 "Photo: File Photo")
By Pete Theis Staff Writer
After a strong 2007 season in which the team captured the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference championship and advanced to the College Cup, the Loyola Women's soccer team looks poised for more this season. They have a new coach at the helm in Katherine Vettori and a veteran squad eager to go deep in the playoffs. Last year, under coach John Byford, the Hounds went 10-6-4 and advanced to play Virginia in the College Cup, where their season ended with a 4-0 loss.
"We want to reach the second round of the NCAA's. With our team returning almost all of our starters this is the year we can do it," senior co-captain Amanda Piccirilli said.
The Hounds return 10-of-11 starters from a year ago, including four 2008 Preseason All-MAAC first-team players, seniors Lea Day and Sarra Moller, junior Brittany Henderson and sophomore Lina Staropoli.
"I have never seen such a hard-working group throughout preseason," Vettori said. "They are extremely cohesive and supportive of one another."
The mission for this year's squad is to make some serious noise. "Our goal for this year is to go further than ever before," Vettori said. "We realize that it is no easy task, but we are definitely looking to surprise some people. We want to do better than ever."
The Greyhounds will have their work cut out for them as they were picked to finish second in the conference behind a strong Marist team, which boasts two first team all-MAAC selections, Maria Baez and Lauren Tillotson.
Captains Moller, Day and Piccirilli have already given positive leadership to the rest of the team, according to Vettori. Count on their voices to be heard for a successful Greyhound campaign. "I hope that from the way I present myself people can look up to me," Moller said. "Hopefully I can keep this season going as long as I possibly can."
Forwards/Midfield
The Greyhounds return a slew of scoring threats that should keep the squad ready to strike at any point during the game. Seniors Day and Theresa Ferraina combined for 14 goals and four assists last year. Both are explosive players, and Ferraina connected for Loyola's lone goal against powerhouse Virginia during their first-round loss in the College Cup.
Junior Christina Gomez, who tied Ferranti for the team lead with eight goals, will be another player to watch this season; her excellent passing and shooting skills will make her one the best in the MAAC.
Sophomore Lina Staropoli, coming off her 2007 All-MAAC season, will be counted on for her passing as well as scoring, as her eight assists tied for second in the MAAC in 2007. junior Colleen Kinealy, senior Kristina Balfort and sophomore Kelly Farrell are also potential threats on the field as the trio combined for 10 goals and four assists last season.
Despite the statistics, Vettori is most concerned with team speed. "We want to make sure we are attacking with speed, taking more shots- Team Attacking."
Defense
The backbone of the defensive unit is Moller. An all-MAAC first-team player from last year, her energy and skills are what separate her from the rest of the defenders in the league.
Also on the defensive side are junior Heather Cooke, who made second-team All-MAAC, and sophomore Kelly Thomas, who had a great rookie season ending with a spot on the All-MAAC rookie team.
"We need to be organized and make sure to leave numbers behind the ball," Vettori said. "It is imperative that we make sure to make good transitions from offense to defense. We have to defend as a unit."
Goalkeeper
Coming off a stellar season in which she earned All-MAAC first-team honors and the MAAC Defensive Player of the Year award, junior Brittany Henderson would be comparable to trying to score against a brick wall: you can't. Henderson vastly improved her goals against average from 1.24 in 2006 to an astonishing .97 in 2007. She tallied 117 saves last season en route to earning the third-longest stretch of scoreless minutes in school history. For her outstanding play in the MAAC championships she was named the MAAC championship Most Valuable Player.
And if Henderson needs support, Piccirilli is ready to jump into the fray. Known for her vocal presence on the field, Piccirilli made four saves during an overtime win against Iona last year.
"Our goalies are not just about making saves," Vettori said. "They are a part of both the attack and the defense. We need to rely upon them to help us keep possession and clearing the ball well."
Loyola hopes to gain confidence from playing well against a tough non-conference schedule. If they can pick up a few wins against elite programs, it could help them get an at-large bid in the College Cup. With the first test being a road game against seventh ranked Virginia, the Greyhounds will have their work cut out for them. Other contests against San Diego State, Old Dominion, Virginia Commonwealth, Indiana and Villanova will prepare the players well for the MAAC schedule.
"We have to learn not to get frustrated against our out-of conference opponents," Piccirilli said. "They are going to be tough and play us tough, but we need to win those games in order for us to get higher seeds in the NCAA tournament."
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