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Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2005
FIFTEEN RECOGNIZED BY LITTLE EAST CONFERENCE
Six in w-soccer all-conference; Capomolla top defensive player in volleyball
WILLIMANTIC, Conn. -- Led by the women’s soccer team, a total of 15 fall athletes were named to a Little East Conference all-conference team Tuesday.
At left: Three-time pick Meghann Booth
Six members of Eastern’s conference championship women’s soccer team were selected to the all-conference team, four were named to the all-conference men’s soccer team, three to the all-conference volleyball team and one to the all-conference field hockey team.
In addition being named first-team all-conference in volleyball, junior libero Marianna Capomolla (STAMFORD) became the program’s first Defensive Player-of-the-Year and third-year head coach Jolie Ward was selected the conference’s Coach-of-the-Year after directing the program to a share of the regular-season title and to its fifth post-season conference championship – first since 1998. Senior right-side hitter Chrissie Siranko (DANBURY) joined Capomolla on the first team while junior outside hitter Jessica Keogh (MONROE) was also named to the all-conference second team
In women’s soccer, five of the six all-conference selections were all repeaters. Senior midfield Meghann Booth (WINDSOR LOCKS) was named for the third straight season, while senior back Ashley Dynderski (NORTH BRANFORD) and senior forwards Caitlin Buzzell (MANCHESTER) Jenn Orme (CENTEREACH, NY) and junior back Melissa Lambert (MONTVILLE) were named for the second time in their careers. They were joined by first-time pick Carrie Fleischer (TOLLAND).
Despite finishing in fifth place and missing the conference playoffs, the men’s soccer team was represented with four selections. The program equaled its second-highest all-conference total and equaled its second-highest total with three first-teamers. Junior back Derek Miles (NEWTOWN) was named for the second straight season and was joined by first-time selections Foti Anastasiou (COLCHESTER), Elvis Perndoj (LEZHA, ALBANIA) and Nick Rezendes (NEWINGTON). Anastasiou is a first-year senior forward, Perndoj a first-year midfielder and Rezendes a fourth-year back.
In field hockey, senior back Erika Profenno (SOUTH PORTLAND, ME) was named to the all-conference team for the second time in her two-year Eastern career.
A second-year transfer from Concordia College (NY), Capomolla was named the program’s first Defensive Player-of-the-Year and repeated all-conference honors. She was a second-team pick as a first-year sophomore in 2004. Through the conference tournament, Capomolla led the conference with 636 digs and was second in the conference with an average of 4.58 per game. She is also tied for fourth in the conference with a team-leading 73 service aces. Capomolla also leads Eastern with 1,212 reception attemps, with a .934 reception percentage.
Siranko, the team’s only four-year letterwinner, becomes the first Eastern player in the eight-year history of conference volleyball to repeat all-conference first-team honors, earning first-team recognition on the right side for the second straight year. A three-time conference Offensive Player-of-the-Week this year, Siranko leads the Warriors with a .252 attack percentage and with 368 kills and is second on the team with 98 blocks. Siranko played an important role in the conference tournament championship win over Keene State, collecting 11 kills, attacking at .321 and adding five blocks.
A third-year player, Keogh was recognized by the conference for the first time. A starter in 31 matches, Keogh is one of the team’s top all-around players. She leads the team with a .956 reception percentage on 500 attempts, is second in digs (401), third in service aces (51) and fourth in kills (269). In the conference tournament last week, Keogh had 17 kills – second-most by one on the team – to go along with a team-high four service aces and 35 digs and was second with 47 reception attempts.
In her third season, Ward led Eastern to a share of the conference regular-season title for the second straight year and to its first post-season tournament title since 1998. The Warriors, winners of 19 of their last 22, bring a 28-10 overall record into this week’s NCAA Division III Tournament.
Booth was named to the second team at forward as a sophomore in 2003 and to the second team as a junior midfielder last year while Buzzell was a second-team selection at forward in her first season at Eastern last year after transferring from Trinity College. Dynderski was a first-team all-conference pick at back on the 2003 conference championship team before missing all of last year following knee surgery. Orme, the MVP of last weekend’s conference tournament, had gained first-team all-conference laurels at forward in 2004 and Lambert first-team accolades at back in 2004.
As backs, Dynderski and Lambert have helped Eastern record six shutouts this year – the second most in the conference this year. In winning six and tying one in seven conference matches, Eastern has allowed only seven goals and just 22 in 19 matches this season. The Warriors are 12-5-2 heading into Saturday’s NCAA Division III Tournament.
Orme currently leads the conference in scoring with 34 points and is second with 12 goals while Buzzell is tied for fourth with 27 points and tied for third with 11 goals. Booth has scored five goals with four assists this season. Fleischer is third on the team with 17 points on six goals and five assists.
Miles, a team tri-captain, earned first-team honors this year after being named to the second team as a sophomore. He was joined on the first team by Anastasiou and Perndoj. With Miles and Rezendes, the 8-7-1 Warriors allowed only 13 goals this year – the lowest number of any conference team. Anastasiou, who played two seasons ago at Division I Central Connecticut after an All-America career at Manchester Community College, is ranked in a tie for tenth in the conference with seven goals while Perndoj is rated in a tie for third with seven assists. Perndoj, who played two seasons at Manchester CC , share the team lead with 15 points.
Profenno is the only first-team all-conference back in program history and one of only two players to be named all-conference more than once. A transfer from the University of Southern Maine, Profenno started 16 matches for the 4-13 Warriors this year. She led the team with four assists.
Little East Conference
2005 Awards
MEN’S SOCCER
All-Conference
Foti Anastasiou Sr F First Team
Derek Miles Jr. B First Team
Elvis Perndoj Jr. MF First Team
Nick Rezendes Sr. B Second Team
WOMEN’S SOCCER
All-Conference
Meghann Booth Sr. MF First Team
Caitlin Buzzell Sr. F First Team
Ashley Dynderski Sr. B Second Team
Carrie Fleischer Jr. MF Second Team
Melissa Lambert Jr. B Second Team
Jenn Orme Sr. F Second Team
WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL
Defensive Player-of-the-Year
Marianna Capomolla Jr. L
Coach-of-the-Year
Jolie Ward Third Year
All-Conference
Chrissie Siranko Sr. RS First Team
Marianna Capomolla Jr. L First Team
Jessica Keogh Jr. OH Second Team
FIELD HOCKEY
All-Conference
Erika Profenno Sr. B First Team
