Women’s Soccer Reveals 2025 Schedule

8/5/2025 12:00:00 AM

(2025 schedule)

With a new regime now having a year on the resume, Goldey-Beacom's Women's Soccer program looks for a return to excellence, to continue producing strong student-athletes and excelling on the pitch against what should be another challenging schedule.

Goldey-Beacom opens the campaign September 4 at Shippensburg before visiting Mercy three days later. The squad then plays its home opener September 13 against Molloy and the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference schedule begins three days later at Chestnut Hill.

After a home game September 20 vs. Caldwell, GBC plays road games at Holy Family on the 23rd, Staten Island on the 27th and Lincoln (PA) on the 30th.

GBC on October 4 battles Felician as part of Homecoming & Lightning Family Weekend. The weekend's events include opportunities for alums to come back on campus to reunite with many friends and also see the many changes that many who continue to be part of the family help ignite. It also will give an opportunity for parents to come on campus and spend time with their kids as part of an atmosphere filled with festivities and fun.

Goldey-Beacom on October 22 hosts Jefferson, which last season won the CACC title and lost to Franklin Pierce on penalty kicks in the East Region final. The regular season ends November 5 at Abessinio Stadium against Wilmington, which last year lost to Franklin Pierce in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

For the second straight year, each CACC quarterfinal and semifinal game will be held at the higher seed. The quarterfinals are November 8, the semifinals are the 11th and this season's final is the 15th in Waterbury, CT.

A key returnee for the Lightning is sophomore forward Ryley Dixon (Pilesgrove, NJ), a dynamic two-sport athlete who last season paced the squad with six goals and six assists. Her soccer is not limited to the fall as she played professional-amateur club soccer all summer with sophomore Ella Badra (Caracas, Venezuela).

With the track & field team, Dixon last season closed second in the 200-meter dash and third in the 400-meter dash at the CACC Championship.

Sophomore forward Jessica Jensen (Las Vegas, NV) is a transfer from Whittier College who was tabbed Newcomer of the Year by the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, one of the best Division III women's soccer conferences in the country. A talented competitor, Jensen will be paired with Dixon.

Nova Gafvert (Eskilstuna, Sweden) is a freshman midfielder from one of the best professional academies in Sweden. She brings physicality and great soccer IQ to the midfield room.

Freshmen Maria Empadinhas (Cascais, Portugal) and Malaika Nunziata (Cape Town, South Africa), both are talented goalkeepers who hope to make an immediate impact. Empadinhas is very athletic and confident off her line. Nunziata is tall and exceptionally good in the air.

Junior Tamara Trumic (Murrhardt, Germany) is a transfer forward who was tied for fourth last season at Cleary University with eight points. She brings versatility and poise to the team.

Junior Jade Balon (Smyrna, DE) is a team captain and anchoring midfielder, providing solid play as one of the smartest and most efficient players on the field.

Freshman Lanie Pennington (Smyrna, DE) is ready to debut for the Lightning after being sidelined last year due to injury. She has shown tremendous progress since her recovery and looks to break into the lineup as a midfielder with a great deal of potential.

Last season was the first for new coach Mitch Kazanjian, who joined the squad a mere weeks before its commencement and received a great deal of performance and effort from the student-athletes. Goldey-Beacom went into the final match day with a chance of making the CACC Tournament.

"With 17 new players this season, we have revamped our roster and intend to be a team that overwhelms other teams with intensity and desire," Kazanjian said. "I am very confident in this group and the changes we've made with our culture in the offseason. The players have been putting in the work all summer building bonds and holding each other accountable to their fitness and development. This is the most excited I have been to coach a team in my career thus far."

Goldey-Beacom last year continued to excel in the classroom with 10 named to the CACC All-Academic Team and six tabbed College Sports Communicators Academic All-District.

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