Jones, Kagiavas Recognized As PSAC West Women's Soccer Rookie of Year, Coach of Year
Six Lady Scots named to All-PSAC teams
November 8, 2005

EDINBORO, PA – A total of six members of the Edinboro University women’s soccer team were recognized by the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference today as the league announced the All-PSAC teams. A total of five Fighting Scots were named to the All-PSAC West team, with Ashley Jones (Fairview, PA/Fairview) recognized as the PSAC West Rookie of the Year. In addition, head coach Gary Kagiavas was voted by his peers as the PSAC West Coach of the Year. Slippery Rock’s Julie Kirwin was named the PSAC West Athlete of the Year.

Ashley Jones has been recognized as the PSAC West Rookie of the Year, and Gary Kagiavas was voted by his peers as the PSAC West Coach of the Year.

This marks the second year in a row that an Edinboro player has captured the Rookie of the Year honor. A year ago it was Ashley Pulman (LaSalle, ONT/Sandwich Secondary), who earned first team All-PSAC West honors for the second straight year. While Pulman was chosen last year for her scoring talents, Jones proved to be a rock for the Fighting Scots on defense. The freshman sweeper keyed a defense that gave up just 24 goals, tying the school record for fewest goals allowed in a season, first set last year.

Jones started all 19 matches and contributed two assists, while helping Edinboro record seven shutouts. She was joined on the All-PSAC West team by her older sister Meghan, a senior defender at Indiana(Pa.), who earned second team honors.

“The position and the responsibility for that position really says something for Ashley,” related Kagiavas. “To come in and do what she did as a freshman really says something for her.”

Kagiavas was previously named the PSAC West Coach of the Year in 2001. He guided the Fighting Scots to a deceiving 7-9-3 finish, as Edinboro posted a 5-3-2 record in PSAC West action, good for third in the division. Edinboro made its third appearance in its ten-year existence in the PSAC Playoffs, dropping a 4-1 decision at Slippery Rock. It was a team made up of largely freshmen and sophomores.

“Our team is remarkably better than last year,” Kagiavas pointed out. “But I’m stunned to hear I got this award. I’m as surprised as anybody.”

Jones was joined on the first team by Pulman and Angie de Almeida (Gibsonia, PA/Pine-Richland). Pulman, a sophomore forward, played in 14 matches and finished as the second-leading scorer with 7 goals and 3 assists for 17 points. de Almeida, also a freshman forward, paced the Fighting Scots with 8 goals and 5 assists for 21 points while playing in all 19 matches.

Two more Fighting Scots were accorded second team honors. Midfielder Elise Falatach (Bay Village, OH/Bay), another of the standout sophomores on the squad, finished as the team’s third-leading scorer with 4 goals and 4 assists for 12 points. She played in 17 matches. Kathy Lantzy (Erie, PA/Fort LeBoeuf) teamed with Jones as a defender to help the Scots record the six shutouts. Lantzy was a rarity as a senior on the squad, and provided a physical presence to the defense while usually marking the opponents’ top scorer.