Women's Soccer 8/26/2026 11:03:00 AM Julian Leon (Assistant Director of Athletic Communications)

Women's Soccer Season Preview: Turning the Corner

Reading, Pa. (August 26, 2026) - With the 2026 Alvernia University Women's Soccer season beginning next Tuesday, take a deeper look into the season ahead.

2025 Recap:

The Golden Wolves finished the 2025 season with a 4-8-6 overall record and a 0-4-3 mark in conference play. Despite being under .500, a young team that fell short in several one-goal matches, the Golden Wolves will look to turn the corner and get on the right side of those results this season and make a push within the MAC Commonwealth.

2026 Roster Outlook:

The Golden Wolves return an experienced squad, losing five players to graduation while bringing back the majority of their starters on both sides of the ball from 2025.
Head Coach Amanda Bezner said, "We are losing five strong leaders, and they will be tough to replace. We are confident in this group, and we've heard from our captains all offseason that the team is ready to win."
In addition to its veteran experience, Alvernia welcomes 13 newcomers to the roster.

Offensive Outlook:

The offense remains a strength despite losing its second-leading goal scorer. The majority of last season's offensive production returns, including Tayler Flaherty.
"I'm excited about the offense we have," said Bezner. "With a combination of the players who returned and the freshmen coming in, who were all leading scorers on their respective teams, we want to capitalize on the opportunities we create."

Defensive Outlook:

Defensively, the Golden Wolves will look to build on last season's success. The team allowed just 17 goals in 2025 and posted a 0.94 goals-against average, its lowest mark since 2013.
The defense is anchored by returning goalkeeper Abby Rowley and defensive seniors Maria Mazzoni and Megan Reuter.

Key Matchups:

September 1 @ Arcadia University:
Alvernia opens the 2026 season against MAC Freedom opponent Arcadia University on Tuesday, Sept. 1, at 7 p.m. This is a great opportunity for Coach Bezner's team to set the tone for the season against an opponent that has historically found success against the Golden Wolves.

September 9 vs. John Jay:
In the midst of a back-to-back at home, a matchup against the Bloodhounds will be an important one for the Golden Wolves as they look to avenge last season's 1-1 draw.

September 12 & 13 — Drew Fall Festival:
The Golden Wolves travel to Madison, N.J., for the Drew Fall Festival, where they will face Ursinus College on Sept. 12 and Shenandoah University on Sept. 13. This will be the first meeting between Alvernia and Ursinus since 2018. The Golden Wolves are 2-0 against the Hornets, but the last two meetings took place more than 18 years ago. In a tough early-season road contest, the Golden Wolves can use their first out-of-state contests to build momentum heading into a two-game homestand the following weekend.

October 6 vs. Albright College:
A home matchup against crosstown rival Albright will be a big one for the Golden Wolves, who will be looking to avenge last season's 0-0 draw.

October 9 vs. Stevenson University:
Alvernia will have a quick turnaround for a busy Homecoming matchup against Stevenson University on Oct. 9. The Mustangs defeated the Golden Wolves 1-0 in last season's contest. After struggling to find the back of the net in that matchup, the Golden Wolves will have extra motivation to generate more offense against another conference rival to kick off Homecoming and Family Weekend.

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Players Mentioned

#7 Tayler Flaherty: F; 5' 7"; Sophomore

#3 Maria Mazzoni: D; 5' 7"; Junior

#8 Megan Reuter: D; 5' 2"; Junior

#0 Abby Rowley: GK; 5' 10"; First Year

Players Mentioned

#7 Tayler Flaherty
: 5' 7"; Sophomore
: F

#3 Maria Mazzoni
: 5' 7"; Junior
: D

#8 Megan Reuter
: 5' 2"; Junior
: D

#0 Abby Rowley
: 5' 10"; First Year
: GK