Three
Garden State Natives Highlight Class
February
23, 2005
PISCATAWAY,
NJ –
Four high school standouts have signed national
letters of intent to join the Rutgers women’s
soccer team for the 2005 season, head coach Glenn
Crooks has announced.
The group consists of Jessica Bendzlowicz (Holland,
PA), Kristen Edmonds (Metuchen, NJ) Alicia Hall
(Port Republic, NJ) and Nina Montero (Vineland, NJ).
“This is a great class that provides quality depth
in all areas of the field,” said Crooks. “All
the players come from great families who understand
the commitment and sacrifice it takes to be
successful at the highest level. This is a class
that will help us take another step forward as a
program. I am also grateful to our current players
and our coaching staff, who showed our recruits how
special it is to be associated with Rutgers
University.”
Bendzlowicz, a 5-8 midfielder/defender, competed at
Council Rock South High School. As a junior,
Bendzlowicz collected 21 points (6 g, 9 a) and
helped lead her team to a 24-0-2 record, a state
title and a national ranking of third. She was named
to the Bucks County Courier Times Golden Teams First
Team and the All-League First Team. In 2003, she had
26 points (9 g, 8 a) and was named to the All-League
Second Team as Council Rock South posted an 18-1
record. As a sophomore, she helped lead her team to
a 21-1-2 mark and the PIAA state co-championship.
Bendzlowicz played for the Pennsylvania Strikers, a
top-10 club team nationally. The Strikers won two
state indoor titles (2000, 2003), were the Region 1
finalists in 2004 and 2003 and semifinalists in 2001
and 2002 and the WAGS Cup championship in 2000. The
Strikers also won six Eastern Pennsylvania state
crowns (1999-2003). Bendzlowicz played for the 2004
Olympic Development Program’s (ODP) Region 1 Team
in 2004, and was in the regional pool in 2002 and
2003. She played for the same high school and club
teams as current Scarlet Knight Amanda Allessio
(Langhorne, PA).
“Jessica has a great background in the game and
has been effective at the highest level in the back
and midfield,” stated Crooks. “I love the way
she goes forward, and she can help keep an opponent
honest with her ability to score outside of the box.
Jess is probably the most versatile player in our
class. She plays with an outstanding club team and
will be well prepared for her freshman year in
college.”
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UNC
shores up program with four out-of-state
additions, four new Tar Heel State natives.
March 7, 2005
CHAPEL HILL,
N.C. - North Carolina head women's soccer
coach Anson Dorrance has announced the addition
of eight talented recruits who have decided to
join the Tar Heel program for the 2005 season.
Two of the eight are already enrolled at the
University and the other six plan to enroll in
August 2005. All will have freshman eligibility
when the Tar Heels begin the 2005 campaign in a
tournament in Topeka, Kan. the last weekend of
August with games against the University of
Colorado and the University of Tennessee.
The incoming
class includes midfielder Yael Averbuch of Upper
Montclair, N.J., midfielder/forward Meaghan Cole
of Jacksonville, N.C., forward/midfielder Casey
Dunlevie of Atlanta, Ga., midfielder Betsy
Frederick of Raleigh, N.C., goalkeeper Ashlyn
Harris of Satellite Beach, Fla.,
forward/midfielder Mandy Moraca of Mantua, N.J.,
goalkeeper Anna Rodenbough of Greensboro, N.C.,
and forward Sterling Smith of Chapel Hill, N.C.
Both Harris and Cole are already enrolled at the
University as freshmen and they are competing
with the UNC in spring practice in 2005.
Averbuch is a
member of the U.S. Under-19 National Team as
well as the Region I Olympic Development Program
Team and the New Jersey State Team. The
daughtrer of Gloria Averbuch and Paul Friedman,
Yael attends Montclair High School and she plays
her club soccer for World Class New Jersey. She
was born November 3, 1986, stands 5-8 and weighs
130 pounds.
Cole is an alumna
of White Oak High School. A 5-6 combination
midfielder and forward, Cole earned high school
letters in soccer, cross country, track and
swimming. As a junior at White Oak, she played
on a state 3A championship soccer team. Cole
earned status as a Morehead Scholarship nominee
before enrolling at UNC.
Dunlevie will
enroll at UNC after being a starter on the
soccer team for four years at Westminster High
School. A combination forward and midfielder,
Dunlevie led her high school team to state
championships in 2002, 2003 and 2004.
Frederick is one
of the top high school midfielders in the Tar
Heel State. The daughter of Ron and Prudy
Frederick, she attends Broughton High School
where she was recently named the team captain
for her senior year. A 5-9, 142-pound midfield
presence, Frederick plays for the CASL Spartan
Elite club team. She has been named to the
Region III ODP Team and the NC State ODP Team.
Harris enrolled
at Carolina in January 2005 as one of the most
vaunted recruits in the nation and one of the
most anticipated in Tar Heel history. A graduate
of Satellite High School, Harris is a world
class goalkeeper who in high school was honored
as a Parade All-America. She was the starting
goalkeeper for the U.S. Under-19 National Team
in its World Championship Tournaments in both
2002 and 2004. The 2002 won the gold medal in
the event and also featured her current Tar Heel
teammates Lindsay Tarpley, Lori Chalupny and
Heather O'Reilly.
Moraca is another
UNC addition who should figure in Carolina's
plans right away in 2005. The daughter of Mark
and Donna Moraca, she was born on July 31, 1987
and will soon be an alumna of Gloucester
Catholic High School. The 5-4, 125-pound
combination forward/midfielder competes for the Pennsylvania
Strikers club team. Moraca is a member
of the U.S. Under-17 National Team as well as
the Region I ODP Team and the New Jersey State
ODP Team. She has also been honored with adidas
All-America status.
Anna Rodenbough
is the second goalkeeper in the recruiting class
for Coach Anson Dorrance. The daughter of Boand
Melanie Rodenbough was born September 8, 1987
and she has good height at 5-10,170. An upcoming
graduate of Grimsley High School, Rodenough
plays for the Winston-Salem Lady Twins White
club team. She is a member of the Region III ODP
pool squad and the NC State ODP Team. Rodenbough
is also a finalist for a Morehead Scholarship.
A native of
Chapel Hill, Smith was born August 8, 1986 and
is the daughter of Roland and Vicki Smith. At
5-7, 135 pounds, Smith has the potential to be a
dynamic presence at forward. A member of the
Region III ODP Team, Smith plays her club soccer
for `86 CASL Spartan Elite. She attends East
Chapel Hill High School.
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U.S.
U17 Women's National Team takes 2-0 win over
Germany at Home Depot Center
By Andrea
Canales, 02.27.2005
CARSON, CA
- Despite having only trained together
for three days of camp, the U.S. U17 Women's
National Team rode first half goals from Kelly
O’Hara and Alexondrea
Trusty to produce a hard-fought 2-0
victory over their counterparts from Germany on
Sunday evening at Home Depot Center.
U.S. Coach Erica
Walsh found the athletic German team a good test
for the U.S.
‘I thought it was
a good, solid, performance," Walsh said.
"Obviously, we’re pleased with the result
and we walked away from the match with some things
to work on in the next couple of days of our
training camp.”
Although the U.S.
team began with the majority of the possession,
the Germans were able to press the midfield with
the passing and positioning skill of their
players.
Both teams took the
field in 4-4-2 formation, though the U.S. stuck to
the more traditional version. The Germans modified
theirs to have the front players positioned more
in the middle of the field, with one stacked above
the other.
The U.S. defense
employed a game tactic to impeded the Germans'
attempts to attack from the center.
“We wanted to
force the ball to the outside and to coordinate
our defending," Walsh said. "One of our
big goals was more communication. I thought Lauren
Switzer and
Alexondrea Trusty
did a very good job.”
Both teams got a
couple of early opportunities when forwards
dribbled near the goal, but quality chances were
not being granted by either defense.
O'Hara and
McDonald combine for opener
In the 12th minute
of play, however, the midfield battle broke open
when Jessica McDonald gathered a pass on the right
and raced down the sideline. Kelly O’Hara was
lurking near the goal, and when McDonald sprung a
quick move to get past her defender, O’Hara
latched onto the McDonald cross to direct it into
the goal, giving the U.S. a 1-0 lead.
O’Hara gave full
credit to her strike partner. “She played a
perfect ball in and I was able to hit it in
backpost.”
Walsh noted that,
in contrast to the Germans, the U.S. attack was
geared to come in from both sides.
“Offensively, we
were looking get service through our flank players
to Kelly O’Hara and Jessica McDonald,"
Walsh said. "I thought we did a nice job of
finding them and getting some opportunities to
score off of the flank service."
After the goal, the
German team stepped up their attack. Though the
U.S. players were faster, the German strengths
were solid positioning and efficient passing.
Lauren Wilmouth,
though smaller than some of the forwards she
faced, did well on defense to disposess the German
attackers on several occasions and to reset the
U.S. charge upfield.
At the 25th minute
mark skillful dribbling and passing on the part of
the German forwards broke the defense down.
“They also had
some good, solid players up top that were a
handful for us," Walsh said. "Our back
players had to adjust to the pace of [Fatmire
Bajramag], [Isabel Kerchowski], and [Julia Simic].
They were a handful for us."
The German
playmakers combined well for a shot on goal from
inside the 6-yard box, but goalkeeper Alyssa
Naeher was up to the challenge, using quick
reflexes to knock the ball away.
The U.S. returned
to the offensive almost immediately, though.
Midfielder Nikki Washington advanced the ball to
just outside the area on the right, at which point
she was fouled hard by Janka Rohrberg.
Tobin Heath took
the free kick, a lovely curling shot that dipped
down in front of the goal. It met the head of
defender Alexondrea
Trusty as if it had been
special-ordered from Heath, and Trusty met the
package with a classic headed finish for a 2-0 U.S
.lead.
“Oni [Alexondrea]
Trusty stepped up,"
Trusty
said the the goal was a result of high
expectations and matter-of-fact response.
“Tobin
– I told her, just look for my head. She put in
a perfect ball," Trusty said. "I saw it
was going over everybody else’s head, and then I
just headed it in.”
As
one of the tallest players on the U17 team, Trusty
also did battle with the tall German forwards in
the box all match long, something for which she
made a good impression on Coach Walsh.
she
said. "She was very dominant in the air on
the backline tonight.”
McDonald again beat
her defender to get off another good cross in
front of the goal in the 38th minute, but the
German defense was able to push the ball further
out, where a waiting Tobin Heath fired a long
range shot that the goalkeeper was able to gather.
The revelation of
both the camp thus far and the match may well have
been McDonald, the winger who had an assist and
created numerous chances. Walsh pointed out,
“Jessica McDonald has come in and done a real
nice job for us – she was one player who
wasn’t in the last camp.”
Another player
singled out for praise was Indiana native Annie
Yi, who was often involved with starting the plays
that led to scoring opportunities.
“Annie Yi has
done a nice job filling in the attacking center
midfield role,” said Walsh.
The first half drew
to a close with the Germans beginning to maintain
possession for longer stretches of time.
That continued when
the whistle blew to start the final half of play,
as the Germans pressed for at least a single goal,
but the goal would not come be coming.
Despite
the shutout, the number of German chances leads
Trusty to believe the backline play for the U.S.
can improve.
“I
think we need to work on our composure when
we’re up ahead, settling the game down, even
when they’re coming at us hard because they want
to score,” she said.
The German U17 team
looked dangerous at several points, including on a
corner kick in the 74th minute of play, but
goalkeeper Chantel Jones, who had come in for the
second half, came off her line to safely collect
the ball.
However, the U.S.
had chances as well, and both Trusty and Yi took
shots on goal as the end of second half neared.
The last quality
German shot followed some excellent build-up by
the front players and a cross from Bajramaj that
concluded with a Sylvie Banecki shot that was
on-target, but right to goalkeeper Jones in the
87th minute.
Post match
comments indicate confidence, expectation of
improvement
For her part,
O’Hara believed the U.S. was safely in charge
for most of the match.
“They’re pretty
skillful, but so are we," she said. "We
know how to control the game. We know how to play
to our strengths and I think we did that well. We
won the game and we were able to dictate the tempo
of the game.”
When the final
whistle blew, it also seemed that fitness might
have been a factor, as the U.S. team seemed
fresher, while the Germans were visibly spent.
Walsh said she will
call on the team to improve, noting that the
Germans had some good looks at the goal in the
game.
“I thought that
they had too many big opportunities tonight,"
Walsh said. "Although we got the result, they
had some very, very good chances that I thought
they could have capitalized on. So we’ve got to
figure out how to limit their number of chances in
front of our goal.”
The teams meet
again for another match on the second of March,
while the U16 National Team will be facing the
Germans Tuesday and Thursday.
Trusty realizes the
upcoming match could be a bit different.
“They’re going
to come out very strong, cause they know how we
play now," she said. " But we know how
they play now, too, so we should do fine.”
The U.S. - German
soccer rivalry seems assured of being a good one
for years to come. Walsh believes it is a
competition marked by a high regard for the
quality of the opponent.
“I think the way
we saw the game start out tonight, there was a
strong mutual respect from both sides.”
The respect seems
to fuel O’Hara’s drive to win even more. She
had a simple answer when asked what her goals were
for the training camp.
“[To] beat Germany
again," the Georgian said. "That’s
about it. Come out strong and finish off
strong.”
U17 Team
Roster, including clubs:
Goalkeepers:
Chantel Jones - Richmond Strikers, Alyssa Naeher
– South Central Premiere (CT)
Defenders: Alexondrea
Trusty – Penn Strikers, Carolyn
Blank – PDA (NJ), Jane Alkonis – Dallas
Texans, Lauren Wilmoth – Dallas Texans, Lauren
Switzer – Eclipse Black (IL), Megan Klingenberg
– Hotspurs (CA
Midfielders:
Kristen Stannard – FC Richmond MYSTX, Kelly
Henderson – Albertson Fury (NY), Amber Gnatzig
– Challenge SC (TX), Kaley Fountain – The
Lonestars 88 (TX), Annie Yi – Carmel United
Cyclones (IN), Nikki Washington – Dallas Texans,
Ali Hawkins – San Diego Surf, Melissa Hayes –
Sereno FC (AZ), Becky Edwards – Westchester
Predators (PA
Forwards: Kelly
O’Hara – PTC Lazers 88(GA), Kayanne Gummersal
– Eclipse Select (IL), Jessica McDonald –
Sereno FC (AZ), Gina DiMartino – Commack ISA
Emeralds (NY), Rachel Givan – Mississippi
United, Ashley Moore – South Central Premiere
(CT)
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ANNUAL
PSCA HONORS BANQUET Allessio
Named Player of the Year
The 3rd annual honors
banquet of the PSCA, held in the ‘Majestic’
banquet room of the Harrisburg/Hershey Holiday Inn
on February 5th, was a grand success. There were 348
people in attendance for the early afternoon affair.
Seventy-five of our 124 All State players were there
to receive their certificates and a Brine soccer
ball. Nine Regional All America players on the
female side of the game and twelve on the male side
of the game received their national certificates.
Amanda Allessio of Council Rock South High School
and E.J. McCormick of Fox Chapel High School were
honored as the female and male Player of the Year in
PA. They each received a beautiful trophy and a
Brine sport bag.
 |
| Psca
President presenting to Allessio |
The following Coach
of the Year Awards were presented: Male side of the
game: Class A-Milt Scholl of Antietam High School;
Class AA-Peter Ellis of Lewisburg High School; Class
AAA-Uwe Schneider of Upper St. Clair High School.
The female side of the game: Class AA-Chris Rada of
Wyomissing High School and Class AAA-Ed Batista of
Cumberland Valley High School.
Two coaches were inducted into the PSCA Hall of
Fame. Long time Middleburg High School soccer coach,
James Aurand, whose teams amassed a W-L-T record of
302-84-6 (co-coaching record was 100-15-5). His 1974
team captured the state title with a win over
Tulpehocken High School. John Wilcher, long time
soccer coach at Mount Lebanon High School, whose
teams won 218 games while losing just 51 games with
20 ties. John went on to coach at Allegheny
Community College.
The PSCA Honor Award was bestowed upon Joseph Tatta.
Joseph coached at Haverford High School for 21
years, amassing a record of 250 wins, 112 losses and
54 ties. He is still serving as an officer of the
Southeast PA Soccer Coaches Association and has been
very active in the development of and growth of
soccer on all levels for many years in the
Philadelphia area.
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Women's
Soccer Announces the Signing of Six Student-Athletes
for the Class of 2009
February 9, 2005
WASHINGTON,
D.C. –Georgetown
University head women’s soccer coach Dave Nolan
has announced the signing of six student athletes
for the class of 2009. The incoming class will join
an experienced squad, as the team graduates only
three seniors and returns eight starters in 2005.
“This group has the
potential to be our best recruiting class ever. They
have all competed at the very top of youth soccer
and been coached by some of the best youth coaches
in the country,” commented Nolan, “With them we
have added quality players at every position which
makes us better and deeper than ever before. When
you combine this group of talented players with a
very strong returning cast I really am very excited
about the future of Georgetown Women’s soccer.”
Laura Snyder (Harrisburg, Pa.) 5’8’’
Laura Snyder is a
5’8” midfielder from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
Laura plays for the Pennsylvania Strikers. She has
been a consistent member of the Eastern Pennsylvania
Olympic Development program and a Region 1 Team
member for the last five years. Laura played her
high school soccer at Central Dauphin High School,
where she was named an NSCAA Regional All American.
She will be a student in the Georgetown College.
“Laura is an
extremely versatile player who has the ability to
play anywhere on the field. She will help us
primarily along either flank, defensively or in
midfield. She has played at the highest level and I
expect her to help us immediately.”
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Cavalier
Women's Soccer Announces 2005 Recruiting Class
Feb. 8, 2005
CHARLOTTESVILLE - The
Virginia women's soccer program announced this week
that eight players have signed letters of intent to
join the Cavalier program this fall. Alli Fries
(Dublin, Ohio), Nikki Krzysik (Clifton, N.J.),
Celeste Miles (Garland, Texas), Kelly Quinn (Dublin,
Ohio), Jessica Rostedt (Kent, Ohio), Sarah Senty
(Arlington, Va.), Alex Singer (Rye, N.Y.) and Amanda
Stewart (West Chester, Pa.) will form the first-year
class for the 2005 Virginia women's soccer team.
The class is
highlighted by four players with experience on
United States Youth National Teams, all of which
have earned All-American honors.
"We could not be
more excited about this years recruiting
class," says head coach Steve
Swanson. "We needed to replace a large and
talented senior class who helped lift our program to
new heights during the last four years. We feel this
class will be equally special both on and off the
field, especially when they begin to work with what
we feel is an excellent group of returning players.
Each of these incoming recruits has the potential to
impact our program right away on the field, but it
is their qualities as people that make them
standout. They all have great attitudes, want to
learn, possess a tremendous work ethic, and most
importantly are team players. I have no doubt that
they will make their mark on Virginia Soccer, the
University of Virginia and the Charlottesville
community in the next four years."
Amanda Stewart -
Defender - West Chester, Pa. (Delaware County
Christian School)
Two-time All-State (2003-04) ... Member of ODP
Regional and State Teams ... 2003 Delaware County
Daily Times Player of the Year ... Also a standout
in track, has competed at the Penn Relays.
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SMU
Inks Seven Women's Soccer Student-Athletes for Fall,
2005
(2/3/2005) - DALLAS (SMU) - SMU
head women’s soccer coach John Cossaboon
announced the signing of seven student-athletes to
national letters-of-intent for this coming fall
season. They include Katie Bartush (Granger,
Ind.), Caitlin Carter (Arlington, Texas),
Gillian Field (Dallas, Texas), Ashley Gunter
(Lancaster, Pa.), Kirsten Moran (Southlake,
Texas), Carley Phillips (Plano, Texas), and
Alex Stolhandske (San Antonio, Texas). Five of
the newest members of the Mustang family hail from
the state of Texas.
Ashley Gunter is a 6-0 goalkeeper from
Lancaster, Pa., and attends Manheim Township High
School. She plays for the Region I finalists and
Pennsylvania state champions, the Pennsylvania
Strikers. Ashley is a member of the National Honor
Society. “Ashley comes from a strong training and
playing background,” says Cossaboon. “With her
size, intelligence, poise and great hands, Ashley
has unlimited potential as a goalkeeper.”
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Duke
Women's Soccer Announces Five Commitments For 2005
Blue
Devils return 10 of 11 starters from last year
Feb. 3, 2005
DURHAM, N.C. - Duke University women's soccer head
coach
Robbie Church
announced the addition of five commitments for the
2005 campaign on Thursday. Christie McDonald of
Newnan, Ga., Cassidy Powers of San Ramon, Calif.,
Sheila Kramer of Camp Hill, Pa., Kelly Hathorn of
Durham, N.C. and Kelly McCann of Carlsbad, Calif.,
will all attend Duke University in the fall and play
soccer.
"We are very excited about this recruiting
class as we bring in five quality players, which
will provide depth to our roster that we have
needed," said Church. "It is a versatile
class that will provide us with a great deal of
change for our program. Three of the players can
play in the back and that has been one area that we
have not had as much depth."
A player-by-player listing is below:
Sheila Kramer
5-8 • Defender • Camp Hill, Pa. •
Cumberland Valley
Plays for the nationally-ranked Pennsylvania
Strikers club team ... anchors the defense for the
Strikers, the Eastern PA State Champions from
1999-2004, Regional Finalist in 2003, 2004 and
Indoor State Champion in 2003 ... member of ODP from
1999-2004 ... ODP Region I Champion in 2000 ... a
three-year letterwinner in soccer for AAA Cumberland
Valley High School with the spring season still to
come ... started as a freshman and sophomore before
being injured her junior season, returning for the
state playoffs ... as a sophomore and junior, team
advanced to the state finals and was the district
champion ... as a freshman, listed by the Patriot
News as a "Freshman to Watch" ... led team
to a 66-12-3 record over the last three years.
Quoting Church on Kramer:
"Sheila is a center back on one of the top club
teams in the country. She will come in and provide
depth at our backfield. We are expecting her to
challenge our starting players at that position for
a starting job."
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Women's
Soccer Signs Five For Class of 2005
Three high schoolers and two transfers make up one
of the nation's top classes.
Feb. 2, 2005
College Park, Md. - Maryland women's soccer
head coach Shannon Higgins-Cirovski
will welcome three high school stars and two
transfers to the Terrapin soccer program for the
2005 season as part of National Signing Day.
"I'm very pleased with the class we've been
able to assemble," said Higgins-Cirovski.
"We lost two very good players to graduation,
but we're bringing in five exceptional players in
this class. It's a well-rounded class with
tremendous versatility. The two juniors in the class
bring a certain level of maturity with them. I have
no reason to believe that this is not one of the top
classes in the country.
"Along with some invited walk-ons, this is a
very big class, and given our recent history with
injuries, this class will complement our existing
players and give us the depth we've missed in the
last couple of seasons."
Coming to College Park to don the red and black will
be midfielder/defender Aimee Bresani
(Woodbury, N.J./Bishop Eustace), defender/midfielder
Kimberly Bunting (Potomac, Md./Bullis), outside
midfielder/forward Melissa Heintz
(Sebastopol, Calif./Analy High/Santa Rosa JC),
midfielder/forward Sarah Sample (Annapolis,
Md./St. Mary's/George Washington), and
forward/midfielder Kaila Sciascia (East
Northport, N.Y./John Glenn).
Class of 2005 Profiles
Aimee Bresani
Freshman
Midfielder/Defender
Woodbury, N.J.
(Bishop Eustace)
Higgins-Cirovski on Bresani: "Aimee is a
versatile player who will be able to help us almost
anywhere on the field. She is strong, aggressive and
tactically aware and has potential for enormous
growth."
Bresani's Highlights: Two-year team captain
at Bishop Eustace ... lead the Crusaders to four
Olympic Conference championships ... two-time team
MVP ... three-time South Jersey Parochial
championships ... 2002 and 2004 New Jersey State
Parochial titles ... two-time N.J. all-Parochial
first team ... first team all-state in 2003 and 2004
... four-time first team all-Olympic Conference ...
2003-04 all-South Jersey ... two-time first team
selection by Philadelphia Inquirer and
South Jersey Courier Post ... nominated for
Philadelphia Inquirer and South Jersey
Courier Post player of the year in 2003 and 2004
... five-year member of the New Jersey ODP team
(1999-2004) ... member of the Region I team from
2003-2004 ... member of the Region I pool from
1999-2004 ... played for the Pennsylvania Strikers
club team ... helped the Strikers win the 2004 state
championship.
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Strikers
defeated Reston FC 2-0
Penn Strikers
defeated Reston FC 2-0 in the U18 division, but had
to work hard to earn the victory. The start of the
match saw Reston control the first several minutes,
then the Strikers found their rhythm and put the
pressure on RFC. PA Strikers were able to break
through Reston's back line after Amiee Bresani put a
ball through to Devon Swaim and was able to finish
giving her team the lead. Strikers were able to
clinch the game right before the end of the first
half after Natalie Capuano won a goal kick and sent
it back into play. Swaim was able to run on the
dangerous ball and with two defenders on her broke
through and lobbed it over the outcoming goalie.
Reston coach Todd
Hitt commented "this was a great game, Strikers
and Reston are always competitive" and he loves
to see girls play at this level of soccer.
Strikers coach David
Shaw reiterated what Hitt had to say. "Two
great teams with a healthy rivalry. We have a lot of
respect for RFC, the 4 time Region 1 champion. We
love to play against such a great team as Reston. http://www.topdrawersoccer.com/ScoreSheet/1102223359/view
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Capuano
scoring with her hard work
By Rob Knox (delcotimes.com 10/08/2004)
Midway through the first half of Sun Valley’s 4-1
girls soccer win over Delco Christian Tuesday
afternoon, Natalie Capuano drew a foul from a Delco
Christian defender when she fell to the ground after
she was nudged. That prompted Delco Christian coach
Mike Dicken to make a funny and accurate observation
to anyone within earshot: "That’s not a foul. She
doesn’t go down that easily. I know."
Dicken, who has coached against Capuano for four
years, is right because Capuano is as tough as they
come.
That’s why nobody should really be surprised the
gifted Sun Valley two-time All-Delco senior
midfielder is flourishing after tearing her anterior
cruiciate ligament in her left knee while trying out
for the U-18 national team in Boca Raton, Fla., last
year.
"I got taken out from behind," Capuano said of her
injury. "I remember getting up and going off the
field. It hurt a little bit, but I didn’t think too
much about the pain because I wanted to get back in.
I kept trying to play through it. The coach put me
back in and then after a minute, my knee gave up out
completely."
The end of Capuano’s soccer career briefly flashed
through her mind as she withered in pain and yelled
in agony while lying flat on her back following her
first major injury outside of the occasional
concussion. The injury robbed the three-sport
Capuano of her basketball and softball seasons.
"It was horrible," Capuano said. "I thought it was
the end of the world. I never experienced pain like
that in my life. I knew it was possible to come back
because several girls had returned from that type of
injury. I was just afraid of how I was going to play
when I came back."
Turns out those fears were greatly exaggerated.
Capuano, who lists her favorite flick as "A League
of Their Own," stands alone in the pantheon that is
Delaware County girls soccer. A scoring Munchkin
with the fierceness of a lion and black hair,
Capuano recently became the most prolific girls
soccer scorer since the Daily Times began keeping
statistics in 1999.
With her second four-goal performance of the season
during the Vanguards’ 4-0 win against Lansdale
Catholic over the weekend, Capuano became the second
female player to score more than 70 career goals.
When she converted a penalty kick in the 38th minute
of the Vanguards’ win against Delco Christian,
Capuano soared to the top of the scoring charts with
73 career goals, one more than Interboro two-time
All-Delco Morgan McCann, who is playing at Virginia
Wesleyan.
"I am not really a goal scorer," Capuano said. "On
my club team (Pennsylvania Strikers), I play
defensive center midfield. I had no idea I would
score this many goals here at Sun Valley. It’s a
really big honor considering how many talented
players that have come through Delaware County."
The county record for career goals is believed to
132, held by the late great Aimee Willard, who
played for the Academy of Notre Dame in the early
’90s.
Capuano endured a rigorous rehabilitation regimen at
the Christiana Clinic that included a lot of pain,
balancing exercises and a few frustrating moments.
Among some of the leg strengthening exercises,
Capuano had to throw a medicine ball against a
trampoline while standing on a gumdrop, which proved
to be challenging at first because Capuano’s knee
kept wobbling from the pressure of the assignment.
The senior midfielder is back to her usual dominant
self. Running around the field like a bulldog
chasing a tennis ball, spinning through defenders
like a pinwheel, flying through the air like
Superwoman to head balls and creating scoring
chances for her teammates, Capuano leads the county
with 16 goals.
"If somebody told me when I was a freshman that I
would score that many goals, I would’ve been like,
no way," Capuano said. "I’ve had a great career here
at Sun Valley. I was part of a league championship
team, three playoff teams and I set the school
record for goals (the previous mark was 49). There
really isn’t anything else for me to accomplish."
Despite Sun Valley’s 4-8-0 record and tough start to
the season, Capuano is having a blast. Although
Capuano has been hounded, harassed and shadowed more
than the paparazzi follows celebrities, Capuano, a
ballerina in cleats, still has found a way to make
an impact with her goal scoring, decision making,
passing ability, leadership and personality.
"I felt bad for her when she told me she injured her
knee, but I knew she would come back," said Delco
Christian’s Amanda Stewart, Capuano’s best friend
and reigning Daily Times Girls Soccer Player of the
Year. "I admire Natalie because she has the best
work ethic on and off the field. When she sets her
mind to doing something, it gets done."
Capuano has come a long way from the nervous little
girl who played for the Hershey Kisses, her first
soccer team. On the field, she attacks opposing
players like a shark stalking blood. Off the field,
Capuano is laid back, hilarious and a scholar.
More important than all of her soccer
accomplishments is Capuano’s distinguished status as
a member of the National Honor Society, where she
serves as the vice president. Capuano’s list of
college destinations has dwindled to two: Georgetown
and the University of Pennsylvania. She will play
soccer.
Capuano is focused on helping Sun Valley finish with
a winning record. She is not concerned with how many
goals she ends her career with. Even though she did
not set out to score, Capuano has left a legacy --
which has nothing to do with scoring -- to which
younger girls can aspire.
Her toughness, resilience and work ethic is what
Capuano leaves behind along with the shredded record
book.
>
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of Articles
Bresani
is Beating Another Malady
The
star striker for Eustace played through pain in
previous years and is battling another problem.
But she finds the net.
By
Marc an class="creditline">Inquirer
Staff Writer
Posted on Wed, Sep. 15, 2004
It only hurt when she
walked, but Bishop Eustace's Aimee Bresani didn't
want to be denied the chance to play on a team that
was competing for a state title. So two years ago,
as a sophomore, she persisted with the pain and
continued to produce.
The effort paid off
in a state Parochial B title for the Crusaders,
validating the decision Bresani made while playing
with an injured MCL on her right knee and meniscus
on the left. She was told by doctors she could play,
but with one caveat: She would have to withstand
some serious pain.
"It was hard and
I had to fight through a lot of pain, but I love
soccer so much that it wasn't an option,"
Bresani said.
After scoring a total
of 20 goals her freshman and sophomore seasons, she
had 20 alone last year when Eustace won the South
Jersey Parochial B and Olympic Conference National
Division titles.
Last year, Bresani
demonstrated how dangerous she is as a goal scorer,
despite being double-teamed.
Now a senior, she
will again be fighting through adversity while she
applies her craft on the soccer field. In August,
Bresani contacted mononucleosis and she is easing
back to action.
Well, actually,
Bresani doesn't ease into anything. In Friday's
opening 2-1 win over No. 2 Moorestown, she played
upward of 60 minutes. She scored her first goal of
the season in Monday's 2-1 win over Paul VI.
"It's been tough
because I get tired more easily," she said.
It's the same feeling
defenders have trying to keep up with Bresani, who
is playing her senior season for nothing more than
love of the sport.
During the summer,
she made a oral commitment to accept a soccer
scholarship to the University of Maryland.
Some players, with
scholarship in hand and coming back from something
as debilitating as mono, would opt for a more
relaxed approach to the new season.
Not Bresani. She has
been playing the sport for more than a decade and
she didn't want to bow out before the conclusion of
her senior year.
"Her
determination to get it done is the most impressive
aspect of her game," Eustace coach Ray Beyerle
said.
As with many top
forwards, Bresani won't receive an overly large
number of touches during a game. The successful
forwards are those who are able to score on those
coveted chances.
"There are games
when she may touch the ball a few times, but you
look up and the ball is in the back of the
net," Beyerle said. "Aimee is the player
she is because Aimee is able to make the most of the
touches that she gets."
It also helps that
once the ball is on her feet she can shoot it with
force in addition to having the skill to get past
defenders.
After last soccer
season, she joined a high profile club program, the
Pennsylvania Strikers, based in Langhorne. Her team
won the Pennsylvania State Cup for under-17 players
and advanced to the Region 1 final before losing to
the Bethesda Excel, 2-0.
Bresani played
midfield for the Strikers. She has also performed as
a defender and forward for the New Jersey State
Olympic Development Team. Eustace uses her primarily
as a forward.
"I'm not sure
where I will play in college because the Maryland
coaches have seen me play offense, defense and
midfield," she said. "I'll play
COLUMBIA,
S.C. – Brooke Jacobs reflects on the reasons she
chose to play women’s soccer at the University
of South Carolina. 
Weinraub
scored a goal in both of Charlotte's games last
weekend including the game-winner against East
Carolina
