This season they’ve lost a strong scorer, but otherwise they don’t have many holes to fill. They will “need offense to step up and put some in the back of the net,” said co-captain Lisa McMillan.

Recently named Head Coach Leslie Khachadourian comes to the team this season with many new ideas. Everyone is still getting used to one another, and they’re all taking risks together. “She’s bringing a lot of new ideas that we’ve never tried before. Maybe that’s just what we need to step things up,” mused co-captain Ann Larsen.

Khachadourian has definitely been mixing things up a bit as she’s been teaching the team to play a new system. People are learning to play positions they’ve never played before, and they’re all working very hard to perfect the new strategy.

Of Khachadourian, McMillan had to say “I think she’s going to keep us really focused.”

This year, Khachadourian hopes to see another strong season. She’d like to see the team upset their UCAA foes, play in the postseason, and maybe even make it to the NCAA tournament.

Larsen and McMillan would like to beat William Smith and Union, games which have been close in the past. For both of them it would be a personal victory with which to top off their soccer careers at RPI.

Major strengths of the team include their cohesiveness and returning players. With Academic All-American Susan Gonyea, red-shirted Liz Vitaliano, Ann Larsen and Katherine Friedlund on the back line, Margaret Tomeo in midfield, and two strong returners—Regina Primm and Andrea Hamill in the goal—the outlook is good for the team.

Mary Bond is a fresh face on the team to watch. She comes to RPI from Prout School in North Kingstown, R.I., and Khachadourian sees a lot of potential in her play.

This year the team hopes to see an increased turnout at their games. They’ve always had some diehard fans who are always there, but they’re hoping that hosting the ECAC tournament last season will bring them a greater fan base.