Women’s soccer on the outside looking in

By: Ian Van Anden
Sports Editor

 With the end of the women’s soccer season, the team is on the outside looking in on the Midwest Conference tournament. Going into the last weekend of the season, the women knew they had a very slim chance of making it to the conference tournament.

On Saturday, Oct. 28, the team hosted perennial Midwest Conference powerhouse Carroll College knowing they would need a win to keep their tournament hopes alive. Despite a courageous effort in a well-fought game, the Scots came three goals short of beating the Pioneers, falling 3-1.

On the game, head coach Barry McNamara said, “Although we lost to Carroll, it was one of our best games of the year. All our players really stepped up their intensity and carried out the game plan very well.”

On Sunday, Oct. 29, the Scots took the field at Peacock Memorial Athletic Park to face Ripon College. Although MC was out of the playoff hunt, the team still came together to cap off their season with a win. The Scots dominated the Red Hawks, beating them 3-1. Freshman Christa Davidson had two goals. Her first came quickly, as the Scots struck first with Davidson’s goal in the sixth minute.

Freshman Amanda Neira finished off any hopes that Ripon might have of a comeback with her goal in the 56th minute. In the game, senior Kristen Brady got her first, and only, start of the season in goal. Brady had played in five games, replacing junior Vanessa Kentfield in mop-up duties. Kentfield started in nine of the Scots’ 16 games.

Davidson’s two goals in the Ripon game secured her tremendous freshman season. She led the Scots with 13 goals in the 2006 season. Davidson’s mark for goals in a season ties her for fifth in Fighting Scots women’s soccer history. MC graduate Amy Horneck holds the record with 20 goals in the 2005 campaign.

Despite narrowly missing the Midwest Conference, McNamara is pleased with the team’s progress over the 2006 season. The Scots fielded a very young team in 2006. The squad had 14 freshmen on their roster, and had to replace the all-time leading scorer in MC women’s soccer history, Horneck. In addition the team had to replace Amy’s twin sister, Abby, on the backline. The Scots also started a new face in goal for the fourth straight year.

McNamara was confident, however, throughout the season that the upperclass leaders would be able to help and guide this team to success. Senior Kristin Mertel was one of the leaders McNamara relied on. Mertel started in all 16 of the Scots’ games and was second on the team in scoring, with nine goals.

Senior Audrey Bellefeuille was another key part of Monmouth’s success. Bellefeuille also started all 16 MC games. She scored two goals and had three assists from her midfield position.

Monmouth finished 10-5-1 overall but just 5-4 in the Midwest Conference. The team’s MWC record is disappointing; however, their out of conference performance bodes well for next year. If the Scots can improve in the Midwest Conference in the 2007 season they could upset the four powerhouses in Midwest Conference women’s soccer: Grinnell, Carroll, St. Norbert and Lake Forest.

The team will graduate only three athletes this year, Bellefeuille, Mertel and Brady so the future looks bright for Monmouth’s women’s soccer program. McNamara has done a tremendous job since taking over the program four years ago.

McNamara is not wasting any time. He realizes that next year’s season is not that far away and is already on the recruiting trail. McNamara said, “Defense wins championships, so we will continue to look to add to our solid young nucleus of defenders. St. Norbert made a rapid rise in our league this fall by bringing in two difference-makers on offense, and we hope to do something similar.”