MC women’s soccer team hopes to reach playoffs

Release Date: September 1, 2003

Amy Horneck, who broke the school record for goals in a season, makes a move on a Carroll College defender last fall. Horneck had 18 goals and 38 points for the Scots during their 6-9 campaign.

MONMOUTH, Ill. — When Barry McNamara took over the women’s soccer program at Monmouth College following the 2002 season, he inherited a team on the rise. The recruiting class prior to the 2002 campaign had landed four solid starters, including twins Amy and Abby Horneck, midfielder Audrey Stoffel and defender Kathleen Heinrich.

McNamara’s immediate job was to hit the recruiting trail hard, and he was able to bring in a class that he feels is equal in talent to the previous year’s group.

“We surrendered three goals a game last year, so we really wanted to address that area in the offseason,” he said. “In freshmen Kristin Mertel, Jess Myers and Audrey Bellefeuille and junior transfer Laura Turk, I feel we attracted four players who will be major contributors for us right out of the gate.”

The final line of defense, of course, is the goalkeeper position, and the Scots needed to replace three-year starter Lauren Bentrup, the team’s lone senior. Two out-of-state goalies, Amanda Havens of Michigan and Kirsten Brady of Arkansas, are battling it out and may wind up splitting time.

When the Scots take the field against Augustana College on Sunday in their season opener, the two other starting spots will be filled by co-captain Carrie Murphy and freshman Lyndsey Willard.

While Murphy and Willard are counted on to produce offensively for the Scots, they won’t have to shoulder the load. That responsibility belongs to the Hornecks, who finished in the top 20 in the nation in goals (Amy) and assists (Abby) last season.

“Aside from being tremendous athletes, what impresses me most about both Amy and Abby is their competitiveness,” said McNamara. “Whether it’s a drill in practice or a 50-50 ball in a game, they go after it hard every time. I’m sure some of their opponents are surprised by their relentlessness for the ball.”

On the defensive end, McNamara feels his team is “a work in progress,” not only because they will improve with experience, but also because he feels his team’s roles aren’t finalized yet.

“We have a lot of versatility,” he said. “A few of our defenders have also shown a knack on the offensive end. In particular, Kristin Mertel has starred wherever we put her on the field, and we have some other players, too, who give me a lot of options.”

The Scots have settled on Myers at sweeper and Turk at outside back. Heinrich and Mertel will each see time at stopper, and other players who will see time on defense or at midfield include Anna Koenig – the team’s lone senior – sophomore Jolene Bazon and freshmen Ashley Gaul, Dani Briceno and Liz Kainer.

The squad features just 17 players, and that could be a problem if injuries persist. In the preseason, as many as four players have been hobbled at a time, and McNamara would prefer that the trend doesn’t continue.

“We have almost everything in place to have an improved season from a year ago,” said McNamara. “The X factor is injuries. If we stay healthy, I believe we have the starting talent and depth off the bench to have our best season yet.”

A year ago, the Scots finished 3-6 in league play and took seventh place in the 10-team league. Two of their losses were by 4-3 scores in overtime against Beloit and Carroll, the league champion.

McNamara believes Grinnell has the talent to claim the regular season title, with Carroll, St. Norbert and Lawrence again ready to make a playoff run. He also hopes a new team will enter the postseason scene.

“Our goal is to be one of the four teams that makes the playoffs,” he said. “We know it won’t be easy, but we hope to be in contention entering our final four games, which will all be played at Peacock Park.”

Prior to that, 10 of the Scots’ first 11 matches are on the road. The Scots’ home opener is Sept. 17 against Hannibal-LaGrange College, and they don’t return to the friendly confines of Peacock Park until conference foes Beloit and Lake Forest visit on Oct. 18-19.