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Edinboro University women's soccer head coach
Gary Kagiavas has battled the growing pains of youth for several
years now. In 2004, inexperience got the upper hand, a rarity for
the veteran coach who has successfully battled the maladies of
youth for several years now. As Edinboro celebrates its tenth
season of competition, Kagiavas is excited about putting together
another winner, albeit another young one.
The Fighting Scots, with 13 freshmen and six
sophomores on the roster, finished with a 6-9-3 record, the first
losing season since 1998. The six wins also represented the fewest
wins since the 1997 team won five matches. Kagiavas' teams had won
at least nine games every year since.
"If we had finished .500 last
year, I would have been happy," admitted Kagiavas. "In
our conference, you can't go in with inexperienced players. A lot
of games we dominated but we lost due to our lack of experience.
It hurt us at crucial times."
For instance, early in the season Edinboro held
a 3-0 lead against third-ranked Slippery Rock with 17 minutes
remaining. The Fighting Scots squandered that lead as The Rock
scored three goals in an 11-minute period and lost 4-3 in
overtime.
"The second time we outplayed
them, as well," stressed Kagiavas," yet still lost 2-0.
Against IUP, Bridgeport, and Southampton, we competed
statistically but lost."
Kagiavas also knew that scoring punch might be
lacking. Several young players stepped up and gave hope for the
future, but the Fighting Scots were still shut out eight times,
the most since 1999. Edinboro scored one goal or less in 12
matches.
"Technically we struggled at the
beginning of the year," Kagiavas pointed out. "The whole
center midfield was new, and the forward's were new. We did not
have enough opportunity to get to understand how we were going to
play. When you have seven or eight new kids trying to figure out
what their jobs were ... that's tough!
"Last year wasn't all bad,"
he continued. "We beat Shippensburg, tied Kutztown. They were
extremely good teams. We probably should have won both Slippery
Rock matches."
Kagiavas spent the winter and spring trying to
improve his young squad. He emphasized an indepth weightlifting
program, along with as many games as he could play in the spring.
While youth will again be an issue, with 12 freshmen and 11
sophomores on the roster, ten starters return, leaving Kagiavas
with high hopes.
"I think we can give it a run for
a PSAC West playoff spot," emphasized Kagiavas. "I'd be
disappointed if we don't make the playoffs. Most of our players
have played at a very high level and won state championships and
club championships. Winning won't be new to these kids. But we
have to win one game at a time and build on that. They were
extremely disappointed when we finished 6-9-3. My biggest concern
once again is goal scoring. We need a true goal scorer. But I'm
pretty excited with the nucleus of our team and our depth."
Kagiavas also expects the added year's
experience to improve the maturity level of the team.
"I think a lot of kids will step
up and accept responsibility, unlike last year. They were
intimidated. I really believe we'll be surprised by a couple of
kids."
Edinboro opens its tenth season under Kagiavas
on August 27, playing Shippensburg.
"We start right off with a pair
of killer matches in Shippensburg and Blooomsburg, then we play
Bridgeport, a team which should be better than last year."
The Purple Knights were ECAC finalists a year ago.
"With the likes of IUP, Slippery
Rock, Mercyhurst, along with a crossover game against East
Stroudsburg - it's an extremely tough schedule. I can see two or
three wins that I think we should get. We try and play as many
PSAC schools as we can. They're always quality teams. I believe We
may have the toughest Division II conference in the country."
Goalkeepers
A year ago Trish Chilcott and Abbey Mortus shared the goalkeeping
duties, although Chilcott saw the majority of the action. With
Mortus gone, Chilcott will likely see the majority of the time,
although Kagiavas has always split up the duties in goal. A senior
who will serve as a captain, Chilcott had a 1.22 goals against
average with a pair of shutouts while appearing in 17 matches,
with nine starts. In two seasons as Edinboro's goalkeeper, she has
a 1.16 career goals against average, the best in school history.
Redshirt freshman Katie Barbour and freshman
Lisa Bartolowits will push for playing time. Barbour was a
two-time first team All-Erie County League selection at nearby
General McLane High School. Bartolowits was a four-year starter at
Shaler Area High School with a promising future.
Defenders
Edinboro's backfield has been a position of strength, and Kagiavas
expects it to be again despite the loss of Maura Sansone. A year
ago the Fighting Scots posted five shutouts and held seven other
opponents to just a goal. Senior Kathy Lantzy and junior Becky
Hostettler are the leaders of the defense and join Chilcott as
2005 captains. Lantzy started 16 matches a year ago, while
Hostettler was one of only two players to start all 18 matches.
Mary Grebenc gained plenty of experience as a
freshman, starting 14 matches. She finished with a goal and three
assists for five points, and Kagiavas looks for big things from
her in the future. She may also be needed in the midfield. Two
other sophomores, Kim Koricich and Janelle Layton, look to make an
impact on defense. Koricich is another local product from General
McLane High School. Both played in eight matches last year, with
Koricich coming back from an ACL injury.
Kagiavas feels Hayley Lambert will provide
further help. As a freshman in 2003, Lambert played in all 18
matches, but she did not play for the Fighting Scots a year ago.
Several freshmen figure to bolster the defense.
One who will be counted on immediately is Ashley Jones from nearby
Fairview High School. She helped the Tigers to the regional finals
in 2003 and 2004, and played on an Erie Admirals club team which
won three state titles. Kagiavas recruited Jones to step in
immediately for Sansone at sweeperback.
Midfielders
No fewer than four returning players started more than ten matches
and will vie for time in the midfield. But while the numbers are
there, Kagiavas admits the Scots lack a true outside midfielder.
Ashley Pulman proved to be well worth the wait
after sitting out the 2003 season following knee surgery that
summer. She played in and started 17 matches last year, leading
the Fighting Scots in goals (5), assists (6) and points (16).
Pulman became Edinboro's first PSAC major award winner, being
named the Rookie of the Year. A first team All-PSAC selection, she
also earned a spot on the NSCAA All-Northeast Region second team.
Elise Falatach joined Hostettler as the only
players to start all 18 matches, even though she was just a
freshman. Falatach tied for second on the team in scoring with 3
goals and 4 assists for 10 points.
Sophomores Daryl Estremera and Kara Ciacchini,
a McDowell High School product, also figure prominently in
Edinboro's blueprint for success. Estremera started 12 matches.
Ciacchini is a player who had her ups and downs a year ago, but
proved her scoring ability with 4 goals and a pair of assists to
tie Falatach for second in scoring with 10 points. She may also
see time at forward.
Two other returnees provide more depth and
experience. Lisa Guesman, one of only three seniors on the roster,
played in 16 matches with one assist. A year earlier she started
11 contests. Emily Monte appeared in all 18 matches, with one
start.
Rachel Johnson, a transfer from Cleveland
State, could help the Fighting Scots in the midfield or on
defense. As a freshman, Johnson appeared in 16 matches for the
Vikings, with 12 starts.
Another newcomer who could factor in the
midfield immediately is freshman Jamie Monica, from Lexington
(Oh.) High School.
Forwards
Edinboro still seeks a scorer the likes of Jamie Tekotte, a
current assistant coach who scored a school-record 21 goals in
2003. Much of the scoring load has been handled by the midfield,
and Kagiavas hopes his forwaqrds can pick up the slack this year.
Angie de Almeida and Shauna Wolf each
contributed four goals and an assist a year ago. de Almeida is a
sophomore who started 13 matches. Wolf transferred to Edinboro a
year ago from Coastal Carolina, and lived up to expectations while
starting 11 of the first 12 matches. She missed the last six
contests due to injury.
Stacy Hyziewicz is another player looking to
rebound from an injury. She missed the 2004 season with a torn
anterior cruciate ligament. She was in her first year at Edinboro
after transferring from Rhode Island, where she was on the track
team.
Katie DeLuca is a sophomore who played at
Strong Vincent High School and contributed one goal in 16 matches.
Kagiavas feels she is ready to play a much bigger role this
season. |
