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Tonight's Game- The Fairleigh Dickinson University women's soccer team travels to Piscataway, NJ to face off against Big East intra-state rival Rutgers at Yurcak Field on Sunday at 7:00 pm. Both Rutgers and Fairleigh Dickinson won their season openers on Friday, Aug. 26. The Scarlet Knights defeated Temple, 6-0 at home in their season opener, while the Knights downed Syracuse, 3-0.
On Air- The match will be shown on a tape-delayed basis on Patriot cable systems. Please check your local listings for air times and dates.
Last Time Out- Junior transfer Christine McCartney made an immediate impact in her first game as a Knight, scoring two goals and assisting on a third to lift the Fairleigh Dickinson University women's soccer team to a 3-0 shutout of Syracuse in their season opener on Friday afternoon at University Stadium.
McCartney opened scoring with three minutes remaining in the first half when she took a cross from senior Kristen Habenicht and tapped it in to put the Knights on the board.
McCartney found the back of the net again with 12 minutes remaining in the second period after rebounding her own shot. Sophomore Tonya Hipsman sealed the win eight minutes later, blasting in a shot after dribbling down the right side of the field, going one-on-one with the goalkeeper.
Junior transfer Kyla Clark was in goal for the Knights, making seven saves in her first career start and notching a shutout. .
Syracuse had its best chance to score off a corner kick 12 minutes into the first half after a scramble in front of the net resulted in two shots, one saved by Clark and the second going wide. The Orange had an opportunity again with 12 minutes remaining in the game, but senior Danielle McAnally knocked it away.
Coach's Quotes- "I believe in this team," said Head Coach Peter Gaglioti. "McCartney is a proven goal-scorer and Tonya Hipsman came back ready to play. We were definitely dangerous at times and scrappy at other times. All around it was a solid effort and performance. From here we can build and take each game as it comes."
"This is a big win for us and a great way to start the season," said Gaglioti. "We played a strong opponent from a quality conference and our defense was strong, but it's still early in the season. It's about improving every step of the way and now we look toward Rutgers. If we come out with same effort and energy against Rutgers, using the things that worked well this afternoon, while polishing and refining the other areas, we'll surprise them as well."
Preseason Poll- The Fairleigh Dickinson University women's soccer team has been picked to finish second in the Northeast Conference in 2005, according to a poll of league head coaches released by the conference on Wednesday. Central Connecticut State has been selected as the favorite to claim the 2005 Northeast Conference women's soccer championship. The three-time defending NEC champion Blue Devils, who have won five conference titles since the league began sponsoring the sport in 1995, were awarded six first place votes, and will look to stave off the challenge of 2004 regular season champion Fairleigh Dickinson, which received two picks for the top spot. Monmouth and 2004 NEC runner-up Sacred Heart tied for third in the poll, followed by Long Island in fifth. Both the Blackbirds and Pioneers were awarded one first place vote apiece. Rounding out the field is Quinnipiac in sixth, followed by St. Francis (PA), Wagner, Robert Morris and Mount St. Mary's.
Last Season- Fairleigh Dickinson, which finished last year with an 8-9-3 overall record, including an undefeated 6-0-3 mark in conference play, turned the tables on the coaches who picked the Knights sixth in last year's preseason poll by capturing the program's first NEC regular season title after sweeping through league play unbeaten. Their league record included a 3-2 win against Central Connecticut on Sept. 26, snapping a 10-game winning streak and accomplishing a feat that hadn't been achieved since Oct. 27, 2002 when St. Francis PA defeated the Blue Devils, 2-1.
Solid Sophomores- Perhaps the most impressive aspect of FDU's season was the fact that over 70 percent of the team's goals came from freshman performers and over 80 percent from newcomers. Embarking upon his sixth year heading the program, 2004 NEC Coach of the Year Peter Gaglioti will have eight starters back in the fold, including the terrific playmaking duo of sophomores Tonya Hipsman (Chester, NY/Chester) and Michelle DeCourcey (Fredericton, New Brunswick/Fredericton). Hipsman, a second team all-NEC forward, was a two-time NEC Player of the Week and three-time NEC Rookie of the Week who led the Knights and finished fifth in the conference in both goals (eight) and points (19). DeCourcey is a skilled midfielder who ranked second on the club with six goals and 14 points. Anchoring an FDU defense that tied for the league lead with six shutouts and allowed just five goals against league competitors is sophomore defender Amanda Wheeler (Marlton, NJ/Cherokee), a first team all-NEC honoree, and senior Danielle McAnally (Wallingford, PA/Strath Haven).
NEC Tournament- The 2005 NEC Women's Soccer Tournament will take place at the home of the high seed on November 4 & 6. The top four teams in the regular season standings will advance to the postseason event. The winner of the NEC Tournament will receive the league's automatic bid to the 2005 NCAA Women's Soccer College Cup.
Outlook- Riding the momentum of their 2004 success, the Fairleigh Dickinson University women's soccer team is looking to build on the recent success of a young program. After proving they belong among the conference's top programs, the Knights return four of the top five scorers from last year's Regular Season Champion squad.
Led by sophomore Tonya Hipsman, who had a team-high 19 points, the Knights are armed with several offensive weapons and are anchored by a strong, impenetrable defense. The 2004 season saw the Knights produce an undefeated conference record of 6-0-3 and the program's first Regular Season Championship. The team was honored with four All-Conference selections and Head Coach Peter Gaglioti being named Coach of the Year by his peers. The Knights were able to clinch the No. 1 seed by defeating Sacred Heart at home in their final regular season game. In the rematch with the Pioneers in the semifinals, the Tournament host Knights fell, 2-1, to end their season.
They enter the 2005 season with one goal: to win the Northeast Conference Championship, earning the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The Knights have high hopes and will settle for nothing less.
The Goalkeepers- The Knights have a big hole in goal after losing three-year starter Andrea Maston to graduation. To fill the spot, junior transfer Kyla Clark joins the squad from University of Texas- El Paso, adding experience between the posts. "Kyla has proven to be a quality keeper and has established herself as a legitimate starter," said Gaglioti.
Freshman Rachel Derrico will be competing for time and is a strong, solid goalkeeper. Courtney Smith adds depth to the position in her junior season after starting one game last season.
The Defenders- Seniors Marguerite Ferrell, Debra Flynn and Danielle McAnally lead the defense, having been staples in the back line for three years. Alongside of these three seniors will be sophomore First Team All-Conference selection Amanda Wheeler.
"This core of defenders are the best in the conference," said Gaglioti. This defensive unit, along with solid contributions from senior Jenifer Tarvin, form a strong, solid defense that worked well together last year and will continue to work together to improve on the 34 goals allowed in 2004.
The Midfielders- The Knights have a very strong group in their midfield, with depth and talent at every spot. Seniors Kristen Habenicht and Ana Moniz return to lead the group. Habenicht is looking to end her career with a season much like her sophomore year, when she was named to the All-NEC Second Team after she finished the season second on the team in points with 16 and had six goals, including two game-winners. Moniz has scored seven goals in her career as a Knight, dishing out three assists last season.
Back for their sophomore season after making immediate impacts last year are sophomores Alex White and Michelle DeCourcey. White was third on the team in both points (8) and goals (4). DeCourcey was second with 14 points on six goals, half of which were game-winners, and two assists.
Adding speed and creativity in the midfield is freshman Natalie Bellini. Natalie is an experienced player who is dangerous going forward. "We look for Natalie to not only setup goals but score as well," said Gaglioti.
The Forwards- Second Team All-Conference pick Hipsman returns for her sophomore season after a breakout rookie campaign in which she finished the season leading the Knights in goals (8), points (19) and tied for the team lead in assists (3).
The Knights gain more depth from two players who were out for their freshman seasons due to injury: Meredith King and Shannon Young. Adding speed and goal scoring is experienced Christine McCartney, a junior transfer from University of Texas- El Paso. "Christine is a classic scorer, she has proven herself at this level and we expect her to score many goals for us this year," said Gaglioti.
The Schedule- Gaglioti has again put together a tough schedule for the Knights, opening at home against Big East power Syracuse on Aug. 26. They continue competition against Big East foes with a game at Rutgers on Aug. 28 and then travel to Georgetown on Sept. 3. After hosting Temple on Sept. 5, the Knights have road games at Albany (9/9) and Drexel (9/11). The Knights then host Binghamton (9/16), play at Hofstra (9/18) and host La Salle on Sept. 23.
The team starts off October with the opening of its conference schedule at Sacred Heart (10/2) as they look for revenge after falling to the Pioneers in the semifinals of the Northeast Conference Tournament. The squad then plays host to Central Conn., picked by league head coaches to win the NEC Championship, on Oct. 7 and hosts Alumni Day followed by a game against Quinnipiac on Oct. 9.
The Knights travel out to Pennsylvania to play at St. Francis PA (10/14) and Robert Morris (10/16). They hold their final home games of the season against Monmouth on Oct. 21 and Mount St. Mary's on Oct. 23 before finishing out the season at Long Island (10/28) and Wagner (10/30). The Northeast Conference Tournament will be held at the highest seed on Nov. 4 and 6, with the winner earning an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
"Our goal this year is to use the success we've had in previous years as a build-up to winning the Regular Season Title and then hosting and winning the NEC Tournament," said Gaglioti. The Knights have all of the tools necessary to achieve that goal and the determination to come out on top.
Head Coach- Veteran soccer coach Peter Gaglioti begins his sixth year at the helm of the Knights with high expectations after making his mark last season with several program firsts. Gaglioti was selected as Coach of the Year by his peers after he guided the Knights to a program-best undefeated league record of 6-0-3, finishing first in the conference. Despite bowing out to Sacred Heart in the semifinals, the Knights were able to continue the momentum from 2003, when they took home a trophy for the program Gaglioti built from scratch and posted a program-record 10 wins. The Knights are prepared to rebound from their semifinal loss in the Northeast Conference Tournament and return to win it this season.
In addition to his teams' athletic success, his squads have excelled in the classroom. With a 3.14 combined GPA, the Knights were recipients of the NSCAA Team Academic Award in 2002, given to soccer teams whose combined GPA's exceed a 3.0 and have continued to prove themselves academically, winning the award for four straight years.
Fairleigh Dickinson named Gaglioti as the team's first head coach in September 1999. Gaglioti's return to Fairleigh Dickinson came six years after a stint as an assistant men's soccer coach on the Knights' 1993 Northeast Conference Championship team. Coach Gaglioti gives the Knights' women's soccer program credibility and a solid foundation with his experience as a successful coach and recruiter.
