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Women deep, talented Release Date:
August 27, 2009
MONMOUTH, Ill. —
Monmouth College women’s soccer
coach Barry McNamara is hoping a solid defending corps and
six quality recruits add up to the Fighting Scots’ first trip to the
Midwest Conference Championships since 2005.
“We feel like we have a very strong
team with our returners, and every new player we added will help us,”
reported McNamara. “We should have a very solid defense, and if we can
stay healthy, we should be a very good offensive team.”
Two of last year’s leading goal
scorers return – sophomore forward Amy Unzicker (Morton,
Ill./Morton) and junior midfielder Becca Baur (Jacksonville,
Ill./Jacksonville). The pair each found the back of the net eight times.
Unzicker, who also plays tennis in the fall, actually led in total
points after adding four assists despite missing five games due to
tennis conflicts.
“A player might be a good soccer
player, but not be able to score goals,” explained McNamara. “It’s a
special talent to be able to score goals and Amy has that ability.”
McNamara also has a pair of recruits
he believes possess that ability. Freshman Ashley Reynoso
(Burbank, Ill./Reavis) will also do double-duty with soccer and tennis,
meaning McNamara will be two players short on occasion. A strong
offensive player, Reynoso will have the advantage of having a mentor on
the trials of playing two sports in the same season.
“It’s helpful that Amy played both
sports last year, so she can help Ashley adjust to the dual sport role,”
said McNamara. “We’re only going to be short those two a minimal amount
of games. Ashley is a very accomplished tennis player AND soccer player
with good ball skills. We feel like she can be a leader for us.”
Freshman transfer Kerry Kost
(Rhinelander, Wis./Rhinelander) figures to be up front in the Scots’
scheme. Described as a “physical, athletic” player, Kost also will be a
two-sport athlete at Monmouth, although her second sport – basketball –
won’t begin until the soccer season comes to a close.
In the midfield, Baur will be joined
by a combination of five returners – Holly White (Oswego,
Ill./Oswego), Molly Ball (Charleston, Ill./Charleston), Lauren
Vana (Darien, Ill./Downers Grove South), Kelly Russell
(Peoria, Ill./Richwoods) and Emily Shoemaker (Silvis, Ill./United
Township). Ball is also in the mix at the forward spot.
“We think we can get even more
production from Becca by moving her up toward the goal,” claimed
McNamara. “We have some good options at midfield, and we have a good
crop of recruits that will fit in well, too.”
Those newcomers – Morgan Smith
(Elgin, Ill./Larkin), Camille San German (Hanna City, Ill./Notre
Dame) and Sioban Stahl (Chicago, Ill./Lane Tech) – are expected
to “play a lot” in a reconfigured midfield from a year ago. Smith is
also in the running for the goalkeeper spot. Also in the midfield for
Monmouth are a handful of returning players, including twins Jessie
and Lisa Fetherling (Manteno, Ill./Manteno), Claudia Gomez
(Chicago, Ill./Notre Dame) and Ashley Swenson (Johnsburg,
Ill./Johnsburg) – all seniors – and juniors Berenice Martinez
(Chicago, Ill./Jones) and Katie Zeter (Springfield,
Ill./Southeast).
The defense that allowed just over
1.5 goals per game in 2008 is the most experienced group to take the
field. Two-time all-conference defender Brittney Parker
(Waukegan, Ill./Waukegan) will provide deep defense with the “very
strong” Hillary Broms (Peoria, Ill./Richwoods), four-year starter
Whitney Ott (Moline, Ill./Alleman) and senior Emily Caron
(Romeoville, Ill./Romeoville). The Scots are also counting on senior
Lindsay Johnson (Burlington, Iowa/Burlington) and junior Natalie
Rotz (Silvis, Ill. / United Township) and sophomores
Katie Fluegel (Rockton, Ill./Hononegah) and Danica Rogers
(Rochelle, Ill./Rochelle) to provide needed relief. All four could also
see time in the midfield.
“We really like how our veteran
defenders came back this fall,” praised McNamara. “Right now, we’re
projecting a couple of seniors and a pair of juniors as our starting
defenders.”
Junior goalkeeper Sarah
Wintersteen (Bloomington, Ill./U-High) is expected to be pressured
by no less than four capable keepers. Sophomore Katerina Meletis
(Orland Park, Ill./Sandburg) – banged up a year ago – could earn time
between the pipes as well as junior Molly McKeown (Oak Forest,
Ill./Oak Forest), freshmen Katey Hardt (Palos Heights,
Ill./Marist) and Smith.
“We’re really deep at keeper this
year,” said McNamara. “We’ll definitely have competition for that spot
this year and that will make everyone better.”
The Scots were statistically better
in 2008 than the year before, but slipped a spot in the Midwest
Conference standings. McNamara points to injuries at one position that
led to the team’s slip last season and hopes any injuries that occur in
2009 are spread around.
“Last year, all our injuries occurred at
one position,” said McNamara. “We’re good and strong in all positions,
but not as extremely deep as we have been in the past. We just have to
avoid a rash of injuries at one position. As long as we can avoid that,
we’ll be fine and should be able to contend.”
The Scots contended until the end a year
ago, increasing their goal output and lowering their goals allowed.
McNamara figures that formula could add up to a conference tournament
berth.
“We’d like to lower our goals against
total again this year,” said McNamara. “We feel like our defense is
veteran enough that we can achieve that. Offensively, we’d like to
increase our goals – and if we stay healthy – we should score a lot of
goals. But, we think our defense is good enough to win a one- or
two-goal game.”
One goal just might be all the Scots
need to punch their postseason ticket.
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