After a heartbreaking double-overtime loss to Oswego State in the first round of last year’s state tournament and an early exit in the previous year’s tournament as well, the women’s soccer team is looking to take things to the next level this year.
"[We’ve] got seniors who are hungry to win," said Head Coach Aldo Nardiello.
That determination, tempered by maturity, will serve the team well as they attempt to improve on last season’s 12-4 record. The Red Hawks lost relatively few players to graduation, and the team is stacked with veterans. Seniors Jill Vanis and Heather Bauby return, as does forward Susan Gonyea, who has led Rensselaer in scoring for the past two years.
Nardiello made special mention of the chemistry between Bauby and Gonyea, saying that their understanding of each other’s play has led directly to more goals for the team. "When players understand their roles, the team is successful," he said.
In fact, Nardiello cited chemistry as the leading strength of the group. "[They have] real, true team spirit," he said. "They play not just with each other, but for each other."
The team also has great depth. This is the fourth year that Nardiello has been with the team and the third class of students that he has recruited, and he feels that his work is now starting to pay off. The team has a solid core of players in each class year, and that will help maintain continuity in the coming years.
The class of 2005 is particularly impressive—11 of the 27 players on the roster are freshmen. Nardiello said that Kate Fredland, Anne Drames, and Jessica Chetuck had particularly good tryouts and figure to get a lot of playing time. "We are excited about the new talent that has been infused into the program," he added.
The Red Hawks are, however, down four players from last year, including All-UCAA Second Team defender Nicole Kuskowski. Nardiello said that he feels the team can fill those holes, but "of course they will be missed. It’s always significant when you lose senior experience."
Nardiello expects the team to do well this year, with a primary goal of advancing beyond the first round of the New York State Women’s Collegiate Athletic Association tournament. Another big goal is to win the conference, earning an automatic bid to the NCAA regionals. In order to do it, the team will have to overcome opponents like St. Lawrence, William Smith, and archrival Union—all of which are perennial powerhouses in the state.
The team expects to win most of these games, but, says Nardiello, "All important games (this year) will be close ones."
