Boston College Athletics
Women's Soccer Looks To Make Noise in 2004
August 16, 2004 | Women's Soccer
Aug. 16, 2004
Head Coach Alison Foley and the Eagles look to recreate the magic that carried the team to the first round of the NCAA Tournament last season. Foley coached the team to a 15-3-3 record while capturing multiple accolades, including Northeast Region Coach of the Year.
The production that the Eagles enjoyed from their youth last season bodes well for the squad as 14 letterwinnners and eight starters, return. The numbers at camp and the experience that these players bring will no doubt provide an important piece to the team dynamic.
"This is the largest group we have had in a while," said Foley. "We have 30 players coming into training camp. This will keep an already hard working group always working extremely hard. Each day will be a battle for spots and I believe this is a big positive."
As far as leadership goes, Foley seems optimistic. The team lost only three starters to graduation and the incoming group of seniors has embodied leadership roles as underclassmen in past seasons.
"The incoming senior class has incredible work ethic," Foley commented. "Unfortunately, Kristen Goddard, Laina Ceddia, and Erin Docherty have all sustained injuries in the past that have affected their production. This year, they are all coming back healthy and are ready to have the best year ever. We are looking forward to them having a successful senior year."
Junior Kate Taylor will also take on a leadership role on the team. She was voted captain as a sophomore in 2003 and will continue in that role for the 2004 season. Foley adds that, "Kate is one of the most well-liked kids on the team and her teammates have a great amount of respect for her."
The incoming group of recruits is as strong as it has been in the past. Two recruits that stand out are forward Kia McNeill and back Laura Georges. McNeill was voted 2003 NSCAA/adidas High School National Player of the Year and also earned the Most Valuable Player honor in the McDonald's All-American game. Georges, an international from Versailles, France, was initially selected for international play in 2001. Since then, she has played in the Under-19 World Cup and, in 2003, she played with the French National Team in the World Cup.
"We have a great incoming group that will be vying for a couple of spots that are now void due to graduated seniors. I expect camp to be extremely competitive." Soccer Buzz Magazine tabbed BC as the 18th ranked rookie class in the country, even without the knowledge of late addition Laura Georges.
With what appears to be a perfect mix of youth, experience, and senior leadership, the club hopes to build upon the success they had last season, ranking as high as #13 in the country and reaching the NCAA tournament.
FORWARDS
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 1/2
Newcomers: 3
Coach Foley is optimistic about her forwards, even with the loss of former points leader Beth Totman. Junior Katie McGregor returns after an impressive 2003 season in which she tallied 33 points on 14 goals and five assists. McGregor, elected to the 2004 Preseason All-BIG EAST Team, is the Eagles' most experienced forward. She sustained an injury last spring that did not give her a chance to coalesce offensively with other forwards from the 2003 team.
However, the chemistry she quickly created with Totman last season is important as she will play beside rookie forward Kia McNeill this season. McNeill has a distinguished track record, both in high school and at the club level. More importantly for BC, she shares a history with McGregor in Connecticut. Both McNeill and McGregor played on the Yankee Rage United club team and won state championships in 1998 and 2000. In their second season playing together, the duo helped the club team to the 1999 Club Team National Championship.
"Those two have had incredible chemistry in the past. We are hoping that Kia and Katie pick up where they left off three years ago," Foley commented.
Aside from McNeill and McGregor, BC brings in recruit Tara Luciani, a native of Calgary, Alberta, and Nicole Reyes. Luciani's Under-18 Southwest United Team won the 2003-04 Calgary League Championship and her quick release shots distinguish her among forwards. Reyes, a great one-on-one player, was the leading scorer in the Super Y League regular season as well as in the national tournament.
To conclude, Foley claimed, "The quickness that Nicole and Tara bring, combined with Kia's explosiveness and Katie's ability to play with her back towards the goal, create as talented and diverse a group of forwards as you could ask for."
MIDFIELDERS
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 3/0
Newcomers: 3
"Our midfielders are dangerous. They understand systems and know when we need to change out of certain sets. We have a skillful combination of smart, tactical play along with players that are workhorses and ball-winners."
Two key sophomores return in the Eagles' midfield this season. Among the two, BC welcomes back Heather Ferron. In her first collegiate season, she boosted the team by tallying 17 points on five goals and seven assists. Ferron's most notable goal came early in the BIG EAST semifinal game against Notre Dame in which BC defeated the Fighting Irish to mark the Irish's first-ever loss in the BIG EAST Tournament. She ranks second in scoring among returning players behind McGregor.
East Longmeadow native Jenny Maurer also returns to play beside Ferron. In 2003, she notched 10 total points, three goals and four assists, and earned Rookie of the Week Honors by scoring a goal in each of the first two games of the season. Maurer plays well behind Ferron and provides a tough defensive aspect to the Eagle midfield.
Laina Ceddia also assists on the flank with her speed and has the ability to make hard runs to the goal or serve the ball into the box for onrushing forwards. Last season, she tallied 13 points on five goals and three assists.
BACKS
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 7/2
Newcomers: 2
"Our backs proved, last season, that they can hang with some of the best forwards in the country. We are expecting big things from all defenders. This season, not only do they have their talent, but a year of experience on top of that. With the incoming group of recruits, we expect to be one of the best defensive teams in the country."
The youth of the backfield is a positive as the team looks forward to the 2004 season. As their most experienced group, the Eagles return six letterwinners on defense. Sophomores Mary Schneck and Molly Dane, who both attained SoccerBuzz All-Northeast Freshman Team honors in 2003, were thrown into the fire last season and rose to the challenge.
Schneck started all 21 games and joined Ferron on the BIG EAST All-Rookie Team. Dane earned NEWISA Second-Team All-New England honors with her speed and passing ability, which enabled her to open the season with a three-point performance against Wagner College.
Junior Lindsey McArdle, who also started every game in 2003, returns at center back. She anchors the defense and is incredibly skilled in the air. McArdle and keeper Taylor have gelled nicely over the last seasons and it is her tough play that makes Taylor's job that much easier.
Newcomer Laura Georges looks to see some time at inside back as well. Georges brings a level of international experience that is quite unique to the BC squad. With the key loss of stalwart Rebecca Brooke, she looks to step in immediately and solidify the backfield for the Eagles.
GOALKEEPERS
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 1/0
Newcomers: 0
"In terms of how we play, we like to go back to our goalkeeper, keep our possession and work from the back. Kate Taylor's vision and ball distribution is excellent and that allows us to play possession ball starting with her. We expect her to pick up exactly where she left off after her sophomore year."
As BC's strongest returner, junior keeper Kate Taylor is back in Chestnut Hill to defend her 2003 BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Year title. Taylor started all 21 games last season, making 63 saves and carrying an impressive 0.66 goals-against average. She notched seven shutouts throughout the season, three of which came in BC's six conference games. The accolades have not ceased in 2004 as the BIG EAST Coaches Poll touted her Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year. Her skill in distributing the ball from the box adds a jump-start to the Eagle offense.
Taylor will be backed by skilled senior Elyse Meredith, who will provide intense internal competition for Taylor. Jess Briody will also continue to provide cover at the keeper position.
