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Thursday, Aug. 31, 2006
INTERCOLLEGIATE SEASON KICKS OFF FRIDAY
Four teams open in tourney play this weekend; two are pre-season LEC favorites
WILLIMANTIC, Conn. – Four
teams will be involved in tournament play this weekend when the 2006/2007 intercollegiate season kicks off Friday evening.
Under the direction of 17th-year head coach Frantz Innocent, the men’s soccer team (8-7-1 last year) opens its 46th intercollegiate season when it meets first-time opponent Albion College (14-5-1) in the first match of the Springfield College Invitational Friday at 5 p.m. The Warriors meet No. 12-nationally ranked Western New England College (21-3-0) in their second tournament match Sunday at 2:30 p.m.
As the men’s soccer opener against Albion is headed toward halftime, the women’s volleyball program (28-11 last year) unveils its 32nd intercollegiate season when it faces first-time opponent Baptiste Bible College of Pennsylvania Friday night at 6 p.m. in the opening match of the Red Dragon Classic, hosted by SUNY Cortland. Under the direction of fourth-year head coach Jolie Ward, Eastern is opposed by SUNY New Paltz in its second match Friday night at 8 p.m. before concluding pool play Saturday at 10 a.m. against Buffalo State. The tournament championship match is scheduled for Saturday at 5:30 p.m.
First-year head coach Christine Jeffrey looks for her first collegiate victory as a heach coach when she leads the women’s field hockey program (4-13 last year) into its 10th Anniversary season Saturday at 1 p.m. against first-time foe Castleton State College (8-9) in its first match at the Stevens Tech Invitational. The Warriors meet tournament host Stevens Tech (10-7) in their second tournament match Sunday at 11 a.m.
Under the leadership of seventh-year head coach Chris D’Ambrosio, women’s soccer (12-6-2) will face two first-time opponents this weekend at the Manhattanville College Valiant Cup. The Warriors face New York University (7-9-1) Saturday at 2 p.m. when the curtain goes up on their 21st intercollegiate season. The tournament’s consolation match is scheduled for noon Sunday,
with the title game set for 2 p.m. Eastern will face either host Manhattanville College (7-13-1) or New Jersey City University (5-14-0) Sunday. Manhattanville is under the direction of second-year head coach Matt Paton, who compiled a six-year record of 53-46-10 as Eastern’s head women’s soccer coach between 1994 and 1999.
Men’s and women’s cross country gets underway under sixth-year head coach Frank Poulin Sept. 9 by hosting Bridgewater State College at Mansfield Hollow State Park at 10:30 a.m.
Men’s Soccer
After finshing fifth in the eight-team Little East Conference, Eastern has been selected to finish fourth in this year’s pre-season coaches’ poll. The Warriors return 11 letterwinners from a team which gave up only 13 goals a year ago as they attempt to qualify for conference post-season play for the fifth time in eight years.
Top returning players are keeper Jay Barney (Jr./Mansfield) and central defender Derek Miles (Sr./Newtown), midfielders Elvis Perndoj (Sr./Lezha, Albania), Pat Kozloski (Sr./Oxford) and Ricky Bruneau (Jr./Bristol) and forward Shane Laughran (Sr./Coventry). Perndoj was a first-team all-conference pick in his first season at Eastern last year and was joined by Miles. At least four newcomers should figure prominently in this year’s plans: midfielders Max Fantl (Fr./West Hartford) and Ergys Guni (Jr./East Hartford), defender Dean Perri (Fr/Commack, NY) and forward Stephane Sone (Fr./West Hartford).
“This year’s team returned fit and ready to work hard,” praises Innocent, who has coached more matches (307) than anyone in program history. “The challenge will be to blend the newcomers with the returning players to form a cohesive unit.”
Women’s Volleyball
The Warriors were rewarded for last year’s conference playoff title – their first since 1998 – by being voted as the overwhelming selection for the top spot in the coaches’ pre-season poll. After sweeping two conference tournament matches, Eastern qualified for its 14th NCAA tournament – the most of any Division III program in New England. After a 14-20 record in her first year, Ward has compiled a composite 49-27 mark the last two years, with the team sharing the conference regular-season title each year. She was voted last year’s conference Coach-of-the-Year.
Eight letterwinners return, led by Marianna Capomolla (Sr./Stamford), last year’s conference Defensive Player-of-the-Year and conference tournament MVP. Returnees up front include outside hitter Jessica Keogh (Sr./Monroe) and middle blocker Emma Sousa (Jr./Coventry). Keogh was a second-team all-conference pick last year. Priscilla Dougherty (Jr./Island Park, NY) may take over as the No. 1 setter after sharing the setting chores with three teammates last year. Outside hitter Angela Loomis (Jr./Meriden) returns from a break-through season as a sophomore. Top newcomers are twins Lindsey Odell (Fr./Dover Plains, NY) and Lauren Odell (Fr./Dover Plains, NY) and Alexandra Silvestros (So./North Branford).
“We have a hard-working group overall with a common goal of teamwork and success,” says Ward, who feels that a strong incoming group can help offset the losses of middle blocker Nicole Tassone and right-side hitter Chrissie Siranko. “We have a positive outlook for the upcoming season.”
Field Hockey
After serving as an assistant coach the past two years, Jeffrey takes over for Kathy Railey, who led the Warriors to one post-season tournament berth (ECAC in 2001) in her six-year tenure. Since the 2001 season, however, Eastern has managed a winning percentage of just over 30.0 per cent.
While the senior-less Warriors will be without graduated first-team all-conference back Erika Profenno, five of the seven players who started all 17 matches a year ago do return: backs Kate Caren (Jr./Redding) and Meagan Puzacke (So./Thomaston), midfielders Amy Lampe (Jr./Brookfield) and Jaime Seligmann (So./Sherman) and forward Lindsay Raymond (Jr./Niantic). Moreover, Jess Scheno (Jr./Lindenhurst) returns at sweep and will form a strong defense with Caren and Puzacke. Stephanie Mongelli (Jr./Pequannock, NJ) scored five of the team’s 13 goals last year and may team up front with Raymond and a newcomer. As many as four newcomers could open in the starting lineup: goalie Mindy Maher (Fr./Sherman), midfielders Allie Franklin (Fr./Newington) and Nicole Spallaci (So./Stafford Springs) and forward Joslin Wells (So./Marstons Mills, MA).
“We are looking forward to being very competitive in the conference,” notes Jeffrey, who inherits nine returning letterwinners in all. “We have a young team that has the skills and desire to become a threat. This team has excellent chemistry and works well together on and off the field.”
Women’s Soccer
D’Ambrosio had taken the Warriors to the forefront in the competitive Little East Conference, having led the program to two of the last three conference playoff titles, as well as the most wins (28) and best winning percentage (.843) in conference regular-season play over the last five years. And although the graduation losses were heavy and included conference scoring leader Jenn Orme among four all-conference casualties, Eastern remained the conference coaches’ pre-season co-favorite to finish on top come season’s end.
A total of 13 letterwinners return. Six of them logged more than 1,000 minutes: backs Melissa Lambert (Sr./Montville), Michelle Read (Sr./Wallingford) and Heather-Lynn Spada (Jr./Hebron) and midfielders Carrie Fleischer (Sr./Tolland), Megan Sheehan (Jr./Colchester) and Kaytee Zielinski (So./South Windsor). Megan Gloster (So./Agawam, MA) who split time in goal as a freshman before missing most of last year with a knee injury, should open between the pipes but may split time with newcomer Kim Church (Fr./Farmington). With the loss of three of last year’s four top scorers, Zielinski may move up front and will be joined by second-year players Eliana Handschu (Sr./Madera, CA) and Meghan Ryczek (So./East Haddam). In addition to Church, additional top newcomers include two Central Connecticut State University transfers: Nicole Gaudette (So./Colchester and Andrea Gayeski (So./Colchester), as well as Taylor MacDonald (Fr./Oak Bluffs, MA), Christine Lemieux (Fr./South Windsor) and Sarah Swann (Fr./Oxford).
“We have a nice blend of returning starters, as well as a solid group of sophomores and freshmen and several transfers,” points out D’Ambrosio, the winningest coach in program history.“It may take some time for us to find the right mix, define roles and get the correct chemistry, but it will be a long season, and I think we’ll eventually get there.
