2007 WOMEN'S SOCCER SEASON IN REVIEW
Jan. 10, 2008
The Emmanuel Women's Soccer Team posted the most successful season in program history last fall. The 2007 squad won a program-record 17 games and capped off the season with a trip to the NCAA Tournament. The Saints finished the season with an overall record of 17 wins, 3 losses, and 2 ties.
Emmanuel's action packed season featured six overtime games with the Saints going 4-0-2 in extended play. After going undefeated in conference games (12-0-1), Emmanuel earned the top seed for the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) postseason tournament. The top-seeded Saints cruised to a 4-0 victory over 8th-seeded Saint Joseph College (CT) in the tournament quarterfinals. Emmanuel then edged 4th-seeded Norwich University with a 3-2 overtime win in the semifinals. The Saints then clinched the tournament championship with a 4-1 victory over 3rd-seeded Emerson College. This was the program's second conference championship. With this win, Emmanuel earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
The Saints traveled to Clinton, NY to play in the opening round game at host Hamilton College. Emmanuel faced Tufts University in the first round of the NCAA Regionals. After taking a 1-0 advantage into halftime, the Saints fell to the Jumbos, 3-1. Prior to this loss, the Saints had gone 15-straight games without a defeat, including posting an 11-game mid-season winning streak.
Freshman forward Amber Di Nucci (Assonet, MA) led Emmanuel's offense, scoring 47 points, with a team-high 18 goals and 11 assists. Di Nucci was ranked first in the conference in points per game, averaging 2.24 per contest. She received 1st Team All-Conference honors and was voted the GNAC Rookie of the Year. Sophomore midfielder Kate McKenna (Holyoke, MA) netted 10 goals and dished out 6 assists, while starting in all 22 of the Saints' games. McKenna was perfect on penalty kick attempts this season (4-4). After being named the GNAC player of the Week twice and selected to the GNC All-Tournament Team, she was also voted 1st Team All-Conference.
Sophomore forwards Tiffany Dahlstrom (Essex, CT) and Stephanie Levesque (Auburn, MA) were huge contributors, combining for 40 points (15 goals and 10 assists). Levesque, who was named to the GNAC All-Tournament Team, led the squad with four game-winning goals. Seniors Erin Kelly (Springfield, MA) and Caitlin Egan (Milford, MA) were solid in the Saints' midfield throughout the year. Together, hey notched 5 goals and 8 assists. Kelly was also a 1st team All-GNAC pick.
Emmanuel's defense was anchored by junior Tully Nicholas (Granby, CT), sophomore Hillary Mota (Rehoboth, MA), and junior captain Lauren Buffone (Worcester, MA). Nicholas received 2nd Team All-Conference honors, while Mota was voted to the GNAC All-Tournament Team. Junior goalkeeper Laureyn Furtney (Barrington, NH) started in 19 of 20 games played for the Saints. She posted a record of 14 wins, losses, and 2 ties with 5 shutout games. Furtney made a total of 90 saves this season and played nearly 1,800 minutes in net.
Head Coach Wayne Currie and Assistant Coach Keith Rogers will return in 2008 for their 7th and 8th respective seasons with the program. The Saints will lose two seniors, Kelly and Egan, to graduation, but Currie will return eight starters and twenty-two veterans from 2007's championship squad.