The College of Wooster women’s soccer team kicks off its season this weekend at the Herb Lauffer Tournament in Erie, Pa. The Fighting Scots will attempt a tenth winning season and hope to top their impressive 12-5-1 record last fall.
This year’s women’s soccer team looks very different. With 14 first-years and 14 returning players, head coach David Brown has his work cut out figuring what lineups and in what combinations to plug-in. While the Scots lost a few seniors last year, they return an important core.
The versatile Kate Kiley ’09, who has played every position on the field during her three years at Wooster, and Liz Mott ’11 go into the weekend as top forwards. Mott looks poised to top an outstanding first-year campaign in which she led the team with 19 points, scoring five goals and assisting in nine scores, earning an honorable mention on the All-North Coast Athletic Conference Team.
This year’s midfield rotation will include many new faces mixed in with the returning starters of Sara Dresser ’09, Chantal Koechli ’10 and Simone DiSalvo ’10. Koechli, who finished with 14 points last season (three goals, eight assists), will most likely continue to be the Scots’ corner kick specialist. Dresser, going into her second year as team captain, will provide solid defensive aid along with valuable leadership.
And while there is plenty of experience in the midfield, defense will once again be the scots’ greatest strength. The defensive domination that the Scots’ exhibited last year by allowing only 15 goals (second-best total in the league) should continue. Kristin McCall ’09, a two-time all-NCAC defender, will be joined by fellow seniors and returning starters Taryn Higgins ’09 and Alice Bauman ’09.
There will be major competition for time at goalkeeper this year. With last year’s starting goaltender Abby Brown ’08 gone, Sara Flannely ’09 and Alix Hoffman ’11 will both get their chances to claim the starting job for the opener. However, neither Flannely nor Hoffman played more than a half game all of last season. Don’t be surprised to see first-year Caitlin Zusy ’12 getting some chances in goal.
Establishing team chemistry should be the major focus going into the weekend. With half the team new to the College, some young players are going to have to catch up to the fast pace of college soccer, and the upperclassmen are going to have to help them get to the point.
Though there are some major contributers from last year returning, this is a very different team.