Women's Soccer Season Preview
With fall sports just around the corner, gopetrels.com is previewing the upcoming seasons. Here's a glance at the 2010 women's soccer squad.
2010 Women's Soccer Preview
After inheriting a team that went winless in 2007, women's soccer Head Coach Alan Woods has turned the teams' fortunes around in his first two seasons by amassing 10 victories. Set to begin his third full season, Coach Woods is hoping the 2010 squad can take the next step towards a winning overall record and making some noise in the always tough Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference. With 9 starters returning to the pitch the 2010 the outlook is bright for a team that has developed some much needed chemistry.
Midfielder and returning All-SCAC Third Team recipient sophomore Courtney Phillips (Stockbridge, Ga.) highlights the talented group of returning starters. Phillips will be re-joined on the pitch by senior goaltender Sarah Nania (Richmond, Va.), senior defender Brittany Brotherton (Tucker, Ga.), junior midfielder Alexandria Vassell (Atlanta, Ga.), junior midfielder Sasha Alonzo (Bethlehem, Ga.) and senior defender Chelsea Baron (Tipp City, Ohio).
Rounding out the returning starters for the 2010 side are senior forward Mary Beth Horton (Martinez, Ga.), junior defender Jordan Weaver (Dacula, Ga.) and junior defender Eliza Newland (Hamilton, Ga.). The Petrels will also benefit from the steady services of returners Cassie Della Fortuna (Roswell, Ga.) and Haley Lister (Atlanta, Ga.) as well as having a healthy Kristen Koch (Indianapolis, Ind.) who missed the past two seasons with knee injuries.
The roster will also be bolstered by the influx of seven freshmen and two transfers to give Coach Woods the depth his teams have lacked due to injury in his first two seasons. Stepping onto the field as freshmen will be goalkeeper Hailey Harden (Fayetteville, Ga.), defender Spenser Knauss (Louisville, Ky.), forward Clara St. Urbain (Marietta, Ga.), defender Katie Muller (Marietta, Ga.), midfielder Lexie Craig (Alpharetta, Ga.), forward Paige Parmer (Fayetteville, Ga.) and defender Lisanne Edelman (Amsterdam, Netherlands). Sophomore transfer and midfielder Kendall Burck (Burtonsville, Md.) will join junior transfer and forward Cristina Berreiro (Madrid, Spain) to complete a roster that boasts a healthy 21 players.
The 2010 season schedule will pose many challenges for the Stormy Petrels. The women begin their 19-game slate with three straight home contests to start the year before playing 11 of their final 16 games on the road. The season opener features a battle with Agnes Scott at home (Sept 1) and the non-conference schedule includes home contests with Travecca Nazarene (Sept. 3), Piedmont (Sept. 7) and Atlanta Christian (Oct. 5). Of the Petrels 10 SCAC matches, 7 will be played on the road with only Austin (Oct. 3), Hendrix (Oct. 22) and Rhodes (Oct. 24) competing on Salamone Field. Senior Day festivities will be held on the October 24 match versus the Lynx.
