Atlantic Region tournament.
 
Game Details
Shippensburg University (0-0-1) at Lackawanna College (0-0-0)
Saturday 8/29, 1:00pm ET; Schautz Stadium (1220 Prescott Ave, Dunmore, PA 18512)
 
Live Video: lackawannafalcons.com/LIVE
Live Stats: lackawannafalcons.com/sidearmstats/wsoc/summary
Tickets: lackawannafalcons.com/tickets
 
Tickets for fans can be purchased at the link above in advance, or in-person when walking into the venue at Schautz Stadium. Tickets for students (12 and younger) and seniors (65 and older) are $6, while regular adult tickets are $11. Tickets are digital, and all ticket purchases, both online and in-person, are handled digitally.
 
The live stream is free to watch on the Lackawanna College Athletics Network.
 
---
Next up, Lackawanna College is back at home on Wednesday, September 2^nd, at 3:30pm ET, to take on Kutztown University at Schautz Stadium.