Season Preview: Ready to Take the Final Jump
Lady Warriors Look to Rebound into Postseason

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. --- It's easy to get caught up in preseason excitement.  New, talented faces combined with proven athletes can create a buzz around any program.  Last season, the Lycoming women's soccer program set high expectations for themselves, and rightly so after a strong 2004 season that saw the blue and gold fall ever so close to a postseason bid.

Instead, the Lady Warriors ran into some growing pains in posting an 8-9 overall record with a very young squad.  But head coach Scott Kennell believes the experience his team earned last season will pay huge dividends this year.  With all but two starters returning to the field, the Lady Warriors are poised for a run at the Freedom Conference playoffs.

“Coming into last season, we felt that if things went well that we’d make a run into the playoffs,” explained Coach Kennell.  “Even though that didn’t happen, most of our young players earned valuable experience that should carry us closer to our goal this season.  I’m very excited for the upcoming campaign.”

Leading the way for the blue and gold is returning All-Freedom Conference First Team midfielder/forward Rebekah Shipe.  The sophomore standout was true to her 100-goal billing coming out of Northumberland Christian High School with 12 goals and four assists to tie for the league lead in points with 28.  Equally effective both on the wing and up top, look for her to see time at several different positions in the attacking third.

Sophomores Sarah Wingerden and Melissa Steffenino, junior Rachel Skinner, and several freshmen including Elyse Johnson and Samantha Jo Bell will look to add support at the other forward position.  Wingerden’s blazing speed and aggression make her the popular option to run up top, but each player has the talent to make a positive impact.

Senior captain Stephanie Bomgardner will set the pace in the center of the pitch from her defensive midfielder’s role.  Although she could also see some time at stopper, Bomgardner will be instrumental in plugging the midfield and triggering the counter-attack into the opponent’s defensive third.

Look for sophomores Stephanie Shearer and Katie Gardner with senior Angie Conklin to patrol the wings.  Shearer showed a nose for the goal with five tallies and four assists from the outside, a welcome addition to any team’s offense.  Gardner lost much of the latter half of the season to injury, but she showed the ability to attack the net from the wing in her limited time.  Conklin adds experience to this rather young contingent, proving productive during her field time last season with a pair of goals.  Junior Amanda Rhinesmith should add some stability to the center of the pitch with a definite attacking mentality.  Don’t be surprised if freshman Hallie Weakland earns a starting role in the midfield as well.

The defense should be the strength of the Lady Warriors squad with all components intact.   Senior sweeper Amanda Smolarek and sophomore Dana Steinbruch, both captains, should make attacking down the center an adventure for opposing strikers.  Senior Heather Weller and sophomore Samantha Leslie return to their wide marking back positions, bottling up opposing wingers before they get into the goal area.  Senior Patty Spencer and sophomore Lauren Kaczmarczyk add quality depth while Taylor Ramsay leads several freshmen who will make a strong push for big minutes from the outset.

Junior goalkeeper Jessica Bennett looks to return to her 2004 form when she was named the All-Freedom Conference First Team net-minder.  With excellent hands and the ability to get to either post quickly, Bennett is a solid last line of defense that could prove the difference in any game.  Talented freshmen Brie Pepe and Pamela Burke add security to the position.

Lycoming opens the 2006 campaign with a pair of contests in the River Kickoff Classic.  The two-day event running September 2-3 will pit the Lady Warriors against Alvernia College at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday followed by a 1:30 p.m. showdown with Alfred University on Sunday.  Both games will be played at the Shangraw Athletic Complex.