Aug. 20, 2007
The expectations are high for the women's soccer team in 2007. With just one starter lost from last year's 8-9-2 team, several key players returning from season-ending injuries and an influx of first-year players to provide depth at every position, a 10-win season could very well be in the cards for the Patriots.
"Our goal is the NCAA Tournament this year, no question," said Diane Drake, who enters her fourth year as head coach of the Patriots. "I have the utmost faith that this team can get there if we stay healthy. And we have enough depth that we can take the hit of an injury here or there."
Injuries played a major roll in the 2006 campaign. The Patriots lost midfielder Jessica Paris to an ACL injury early in the season and later, Annie Lebherz, the team's quickest player, and Mary Raveia, Paris' replacement, both suffered season-ending knee injuries as well. Paris' injury was exceptionally difficult as the Patriots were playing a diamond formation in the midfield which was built with Paris in mind.
"The diamond was created around J.P. and L.J. (Williams) last year," Drake said. "To have her back in the lineup is huge for the confidence of the group. She organizes so much from the back. She's such a great tactician and she has very few if any weaknesses in her game."
Paris is slated to start at holding midfield with sophomore Patti Benner backing her up. "Patti did great last year," Drake said. "Once we gave her a chance to play she shot right in and handled her own. She'll get minutes immediately this year. She played in the Snickers National Championships this summer, she's fit and she can really challenge J.P. in a good way. She's very good in the air and she has a tremendous presence."
At attacking midfield and left central midfield will be senior L.J. Williams and sophomore Leslie Cabe. Williams was second-team All-CAA last year while Cabe was selected to the CAA All-Rookie Team. "L.J. is our most pure 1v1 player," Drake said. "She can just run at players all day long and she has the strongest work ethic on our squad right now. She's becoming a strong finisher as well. Leslie had a tremendous impact as a freshman. She has the quickest feet and great balance and she makes very thoughtful passes in the final third."
Right central midfield will see a battle for playing time between junior Nilani Duarte and sophomore Sasha Vido. "Nilani has great fitness basing, strong technical skills and a tremendous commitment to excellence," Drake said. "Sasha is very good in the air, very strong and she doesn't turn the ball over. She also has a good fitness basing. There will be a great competition at the position."
Four first-year players will provide depth and push for a spot in the midfield. Capricia Alston, Evan Feldman, Danitte Fisher and Katy Gray. Fisher will miss the early part of the season as she recovers from an injury.
"Capricia has a great defensive presence, good tackling and great skills," Drake said. "Danitte has good feet, she makes technical tidy touches and she's deceptive in her game. Katy is a fantastic addition who is tough as nails and very coachable. Evan is a fiery, skillful, tactical, and smart player.
"I think we have one of the most talented group of midfielders in the region."
At the forward position the two returning starters are seniors Rachel Wiggins and Sarah Fack. Both are expected to hold on to their positions but not without a fight. Sophomores Lebherz and Theresa DeLucca and freshman Lina Carollo will all challenge for significant minutes.
Wiggins was second-team All-CAA last year and is on the cusp of joining the school's all-time top 10 in goals scored and points. "Most people can't shoot with the small windows she's given but she can shoot from just about anywhere and she's got a quick, rapid release," Drake said. "She also has the ability to cut and maneuver and unbalance defenders. She's very difficult to defend. Fack has the heart of a champion. She's got a tremendous work ethic and influence and she's very competitive. She's also got a really strong defensive presence that inspires others around her to work hard. She regularly becomes the engine of our attacking line.
"Annie is the fastest player we have on the squad and she's got unbelievable confidence and excitement for the season. I'm so excited to see how she will impact us. She's strong, she's fast, she's got composure around the net which is something a lot of players don't have. She makes thoughtful finishes. I like to call her a bull in a china shop in a lot of ways. She's very explosive, very powerful and very unassuming.
"Theresa started getting really fiery in the spring. She's actually as technical as Fack and Rachel, she's just a lot smaller so her presence is a bit different. Lina is deceptively fast, can motor and has good 1v1 moves."
With those five players, the forward position should see a real change from 2006, when reserve defenders and goal keepers had to contribute time.
"We didn't lose anybody and with the additions of Lina, the return of Annie, the experience of Theresa and the ability to give Fack and Rachel breaks, we think we'll be able to keep our opponents guessing," Drake said.
The defensive line sees the return of three starters, including the most decorated player on the team. Slated to start at right central defense is senior Laura Salichs, who was first-team All-CAA and All-Virginia last year and who Drake thinks is a candidate for Player of the Year.
"She's got great 1v1 skills, defensively as well as offensively," Drake said. "She can attack from the back if needed. She's great in the air, has good feet and can serve long and short balls equally adept with both legs. Her passion for the game and for life is fantastic. She's a great organizer and the best communicator we have on the squad."
At left central defense is sophomore Hannah Sklar who started every game as a freshman. "We recruited her to be that player," Drake said. "She's very hard to get past 1v1 and she reads the game tremendously well. She plays at a high level and is coachable. She's got good instincts and knows how to put her body between the opponent and the ball."
Right back will see the return of Alison Feldman, a mainstay in the starting lineup for the past two seasons. The senior is expected to contribute both on and off the field. "Alison is a great leader," Drake said. "She's very experienced. She has an excellent defensive presence, very strong technical skills and she's very good in the air."
Providing depth at those three positions are Colleen Killiany, Mary Raveia and Katy Woods. "Colleen is so fiery, so passionate, so competitive," Drake said. "She's got good feet, she tremendously fit and she's becoming better at taking players on. She's so coachable. When we needed her to move to outside back last year it worked terrifically because she's so committed to excellence. She's the type of player you find a spot for on the field.
"Mary is the best player we have in the air. She plays with tons of passion and she's a fierce tackler. Katy has a good defensive presence, good strong technical skills and she can serve balls with good range."
The left back position will likely see a battle between freshmen Kimmy Moss and Caitlin Ward, and transfer Stephanie Hair.
"Moss is fit, fast, fiery, has a great left foot and a nice right foot well and is a strong attacking back," Drake said. "Hair is a great tackler, a good man-marker and if she's fit, she'll play ample minutes. Ward has good athleticism but needs to develop the speed of her play. The battle at left back should be interesting. We're looking for composure, speed and skill out of that position."
The goalkeeper position will be incredibly important to the team's success with senior Kasey Davenport and sophomore Kelly Keelan.
"Kasey has more experience, a strong tactical understanding and good vision," Drake said. "Kelly is a talented athlete with raw untapped potential but she's grown a great deal from her year of experience in the college ranks. We will need both playing at the top of their game to be successful."
Amy Arroyo, a third goalkeeper, is expected to redshirt the season for medical reasons but she could be back in time to help the team in the second half. Also missing time this year due to a medical redshirt is defender Mary Raffael.
The Patriots have preseason scrimmages at Loyola and Penn before opening on Friday August 31 against Rider in a tournament in Hartford, Conn. Mason will play Harvard on Sept. 2. Sept. 7 and 9 Mason is hosting a tournament featuring George Washington, Georgetown and Stony Brook. Mason will also play non-conference matches against Virginia Tech, at Maryland and against American. Conference play opens on Sept. 28 with Mason hosting Northeastern. Other home matches in the CAA are Hofstra, Delaware, Drexel, James Madison, Towson with road matches at UNC Wilmington, Georgia State, Old Dominion, William & Mary and VCU.
"The conference is going to be as tough as usual and we've got some challenging non-conference opponents," Drake said. "But I have high expectations for this team."
