2010 SEASON IN REVIEW
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.