ITHACA, N.Y. — It's been a long, steady climb for the women's soccer program since head coach Patrick Farmer took over four years ago, but a breakthrough 2015 campaign puts the Big Red on the precipice of shedding the rebuilding label for the first time in 20 years.
 
"They haven't won so much that they know they're going to win all the time, but they're pretty sure they'll be competitive all the time when they put in a good performance, even in games that we lose," Farmer said. "I think the next part is changing their view to competing for the Ivy League championship. It's a subtle change that comes from experiential winning. You win for a while and then it dawns on you that we're going to be in every game, we just have to turn one or two of these around and we're competing for the championship."
 
So while that 9-4-4 record from the 2015 season was cause to celebrate some of the program's biggest accomplishments over the last couple of decades, there's still plenty of room to grow. Beneath the surface of its historic season last year was a 2-4-1 record in Ivy play. While that marks the fewest losses in the league for the program since 1995, it also illustrates the need for a more challenging non-conference schedule to be prepared for the high bar of Ivy League play. To wit: Cornell surrendered one goal in 10 non-league games last year and then eight in seven league games.
 
After opening the season with trips to Siena and Loyola, the Big Red opens the home portion of its schedule at 1 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 4 against a Syracuse side that features one of the country's top 20 recruiting classes in the ultra-competitive Atlantic Coast Conference. Following that is a trip to Rutgers, which advanced to the national semifinals last year and will most likely represent the Big Red's first game against a ranked opponent since Sept. 1, 2012 (against Georgetown; Farmer's first game behind the Big Red bench). A rare visit from San Diego State comes Sunday, Sept. 11, then the particularly demanding stretch includes a home game against Seton Hall four days later.
 
"A couple years ago, we couldn't get these schools on the schedule," Farmer said. "If you get yourself to a point where you're good and you're competitive and willing to play, now you can. It's not so much about the winning and losing, but the expectation that we have to play the No. 3 team from last year in the country on top of the others."
 
To make the step to competing with NCAA tournament qualifiers, the Big Red will turn to a group of seniors looking to become the program's first class to leave East Hill with a winning record since the group that accumulated a 36-29-5 record from 1993 to 1996. Goalkeeper Kelsey Tierney, defender Kailey Joyce and midfielder Elizabeth Crowell will serve as the team's senior tri-captains.
 
"They've earned their spots, and I think that's a great compliment that the rest of the kids recognize that," Farmer said. "It isn't sort of hoping that they lead by their voice and personality, they can actually lead by experience now."
 
Here is a breakdown of the team by position:
 
GOALKEEPERS
Senior Kelsey Tierney delivered one of the program's greatest goalkeeping performances last season, leading the nation in goals against average for much of the year en route to All-Ivy League first team honors. Her confident presence and experience behind the back line will be invaluable as the Big Red seasons some young backs. But not to be lost in the shuffle, sophomore Meghan Kennedy is expected to push for her first playing time after an injury-plagued 2015.
 
"Tierney certainly gets the nod here in the beginning," Farmer said. "I don't want to keep flipping keepers for very long, but to knock off someone who's an All-Ivy League player, it can't be a jab — you have to get in there and make three or four really strong statements by saying you're better in certain areas."
 
Freshman Chrissy Mayer has entered the fold, and senior Dana Daniels will keep her hand in the goalkeeping mix while transitioning to becoming primarily a field player.
 
BACKS
The strength of the Big Red in 2015 was its back four, and both central defenders return in senior Kailey Joyce and sophomore Zoe McCormick. But depth on the flanks has taken a hit. Two-time All-Ivy winner Charlotte Tate '16 has graduated and junior Whitney Farber is expected miss significant time this year with an injury.
 
Seniors Taylor Wright and Aimee Tavzel have experience starting on the back line, and sophomore Grace Keller has shown her wares on the flank in the spring and through exhibitions this fall. There are four more options among the freshman class. Reigning Gatorade D.C. Player of the Year Kaili Gregory is expected to play a prominent role, and Abby Adams is another central option. Sophie Axenroth and Autumn Brown have been added to the mix on the flanks.
 
"Over the years, I tend to put the same back four back there and say 'see you in November,'" Farmer said. "But now, I think they're going to grow back there. I think the lineup in our Ivy League opener will be very different than the lineup we've had in our exhibitions. I think that's a good thing."
 
MIDFIELDERS
Even with the graduation and subsequent loss of three prominent midfielders from last year's team, there is a lot of optimism about the midfield coming into this year — perhaps even to a point where it could be argued that it's the strength of the team. Heading the group yet again is senior Elizabeth Crowell, who was named to the All-Ivy League first team last year after garnering honorable mention in 2014. She led the Big Red in scoring for a second straight season, is a primary source of service on corner kicks and free kicks, and she plays a large role in the team's ability to keep possession.
 
Sophomores Jessica Ritchie and Carolyn Ruoff are coming off excellent debut seasons, and freshman Karli Berry gives the Big Red a speedy option on the flank.
 
"I think people are going to like watching Berry, because she's so happy to not be in the 100-degree heat (of her native Las Vegas, Nev.) and she just runs like a machine and bolts out of the midfield and gets forward a bunch," Farmer said.
 
The holding midfield spot has contrasting options between the physical presence of junior Kaylee Fitzgerald and a fast, possession-oriented freshman Juliana Comer. Sophomore Rowan Glass and junior Kat Weikert have some experience in central roles and on the flank, and the group is further deepened by senior Dana Daniels and juniors Julia Schubauer and Lindsay Hale.
 
FORWARDS
Another reason the midfield is deeper heading into this season is development of the team's forward corps. Junior Paige DeLoach was tied for the team lead with four goals last year, and she's continued to find the net repeatedly during the spring and fall exhibition seasons.
 
"She's just stronger and more confident going to goal," Farmer said. "I think that we're going to get more goals from our forwards."
 
Junior Tess Pullano — who scored the only goal in the Big Red's win over Seton Hall last year — has often paired with DeLoach up front after playing all 17 of the team's games last year. Juniors Erin Fitzgerald and Meera Dheer will also see time up front, and the versatile Daniels has been part of the mix, too. The lone newcomer to the team entering the season among the forwards is Kennedy Yearby.
 
"She's a huge physical threat that people are going to have to concern themselves with," Farmer said. "She's a good athlete, but she's not used to the tactical part of this level yet. But she's doing a good job of learning."
 
"I think we have some different parts all over the field now," Farmer added. "I think the soccer talent is better coming in than the soccer talent we lost, but the mentality that we lost with those four graduates was huge. That's the part this team has to replace from those seniors."