Women's Soccer Looks to Head Back to Postseason in 2008

Last season, the Southern New Hampshire University women's soccer team improved as the campaign went on, winning three of its final four games, including a 4-1 win over AIC in the season finale that tied the Penmen for the eighth spot in the Northeast-10.  However, an earlier heartbreaking double-OT loss to Bentley, the other team tied for eighth, cost SNHU the tiebreaker and had it on the outside looking in of the postseason for the second straight season.

Despite the strong finish to 2007, the Northeast-10 coaches picked the Penmen 10^th in the preseason coaches poll.  Despite the modest expectations outside the program, 10^th-year head coach Terry Prouty feels that this year's squad will be ready from the get-go.

"The big difference that we are going to have this year is leadership and we are going to have a talented team all around.  Everybody's connecting together.  Last year, we connected, but we didn't connect until later.  This year, we connected day one as a unit, not as separate classes."

"Every year you are hoping that the freshmen will step up and then the returners will step up because of the newcomers.   I don't think we've necessarily always had that.  The difference this year is that we do have that, we have an amazing freshman class and we have returners who are ready to play and ready for that challenge."

This year's captains are seniors Nicole Ebner (Rochester, NY), Cary Rivett (Uxbridge, MA) and Sophia Saint Paul (Brockton, MA).  All three have been an integral part of the program the last three seasons.  Rivett was a Northeast-10 All-Conference defender last season and has been a three-year starter.  Ebner missed seven games due to injury last season but still finished third on the squad in scoring with three goals and an assist, while Saint Paul goes through a position change for the second straight season.  After being SNHU's leading scorer in 2006, she was moved to the backfield last season, starting all 19 games.  This season, she moves back to the forward spot.

"We have great captains.  Not only do they rise to the occasion on the field, it's off the field that they have done a great job.  Their leadership as captains was to get this team together and be a unit, and they have done a great job with that, in addition to how they are on the field.  They're amazing players.

Scoring was an issue for the Penmen last season, totaling just 21 goals in 19 games.  In addition to Saint Paul's return to the front, SNHU has five returners who could see time up front, junior Alyssa Integlia (Johnston, RI) and sophomores Kristina Cardoso (Stoughton, MA), Andrea Wilson (North Kingstown, RI), Allie Muzik (Durham, CT) and Julie Saviano (Natick, MA).  In addition, junior transfer Alyssa Thayer (Hooksett, NH) and freshmen Ariel Teixeira (Warren, RI) and Emily Donahue (Bristol, RI) will be vying for playing time up at the forward position.

Integlia saw action in 16 games last season and recorded a pair of goals.  Cardoso, who played on the backline last season and could still see defensive duty, led all freshman in games played (17) and started (16) in 2007.  Wilson, a former NSCAA high school All-American, saw time in 14 games last season, while Saviano and Muzik will be looking to crack the lineup after training last season but not entering into games.

Thayer, a former standout at Manchester West, spent the first two seasons of her collegiate career at Division I Siena College.  While with the Saints, she was named to the 2008 MAAC All-Rookie Team and appeared in 28 games over her career.  Teixeira and Donahue were teammates at Mount Hope HS and led the Huskies to a Rhode Island state title as seniors while both garnering All-State honors.

Ebner will be looked to to lead the midfield corps.  Integlia, Saviano, Thayer and Teixeia will give the roster some versatility as they are all capable of playing in the middle as well.  Also returning to the middle is sophomore Danielle Coutremanche (Glastonbury, CT).  Courtemanche played in 17 games last season, tied for tops among first-year players.

Three freshmen, Brittany Roberts (Lebanon, NH), Amy Hansen (Windsor, CT) and Danielle Quinlan (North Andover, MA), will look to crack the lineup either in the midfield or on defense.  Roberts was a Second Team All-State selection at Lebanon HS, while Hansen registered 14 goals and eight assists as a senior at Windsor HS and twice earned All-Conference accolades.  Quinlan had eight goals and 15 assists as a senior at North Andover HS and was a two-time All-Conference pick.

Three players who were starters last season, Rivett, Cardoso and Kristin Moore (Weymouth, MA), return to the backfield, in addition to senior Abbi Newton (Hinesburg, VT) and junior Nicole Dupuis (Stamford, VT).  Newton and Dupuis have both played limited roles thus far in their careers but will look to crack the deep corps of backs.  Sophomore Sara Martell (Milford, NJ) was moved from the midfield to defense after appearing in 15 games last season and figures to see time, as well as freshman Emily Mongeau (Westborough, MA), who was an All-State selection for Westborough HS last season and helped lead the Rangers to an 18-4-2 mark.

"The four in the back are just going to be powerful.  Kristin Moore is somebody who can just run through anything.  Cary Rivett we all know, 4-11, solid as a rock," said Prouty.  "Emily Mongeau is perhaps one of the most mature freshmen that I've seen.  We've put Sara Martell in the back, and she is like a sponge, taking everything in and doing it.  That four in the back is going to stay as solid if not better than what we've had."

Southern New Hampshire returns a pair of upperclass goalies in senior Stef Young (Natick, MA) and junior Casey Les (Palmer, MA).  Young, who played all 1755 minutes in goal last season, recorded a 1.23 goals-against average last season and two years ago ranked among the NE-10 leaders in GAA.  Les, who has yet to see game action in her first two seasons, has been pushing Young hard and should see some time as well.

"They're different," said Prouty of Young and Les "but they both have their strengths.  I think their leadership in the goal is going to be great."

The 2008 campaign kicks off at Bridgeport August 29, with the NE-10 opener coming 11 days later at Saint Michael's.  While making a return to the Northeast-10 Tournament is obviously a goal, Prouty feels like the program needs to earn some respect back this season.

"Realistically, the NE-10 tournament is what we're looking at.  We have to build some respect back as well.  We haven't made it in two years, and we were ranked 10^th preseason," said Prouty.  "That's pretty low in my eyes.  (The coaches) picked us No. 10, maybe they should have, because we haven't been to the tournament in two years, but we're back, and watch out.  We're ready, and I think we're going to be on fire."