Confident and Excited
August 10, 2004 09:34 AM | General
August 10, 2004
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. -- Entering the 2004 season, members of the West Virginia University women’s soccer team have a satisfied, yet bitter taste in their mouths. Satisfying because in 2003, for the first time in school history, they advanced to the Sweet 16. Bitter because falling 21 seconds shy of a golden goal round that could have moved the Mountaineers into the Elite Eight has left a sourness that only another run at the Women’s College Cup can expel.
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| Coach Nikki Izzo-Brown has led WVU to four straight NCAA tournament appearances (All-Pro Photography/Dale Sparks) |
A fifth-straight appearance in the NCAA tournament is exactly what this group of Mountaineers are looking for.
Led by a strong, experienced nucleus of juniors and seniors, the 2004 Mountaineers are confident and excited. They intend to build upon last season’s Sweet 16 campaign; to display excellent showmanship and crafty soccer.
Gone are former two-time All-Americans Chrissie Abbott and Lisa Stoia. Gone too is three-year defensive starter and all-region player Jenn Lewis. WVU knows that one thing and one thing only will be the antidote for making the transition into a new era of Mountaineer soccer: teamwork.
“We have to work as a unit,” says head coach Nikki Izzo-Brown. “Everyone has to play together and be focused on the team in order for us to win a championship.”
Teamwork has always been a Mountaineer mantra and winning a championship has always been the goal. With an offense that features first team all-conference forward Laura Kane and a defensive unit anchored by all-region defender Ashley Weimer and freshman All-America goalkeeper Lana Bannerman, West Virginia has all the tools in place to have another successful season of soccer.
Last season, Kane was the Mountaineers leading scorer in conference matches, scoring three goals in six matches. A talented forward in her own right, the Pottstown, Pa., native has spent her previous three seasons in the Old Gold and Blue in the shadows of Katie Barnes and Abbott. This should be a breakout year for Kane, a NSCAA Scholar All-American.
“Laura’s a crafty and unpredictable player,” comments Izzo-Brown. “We expect her to continue to work hard and put the ball in the back of the net or use that unpredictability to help us create opportunities to score.”
In the mix at forward to fill the void left by Abbott’s graduation are three returners who each has valuable experience. Junior Rachael Minnich, who saw a backup role at forward in each of her first two seasons, along with sophomore Cathy Abel, whose experience came mostly on the outside flank last season, are two contenders for the starting spot. Senior Lisa Zanti, a three-year starter on defense, could also see time up top while newcomers Kiley Harris and Ashley Banks will also vie for time as the other half of West Virginia’s offensive tandem.
“The nice thing is that we have different options for that position,” the two-time BIG EAST coach of the year explains of her forward role. “We have a lot of players returning that can score and we have several newcomers who we feel can do the same. Harris, Banks, Minnich, Zanti, Abel–within that mix, we’ll see how preseason goes and I think we’ll have a solid person to step in.”
Having lost a huge asset in Stoia, the West Virginia midfield will need to develop synchronization and chemistry early in the season in order for the Mountaineers to be successful. West Virginia will be looking to Leslie Barden and Marisa Kanela to become solid playmakers.
“We lost our big engine in Lisa Stoia, so we are looking to the leadership of Leslie Barden and Marisa Kanela,” Izzo-Brown explains of WVU’s situation in the midfield. “We need them to come in and help us connect and play with maturity.”
Barden, a senior, is the consummate role player for the Mountaineers. She has the talent to play in the center and on the flank. The Fairfield, Ohio, native is a gutsy attacker and a fearless defender who came on strong during the postseason in 2003.
“I believe that Barden is that silent but deadly player,” Izzo-Brown says. “I expect her to play with her heart on her sleeve and get it done like she always does.”
A junior from Wantagh, N.Y., Kanela has spent two seasons at outside midfield, but will most likely see her action from the center of the field this season. The Mountaineers are expecting her to take a larger role in 2004 and build on the eight-goal, four-assist experience she has had over the past two seasons.
“Marisa had a terrific spring where she showed tremendous leadership on the attack, and an ability to defend and score goals in pressure situations. She’ll need to play her hardest, smartest soccer for 90 minutes,” adds the ninth-year head coach.
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| Senior Laura Kane is expected to be one of the team's leaders this fall (All-Pro Photography/Dale Sparks) |
With Kanela potentially moving to the middle of the field, the Mountaineers return only junior Kambria Riggins on the outside flank. Riggins, a two-year starter on the outside, combines experience and talent that makes her one of WVU’s most dangerous players. Quick to attack and even quicker to defend, the Millersville, Pa., native will be a key player in West Virginia’s offensive and defensive schemes this season.
“She’ll be difficult to beat in one-on-one situations,” Izzo-Brown notes of Riggins. “Her strength on the ball and her vision on the field is something that we’re going to look for her to use to put us in promising situations.”
Abel, a Flemington, N.J., native, could also see time on the flank while freshmen Lisa DuCote and Kim Bonilla are each expected to challenge for a starting spot in WVU’s midfield.
DuCote hails from Fredericksburg, Va., and is the Commonwealth of Virginia’s 2004 player of the year. She is also a high school and NSCAA youth All-American and boasts six years of regional team experience.
Likewise, Bonilla is a decorated newcomer. The Dumfries, Va., native spent two seasons on the U-16 national team and has played internationally in Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland and England.
At the season’s onset, the Mountaineers will, without question, be strongest in the defensive third. There, West Virginia returns three starters and a goalkeeper from a squad that posted 12 shutouts and was nationally ranked in shutout percentage and goals against average in 2003.
“The back line has to use its maturity to keep us together and make sure offensively and defensively that we are playing as team,” says Izzo-Brown. “They have to really communicate for 90 minutes and be the foundation off which we build.”
Senior Ashley Weimer returns for her final season and will be expected to lead the Mountaineers from her back row position. Last season she proved to be both a solid, tactical defender and potent offensive threat, and this season the coaching staff is looking for more of the same.
“Weimer’s a competitive and technical defender for us,” Izzo-Brown adds of her senior leader. “I expect her to step on that field and lead us. It’s going to be her job to make sure that we are ready to compete.”
Junior Karrie Hutchins and senior Lisa Zanti are additional defensive returnees. Hutchins, a Wheeling, W.Va., native had a solid campaign at center back as a sophomore, while Zanti is a great on-the-ball defender who likes to use her speed and skill to push forward and get into the attack.
Redshirt freshman Natalie Cocchi is most likely to crack the starting lineup in 2004, while Riggins may also see action in the backfield.
Bannerman returns for her sophomore campaign in goal and will use the experience of a record-tying 10 shutout freshman season to lead West Virginia this year.
“With Lana in goal we have a fourth coach on the field,” the veteran coach explains. “She has the best vision on the field and needs to be vocal to keep us organized and make us aware of the plays as they develop.”
Overall, Izzo-Brown feels she has a versatile team and acknowledges that their may be players in positions that are altogether new to them. By mixing veteran experience with the freshness of change and newcomers, the successful coach hopes to find the right blend of teamwork to tackle the challenging schedule awaiting the Mountaineers in 2004. West Virginia plays six teams that made last year’s NCAA tournament, two of which were fellow Third Round participants.
For the first time since 1998, the BIG EAST will not use a divisional line-up and all conference matches will count toward postseason play.
“It’s going to be fun,” Izzo-Brown says of the switch. “I’ve always felt that you are in a conference to play every school and this will be our first opportunity in a long time to do that. We’re looking forward to the experience.”
After traveling to Lexington, Ky., for a for a season-opening tournament that features matches against the Kentucky Wildcats and the Ohio Bobcats, the Mountaineers will play their first match in the new Dick Dlesk Stadium on September 1 against Purdue. WVU’s home slate also features conference matches with rivals Notre Dame and Villanova as well national powerhouse Virginia. West Virginia will play nine road games in all, including trips to BIG EAST powers Rutgers and Boston College.
Women’s soccer in the BIG EAST conference is always tough and exciting and with the caliber of non-conference teams on this year’s schedule, the ninth year of women’s soccer at WVU should be every bit as intense as the previous eight.
“I think the success we have had in the past has built confidence,” comments Izzo-Brown. “No matter what you say, until you get the results, it is hard to believe. Now that we believe, it’s time to play better, to work harder, to get it done.”
West Virginia plays its first scrimmage of the fall next Wednesday evening against Virginia Tech. The Mountaineer will also scrimmage Penn State Sunday, Aug. 22, before opeing the regular season on Friday, Aug. 27 at Kentucky. WVU's home opener is Wednesday, Sept. 1, against Purdue.
