SPOKANE, Wash. -- The Whitworth College women's soccer team opens the 2005 season on Saturday when the Pirates play Cal State University - East Bay in the opening contest of the 2005 Whitworth Women's Soccer Invitational. The match begins at 11:00 am.

Whitworth comes into the year with hopes of winning a Northwest Conference title. The Pirates finished second in 2004 with an overall record of 13-5-1 and an NWC mark of 12-3-1. First Team All-NWC selections Jael Hagerott (Jr., F, Spokane, Wash.) and Ashley Fisk (Sr., MF, Bellevue, Wash.) return to lead the squad. The Pirates are third in the 2005 NWC preseason coaches poll and are also listed with "others receiving votes" in the NSCAA/addidas Division III women's preseason poll.

The Bucs will play CSU-East Bay on Saturday before hosting Chapman University at 1:30 pm on Sunday. CSU-East Bay will have played Ohio Northern to open the season prior to playing in Spokane. The Pioneers finished 7-7-4 last season, a strong improvement over the record of 6-11-3 in 2003. Senior forward Jaime Parsons is the leading returning scorer with four goals and three assists. Whitworth last played the Pioneers in 2001, winning 1-0 in Hayward, California.

Chapman is coming off of a 14-4-2 campaign in 2004, a season in which the Panthers advanced to the NCAA tournament before losing to Redlands in the first round. Senior forward Shari Lambert had nine goals and four assists a year ago. Whitworth and Chapman have never met in women's soccer.

Fellow NWC member Whitman College will also be participating in the event. The Missionaries will play Chapman at 1:30 pm on Saturday and will play CSU-East Bay at 11:00 am on Sunday.