The beginning of a new school year and the end of August brings back another men’s and women’s soccer season to Owen T. Carroll field. In particular, the women’s team is looking to rebound from a tough campaign last year in which they failed to make the playoffs.
This year’s team has a plethora of young talent with only six players on the team having junior or senior status. One of the young leaders is sophomore Elizabeth Bond, who has started all three games this year as goalkeeper. Her role is extremely vital as she fills in for Amanda Becker, who was a former mainstay at the position, starting 55 games in the past three years for the Pirates. Taylor Wilson, Ashley Beamish, and Lauren Lehman are three freshman who have started in all three games this year for the Pirates. Nicki Gross, a sophomore, is another young player who has contributed much to the team already, having the second most goals and points on the team while starting in 17 games last season.
Katie Andreski, a junior, started in 15 games last season, and so far has been a major factor in the Pirates’ recent success. In the 2008 campaign, Andreski scored two goals in 6-0 win over Sacred Heart and provided the only goal in a 2-1 loss to St. Louis. Megan Mills, a junior who started in sixteen games last year, returns to the team as a defender. Anne Anders and Cassie Gioia, return as the Pirates’ only two seniors.
The team has showed success in the early 2008 campaign. After opening the season with a tough loss to Saint Louis, the team, lead by second year coach Kazbek Tambi, has pulled off two straight wins. After stomping Sacred Heart the Pirates defeated Marist 2-1. Tomorrow they will be playing Fairfield University before taking on Quinnipiac and Columbia in the Saint John’s tournament.
The biggest test for this young squad will be their Big East schedule. Tough opponents this year will be last year’s Big East Champion, West Virginia. and National Division Champion, Notre Dame. The team should fair pretty well in the conference if players like Andreski and Gross have good years combined with a significant contribution from the younger players.
Special thanks to Joseph Montefusco for providing information for this article.
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