2013 Digital Publication
As ninth-year head coach Jim O'Brien looks at his 2013 Fairfield University women's soccer roster a smile must creep onto his face. The Stags return 75 percent of their offense from a squad that earned a share of the 2012 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Regular Season Title, including seven of the top-10 scorers, and has a projected starting 11 all of whom have at least a handful of collegiate starts on their resumes.
"I am looking forward to this campaign," O'Brien said, "as we have a roster that I am pretty excited about. It is a great mix of veterans that have been in the trenches for us the past several years and a group of newcomers that will really enhance what we have been building in this program."
Any discussion of an O'Brien coached side has to begin in the back, and this season will be no different. The Stags allowed just 0.84 goals per game a season ago, and expect to have a starting defense that has plenty of experience.
Kathleen Early will be the last line of defense for the Stags, returning from a strong 2012 campaign that saw her finish 55th in the nation with a .855 goals-against average. She stopped 83 percent of the shots she faced, 64th in the country, over her nearly 1200 minutes of action. Sophia DeVita got her feet wet last season, with a save in 25 minutes of action, and will compete with newcomers Corinne Peabody and Mikaela Stiklickas for time in the cage.
"Our back line tells a lot about our program and the type of players that we have," said O'Brien. "We graduated the league Defensive Player of the Year and could still arguably have the top defense in the conference. These kids are just hard-working, gritty players, and do an excellent job for us."
Veterans Jac Ley, and Megan O'Brien are projected to start on either side of the back line. Ley, who began her career as an offensive minded player, appeared in all 19 games last fall, with eight starts, and has adapted well to the defensive mindset. She does give the Stags an additional offensive weapon to press the offense forward when needed, as she has the experience of having played in the midfield. O'Brien started 18 of 19 games last fall and earned All-MAAC Second Team honors after helping the Stags defense finish first in the league in goals allowed. O'Brien has started 27 times in two seasons and has played a role in 20 clean sheets..
The center backs, Jessica Broadbent and Emma Pichl, are both juniors and have combined for 34 starts in their 64 collegiate games. Pichl started a dozen contests last season, while Broadbent made one start in 13 games. Broadbent had three assists, the first points of her career, in 2012, and finished second on the team in that category.
The competition for those starting spots in the back will be fierce, with redshirt-freshman Karolyn Collins looking to return from a torn ACL suffered in her collegiate debut. Added to the mix is a pair of rookies, Anna Borea and Grace Landers. Borea twice earned All-State honors at New Canaan High School, while Landers was part of 57 wins at Immaculate Heart Academy in Teaneck, N.J., and earned Third Team All-State accolades.
The competition for time in the midfield will also be intense, with a group of 14 players looking to get on the pitch. Anchoring the central midfield are fifth-year senior Nikki Stanton and junior Michelle Kowalski. On top of their vast collegiate experience, 58 games and 16 points for Stanton, and 31 games with 21 starts for Kowalski, the duo have had the opportunity to play at elite levels. Stanton played alongside several members of the US National Team with the FC Sounders last summer, and Kowalski has seen time with the Polish U19 squad in each of the last two years.
"The opportunity to play with national team members and for your country is something that Nikki and Michelle both treasure," said O'Brien. "The level of play and commitment to training that they experienced they have been able to bring back to our program."
Senior Carly Beyar is expected to start at one of the wide midfield spots this fall and will look to add to her 20 career points. She led the Stags with five assist last season, a year after scoring a team-best four goals, earing Second Team All-MAAC honors as a sophomore, On the other wing, the Stags expect Erin Pettersen, a Second Team All-MAAC honoree last fall, to earn the starting nod. She scored three times, including the game-winner at Loyola, and finished third on the roster with eight points.
Senior Sarah Frassetto is one of three returnees that will provide experience at the wide midfield positions. She has 37 career games, with 10 starts, to her credit and was selected as a team captain this fall. Emily Wieczorek saw her playing time increase as her rookie season progressed last fall, handing out an assist in the win at Iona, and earning All-MAAC Rookie Team honors, while Michelle Coate has played in seven games in her two seasons with the Stags.
Two newcomers, Sydney Aristivo and Brenna Brown, join the competition at the wide midfield as preseason camp begins. Arestivo was part of two state championship teams at St. Anthony's High School, serving as team captain and earning Second-Team All-Long Island honors as a senior. Brown scored 162 points in four seasons at North Salem High School, earning Section One Player of the Year honors as a senior.
Torey Camporini has seen action in 27 games as a Stag, with nine appearances last fall, and will be an integral part of the game plan in the central midfield. She had three points as w rookie, with a goal and an assist and has started five games in her two seasons with the program. Sophomore Sarah Gerali is in her second campaign with the Stags and will be in the mix both in the midfield and in the back.
Rookies Molly Moran and Victoria Ortega join the mix in the central midfield as well. Moran was a three-time All-League Honorable Mention at Wilbraham and Monson Academy, helping the Titans to a pair of Class B WWNEPSSA Championships. Ortega scored 23 goals and collected 33 assists in four seasons at Dover Sherborn Regional High School on her way to becoming the first All-New England selection in school history.
"We have tremendous depth in our midfield and a group of players that I feel will be very good at possessing the ball," said O'Brien, "and feeding our attacking players."
Up front O'Brien has four players - two veterans and two rookies - that provide different looks for opposing defense. Senior Shannon Fay is a prototypical target forward, while Ashley Small is lightening quick. Fay, a team captain, is the Stags active points' leader, entering the year with 26 points on 10 goals and six assists. Small has scored twice in each of her first two seasons, earning All-MAAC Rookie Team honors in 2011.
Cassidy Boegel and Pam Coufos will spell the veteran pair up front during the coming season, with Boegel a target forward and Coufos more similar to the speedy Small. Boegel scored 30 times, with 14 assists, in two seasons at Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School and earned NSCAA All-Region honors, as well as All-Stat accolades. Coufos struck for 25 goals and 18 assists in four seasons at North Andover High School where she was a two-time MVP and earned All-State accolades.
"Perhaps the thing that I like most about this team is the versatility that we have," said O'Brien. "Just about everyone on the roster could play at multiple spots if we needed them to, and that provides us with so much extra depth."
The Stags open the 2013 season with four road games, beginning August 23 at Army. The home opener comes on September 13 as part of the Fairfield Women's Soccer Invitational. The Stags play American on Friday night, following a contest between Hartford and Holy Cross. On Sunday Fairfield takes on Holy Cross while Hartford and American play in the early game.
