After bidding farewell to its top offensive players from a year ago, the women's soccer team is reloading and looking for another run to the NCAA Tournament.

Coming off a dream season in which the women did not lose a game until falling in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, the team returns almost every player, a dominant defense and with hopes of taking things one step further.

The soccer publication TopDrawerSoccer took notice in the preseason, ranking the Flyers among the top 25 in the nation. Atlantic 10 Conference coaches also picked Dayton to win the conference this year, and several individuals were awarded preseason accolades.

They will not be taking things for granted, though.

"We always approach every year as if it's a completely new year," head coach Mike Tucker said. "Just because good things happened last year doesn't mean it will automatically happen this year. We've tried to let them know that we expect great things but that no one is going to give it to them."

In 2010 it will be all about progression. Knowing that they would lose strikers Mandi Back and Lauren McCormick, Tucker and crew knew it would be important to recruit some offensive talent. They have done that this year. Of the nine new faces on the team, seven of them are midfielders or forwards. Only Juliana Libertin (midfield/defense) and Jordan Melchert (goalkeeper) break up that offensive mold in the incoming class.

With so many young players, Tucker acknowledged this season would be a work in progress, and they would need good leadership. He does not think that will be much of a problem.

"For some of [the young players], I think it's just going to be a matter of getting that cap off the goal, and they're going to do really well," Tucker said. "Fortunately somebody we did expect to improve has been Colleen Williams, and in the first two games, she has been golden for us."

An offense that might need time to improve will be aided all season by a stellar defense. In 2009, the University of Dayton team allowed .406 goals per game, second best in the nation. Further up the field, the young guns will be able to follow the examples set by Williams, the reigning A-10 rookie of the year and several experienced attacking players.

So far, so good it looks for the team. Both Tucker and Williams said they noticed improvement from the team's 1-0 season opening win over Butler to its 2-1 victory over Toledo last week. Williams said it is important to the players to take things on a game-by-game basis but that they have a clear goal of making it to the Sweet 16.

"Any team can have a good day when you're having a bad one and catch us on our heels, so we want to take it day-by-day," Williams said. "But at the same time, it's in the back of our minds that we want to make it further than last year."

The Flyers will have friendly competition on their side. Players are battling for playing time at nearly every position on the field, including goalkeeper, where Lisa Rodgers is back from injury, and Katherine Boone was the 2009 A-10 Defensive Player of the Year.

"Everyone is fighting for a spot; everyone deserves to be here," Williams said. "It's very competitive."

A key member of last year's 16-1-6 team, Williams is off to a hot start, with two goals and an assist in the first two games for an A-10 Player of the Week honor. She and the team are not satisfied with just two wins, though. It is about getting back to the tournament and winning more than just one game this year, maybe exacting some revenge in the process.

"You know, Virginia Tech is a tough team, and they took it to us," Williams said. "But we expect to be better than last year. I would like to see them again."