BRYANT WOMEN'S SOCCER PREVIEW 2006
While consistently finishing near the top of the one of the toughest women's soccer conferences in the country - the Northeast-10, the 2006 edition of the Bryant University women's soccer team has its eyes set at getting back to the conference playoffs and back into the NCAA tournament.
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Junior Diane Pascale |
Last year's squad made a strong run at the postseason only to come up just shy of earning a berth in the NCAA tournament. Posting a 13-6-2 record and finishing tied for third in the conference standings, the Bulldogs spent several weeks in the top-25 national poll. Highlighting the season was a school-record eighth-match win streak and a No. 2 regional ranking coupled with a No. 12 national ranking.
This year, seventh-year coach Chris Flint will field a veteran lineup hungry to take the next step this fall as the Bulldogs welcome back three of the team's top scorers from ‘05.
Here's a look at how the Bulldogs shape up heading into 2006:
FORWARD
There may not be a more dangerous one-two combo in the conference this season than the Bulldog duo of senior Casey Grange (Methuen, Mass.) and junior Diane Pascale (Plymouth, Mass.). The two combined for 15 goals last season and possess quick-strike scoring threats at any moment.
A hard-nosed, physical attacker, Grange netted eight goals while added four assists last season. Pascale, with excellent skill and quickness, was second on the with seven tallies plus finished with three assists.
Junior Stephanie Zalewski (Parsippany, NJ) and sophomore Kristin Fisher (Plymouth, Mass) have experience in 36 matches between them with Zalewski enjoying a strong freshman campaign with eight points on the year (3 goals, 2 assists).
MIDFIELD
In the midfield, the Bulldogs will have to replace a all-conference performer Terri Gidius who graduated this past spring. In her place, Flint will look to five sophomores to set the table offensively this fall. Junior Tricia Spada (Dedham, Mass.) finished third on the team in scoring a year ago with six goals and a pair of assists. She'll be looked upon to help provide much of the team's offense this season.
Daisy Martinez (Eliot, ME) and Amy Orzechowski (Milford, Conn.) also embark on their second seasons having earned valuable time as freshman in '05. Martinez and Orzechowski each had a pair of goals in their first year with the Bulldogs.
DEFENSE
Defensively, Bryant will have to find a way to replace Northeast-10 Conference Defensive Player of the Year in Hannah Sandrowski, but the depth of the stoppers won't go unnoticed as five letterwinners are back this fall including starters Megan Reising (Diamond Point, NY), Danielle Malta (Bethel, Conn.), and Kellie Barker (Westfield, Mass.).
The three have tremendous quickness and toughness that will be crucial this season in stopping opposing strikers. The Bulldogs look to benefit from the return of Lauren Childers (Franklin, Mass.) who missed all of last season with an injury during preseason. Jessica Conley (Salem, NH) looks to improve in her second campaign with the Bulldogs.
GOALKEEPER
One of the areas of certainly heading into the new season will come between the posts where Jessica Neales (Swansea, Mass.) returns following an impressive freshman season in ‘05. Neales started all 21 matches last season, posting a 0.75 GAA and eight shutouts.
