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2001 GIRLS SOCCER OUTLOOK
At first glance, last season's 8-9-1 overall and 5-7-1 MVC records seem pretty dismal, but that first glance is deceptive.
Through a variety of events, including numerous injuries, the Middies ended up with a group of only 16 players who were able to see action in more than half the season's games. Five freshmen and sophomores received starting nod more than once.
Twelve letterwinners return from last season, Nine of them starters. Sounds like there's good deal of experience returning, right? Well, yes and no.
Among the returnees, seven are seniors, one junior and four sophomores. "We are looking to take the talent and experience of our present players and mix that with the youth and speed from our freshman class to create a cohesive unit," said Curie."
"Our goals are very similar to those of any top program in the state. We will strive to win the MVC Small Division regular season, and receive a top seed in the MIAA Tournament. These goals may seem lofty, but I want athletes who set huge goals, and are prepared to do the work necessary to achieve them."
"We will have to find players who can step-up and fill the holes that last year's players left. A key will be how quickly our new players can gel and have an understanding of what to do in the back.
Goalkeepers
In goal, sophomore Micheala Anthony and Freshman Jen Cole will compete for time in goal for Dracut. Anthony had a fine freshman season for Dracut (1.21 GAA, 2 shutouts) and is the incumbent. Micheala made tremendous progress through the year. Her game continues to improve. Her skills from the back are a commanding presence in the box.
"I am incredibly excited to have Micheala with us for another season," Currie said. "She exemplifies the meaning of a team player."
Promising freshman Jen Cole will challenge Anthony for substantial playing time.
“Jen is a very good young keeper. “She has excellent mobility, and can dominate her penalty area.” said Currie.
“We have a great situation,” Currie said. “We have two extremely talented keepers who make you feel comfortable when they are guarding the net. They are very different, but very evenly matched. You always want to have two good goalkeepers, but typically it is very hard to find one. When you have two, you want to keep both of them sharp and confident.”
Defenders
Dracut was hit hard in this position due to graduation. Gone from last year's team are Captians Joanna Natisio and Kelly Lyons. However Dracut does have two starters returning in Amanda Stafford (senior-captain) and Lauren O'Donnell (sophomore). Stafford started all 18 games last season and O'Donnell started 9 games as a freshman.
"Amanda and Lauren are the cornerstones of our defense," Currie said. "They are both pure athletes with strong technical skills and compete with the highest level of professionalism."
Senior Kelly Nicolls has been challenged to raise her level of play and leadership. After playing nearly every game for the past three years at forward, Nicolls will now shift to the sweeper postion. As a junior, Nicolls (4 goals, 3 assist) was third on the team in scoring.
Senior Rachel Isabelle also will be asked to fill the void. After appearing in 15 games as a junior, Isabelle has the experience necessary to be a leader. Rachel is a tenacious defender and will fill the stopper position.
Other Middies who figure prominently into Coach Currie’s plans in the back include Juniors Stephanie Riccardi and Mareena Sullivan. Riccardi who gained experience last season and Sullivan his a versatile player who can play several positions. Both players should contend for significant playing time and should fortify the overall defense with their wide range of skills and abilities.
"One strength of our backs is that they allow us to be a better attacking team," said Currie. "We're an organized zone team that can give people problems when we are all playing on the same page together, because we don't give up a lot of penetration or chances."
Midfielders
Dracut's midfield might be the team’s overall strength due to the versatility, overall athleticism and consistency of its players. The Middies anchor at midfield is senior captain Kacie McGlasson (0 goal, 6 assist). Kacie will move from center midfield to right midfield to help bolster the strength of the midfield. Kacie played and started in all 18 games, she is labeled as the hardest worker on the squad. Her distribution was demonstrated last season as she led the team in assists.
Taking over the center midfield role will be freshman Tina Boyd. "Tina has great ability to find the strikers," said Currie. "She can really make other players look good and can be a dominant force this fall."
Sophomore Susan Kelly complete the midfield. "Susan is the fastest technical player on the team with the ball at her feet," Currie said. "She is a complete player that has the ability to score goals and create opportunities for her teammates".
Freshman Katherine Nickerson will play some midfield and up top and will compete for minutes with senior Karen Alise who will also play some defense.
Forwards
Dracut has three starters coming back up front in senior-captain Jen Fontaine (16 goals, 6 assist), senior Sarah Dahlingher (11 goals, 4 assist), and sophomore Nichole Masse (2 goals, 0 assist). Fontaine was named MVC All Conference, Sun's All-Star and team MVP. She was second in the league in scoring last season. "When you think of Jen, you think fast, fast and fast," said Currie. "She has continued to improve technically and tactically and combined with her speed she is able to get in behind defenses."
Dahligher was not too far behind. She too was named to the MVC all-star team and was second in goals scored on the team. "Sarah is very crafty when she gets inside the box and has a great shot when she's in close," said Currie. "She chases everything down and causes defenses a tremendous amount of problems. She is a real weapon for our offense."
Masse is a talent sophmore who plays well with her back to the goal and is getting better everyday. "Nichole is really coming into her own on the offensive end," said Currie. "She has the ability to shred defenses and has continued to develop since the end of her first scholastic season."
"We have three starters returning who had great seasons last year. We have a nice mix of players with pure speed and quickness who are lethal in and around the 18-yard box. They have a willingness to learn and have a great work rate and their attitudes are very impressive. I only see us getting better in this area and becoming a more difficult team to defend."
Joining these returnees will be senior Viviana Martell and freshman Kaley Moore. "Viviana is a tireless worker", said Currie. "It shows in everything she does, she has worked hard to improve on both the offensive and defensive ends."
"Kaley will have an immediate impact on our team," said Currie. "She is very explosive off her first few touches and will help us greatly."
In total, this group’s combination of skill, talent and experience should make Dracut’s front line one of the team’s strongest positions.
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