Basile, Olsen, And Prendegast Captain Trinity Women's Soccer
Hartford, Conn. - The Trinity women's soccer team is eager to begin the 2009 season, under the direction of Head Coach Michael Smith (13th Season), as the Bantams look to return to the NESCAC Championship Tournament for the third year in a row and for the sixth time in the last nine years. The Bantams return 12 letterwinners from last year's squad that finished the 2008 season in sixth place in the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) with a 4-5 conference mark and 9-6 overall. The Bantams dropped a 2-0 decision at Middlebury in the opening round of the NESCAC Tournament, but the experience of two straight post-seasons and a pre-season training trip to Bermuda in August should help the young squad take the next step into the Trinity's first-ever NESCAC Final Four and contend for an NCAA bid. Senior tri-captains Sarah Basile (North Granby, Conn.), Lauren Olsen (Cheshire, Conn.) and Caitlin Prendergast (Braintree, Mass.) lead a young but deep and experienced team that should climb the ladder in one if the toughest Division III women's soccer conferences in the nation. Trinity opens the 2009 season at NESCAC rival Colby on Saturday, September 12.
Trinity, which finished third in the NESCAC in scoring last fall with 2.07 goals per game, returns sophomore forward, 2008 All-NESCAC selection and NESCAC Rookie of the Year Jenny Ley (Warwick, R.I.) and fellow All-NESCAC sophomore Leigh Howard (Bethany, Conn.) to give the Bantams as potent a 1-2 scoring punch as there is in the conference. Ley led the Bantams in scoring with eight goals and a team-high eight assists (1st in NESCAC) for 24 points (3rd in NESCAC), while Howard added a team-high nine goals and two assists for 20 points including a team-high three game-winners. A solid group of freshman prospects will compete with sophomores Shawna Altdorf (Brooklyn, Conn.) and Lindsay Monaghan (Needham, Mass.) for the third starting spot up front in Trinity's 4-3-3 alignment.
Olsen and juniors Maika Scifo (River Edge, N.J.), an All-NESCAC selection in 2007, and Morgan Sackman (Sleepy Hollow, N.Y.), who tallied three goals and an assist a year ago, give the Bantams three solid veterans with two or more years of starting experience in the midfield. Basile, who is battling her way back from an injury that caused her to miss all but five games last fall, will also contribute at the position if healthy, and several rookies will compete for the remainder of the playing time in the midfield.
Prendergast and junior Caroline Washburne (Medfield, Mass.) anchor a strong in the backfield in 2009. Pendergast is tough and experienced and Washburne has been a consistent leader while starting every game in her first two seasons. Sophomores Kristen Ramsay (Glastonbury, Conn.) and Courtney DeVinney (Wallingford, Pa.) showed potential as rookies last fall and will compete with freshman prospects for the other two spots. Both Altdorf and Monaghan are both also capable of moving to the backfield.
Junior goalkeeper Emily Weedon (Wellesley, Mass.) led the NESCAC in save percentage at .929 and set a new Trinity record with seven shutouts as a freshman in 2007, and played well late last fall after recovering from an early-season injury. She will compete with sophomore Lily Pepper (Princeton Junction, N.J.), who filled in admirably early last season, for the starting nod and the pair give the Bantams two of the most talented backstops in the league. Sophomore Cristin Fitzpatrick (Madison, Wisc.) is also a capable backup.
