Women's Soccer

2010 SEASON IN REVIEW

Hanlon, Fitzpatrick, Marik and Di Nucci

Hanlon, Fitzpatrick, Marik and Di Nucci

Dec. 16, 2010

The Emmanuel Women's Soccer Team wrapped up the 2010 season with a combined record of 10-11 and a .500 mark in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) play at 6-6. Despite some disappointing losses in the regular season, the Saints rebounded when it mattered most, earning a spot in the GNAC play-offs and posting an unprecedented upset over the #1 team in the tournament.

The team struggled early in the season with tough non-conference losses to Babson and Wheaton. After a couple victories, the Saints dropped four-straight GNAC matches, before picking up two solid one-goal wins over Norwich and Saint Joseph's (Me.). Emmanuel's most exciting victory of the regular season came when the Saints defeated the defending GNAC Champions, Simmons College, in shut-out fashion, 4-0. Emmanuel then rattled off four-straight wins over Albertus Magnus, Mount Ida, Pine Manor and Curry to earn a birth in the GNAC play-offs.

The Saints entered the tournament as the 8th seed and headed to Dilboy Stadium in Somerville, Mass. to take on the top-seeded Rams of Suffolk University. Emmanuel soared to a 3-1 victory over the #1 Rams on their home turf, making history as the first 8th-seeded conference soccer team to ever upset a #1 seed. Emmanuel's season came to a close in the next round of the tournament, as the Saints fell to #4 Norwich University, 2-0, in cold game up in Northfield, Vt.

Ninth-year Head Coach Wayne Currie got some great play out of his freshmen class. Rookie forward Darcey Sullivan (Dalton, Mass.) led the squad in scoring with 10 goals and 4 assists for 24 points on the year. Defender Shawn Crifo (Newburyport, Mass.) stepped right in as a starter and helped anchor the Emmanuel defense all season. Both of these rookies were named to the GNAC All-Tournament Team for their play during the Saints' tournament run.

Several individual players received post-season honors for their play in 2010. Senior captain Amber Di Nucci (New Bedford, Mass.) received 1st Team All-GNAC honors for the fourth-straight year. The senior began her career at Emmanuel by being named the conference's Rookie of the Year in 2007. She then was named 1st Team All-GNAC as a sophomore, junior and senior. Di Nucci netted her 50th career goal this season and became just the second Emmanuel player to reach the 50-goal milestone. Di Nucci will graduate in May as the program's 2nd all-time leading scorer and Emmanuel's all-time leader in assists with 42. She finished the year as the Saints' second leading scorer this season with 7 goals, including 3 game-winners, while also dishing out 3 assists.

Sophomore midfielder Brittany Ridge (Portland, Me.) was also named All-GNAC. Ridge received 3rd-Team honors for the Saints. She started in all 21 games this season and was the Saints' 4th leading scorer and 3rd leading playmaker. She scored 5 goals and dished out 4 assists for 14 total points. Ridge was the glue in the Emmanuel midfield this season and two of her 5 goals were game-winners for the Saints.

Senior forward Kelsey Fitzpatrick (Milford, Mass.) was also honored by being named to the conference's All-Sportsmanship Team. The GNAC recognizes one member of each of the conference's 13 teams for displaying the best sportsmanship throughout the season. Fitzpatrick represented Emmanuel on the GNAC's All-Sportsmanship squad.

Sophomore Meghan Zerba (Cumberland, R.I.) and freshman Lindsey Garvey (Warwick, R.I.) combined for 11 goals and 7 assists, as the Saints 3rd and 4th leading scorers this season. Junior Logan Carr (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.) was a huge contributor, providing great leadership in the midfield this season. Carr totaled 9 points with 5 assists and 2 goals in her junior season.

Two keepers shared time defending the Emmanuel net this year. Sophomore Jessica D'Ottavio (Pawling, N.Y.) recorded 14 starts and finished the year with a 7-7 mark, notching 2 shut-outs and a 1.80 goals against average. Freshman Beatrix Hassler (Jericho, Vt.) saw time in 11 games and made 7 starts. Hassler went 3-4 and recorded 58 total saves as a rookie.

Emmanuel will lose four seniors to graduation this year, including Di Nucci, Fitzpatrick, Kristina Marik (Airmont, N.Y.) and Erin Hanlon (Rowley, Mass.). However, the Saints will return a solid core of 28 veterans for the 2011 campaign, as Emmanuel looks to make a run at the program's 3rd GNAC Championship.