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Friday's Game - The Fairleigh Dickinson University women's soccer team (4-4) will host La Salle (2-5-1) at 3:30 p.m. on Friday, September 23.

All-Time Series - This is the first meeting between the Knights and the Explorers.

Against the Conference - The Knights are 1-2 against the Atlantic 10 Conference, holding a 1-0 advantage against Fordham and an 0-2 all-time series record against Temple.

About the Explorers - The Explorers are 2-5-1 overall, with their wins coming against Drexel (3-1) and Marshall (2-1). Alexis Petrucci, Traci DePasquale and Kristin Hextall are all tied for the team lead with three points apiece, each on a goal and an assist. The Explorers have played all of their games on the road.

La Salle is 1-0-1 in overtime games, falling to Navy 3-2 in overtime and tying Morehead State 0-0 in a double-overtime draw.

Last Time Out - The Fairleigh Dickinson University women's soccer team (4-4) fell to host Hofstra, 4-2, at Hofstra Soccer Stadium in Hempstead, NY, on Sunday evening. The Knights battled back from a 2-0 deficit with goals from sophomore forward Tonya Hipsman and junior forward Christine McCartney, knotting the score at 2-2, but the Pride surged ahead to take the game on Chrissy Arnone's goal with 14:48 remaining.

The Knights fought back from an early 2-0 Hofstra (4-2-1) lead to pull even at 2-2 with 37:30 left in the game on a header from Hipsman off a free kick from senior defender Jennifer Tarvin. "We created a few chances and got a goal off of a free kick after a great serve by Tarvin," said Head Coach Peter Gaglioti. "Tonya did a great job getting on the end of it and getting it in."

Arnone broke the tie in the 76th minute. Pride freshman back Jess Crankshaw started the game-winning play when she threaded the needle with a short pass to Arnone 35 yards from goal. Arnone then dribbled, cutting back across the top of the penalty area and cranked a left-footed blast that bent directly into the upper-left corner for her team-leading fourth goal of the season.

Freshman midfielder Edel Malone gave the Pride the insurance goal with 4:16 left in the game when an FDU defender slide-tackled the ball away to the top of the penalty area, where Malone gathered it in and deposited a shot into the upper-left corner to seal the win.

Malone also started the scoring early at the 6:30 mark of the first half when she took a short pass from sophomore forward Carol Leurini, dribbled and cranked an 18-yard shot just under the bar. Leurini then extended the lead to 2-0 at the 16:47 mark when she scored from in front of the goalmouth. Crankshaw started the play with a long cross from the right side of the field to the far post, where junior midfielder Nina Nanavrakis knocked it down and Leurini was able to tap the ball in from in front of the net.

Fairleigh Dickinson responded, though, as McCartney worked a give-and-go on the right side of the field with senior midfielder Kristen Habenicht. "Christine scored a great goal to get us on the board," said Gaglioti. "She cracked one from 25 yards out from a wide angle into the back post for our first goal."

McCartney gathered the ball in along the right edge of the penalty area and chipped a shot over the head of Hofstra goalkeeper Becky Wachsberger and inside the far post to cut the lead to 2-1 with 19:41 left in the first half.

The score stayed 2-1 through intermission, until Hipsman's goal pulled the Knights even 7:30 into the second stanza. Hofstra held a 26-6 edge in shots on the game and a 7-0 edge in corner kicks. Junior goalkeeper Kyla Clark had seven saves for the Knights, while Wachsberger finished with four saves for the Pride.

Coach's Thoughts - "We played hard and competed as we usually do," said Head Coach Peter Gaglioti. "We made some adjustments in the second half and did well to maintain possession. Everyone fought hard and although in the end we got hurt a little off the turnovers, we stepped up and matched their efforts. It is difficult to match up against a quality team like Hofstra physically, and if you make mistakes agiast good teams you are going to get punished. Hopefully we can carry tonight's efforts into conference play while continuing to get sharper. We showed some character to go down 2-0 and fight back. We could have crumbled after getting down early, but they showed determination to come from behind and tie it up."

Next Up - After a week off, the Knights will open their conference schedule against Sacred Heart at noon on Sunday, October 2 in Fairfield, CT.

Habenicht Named Player of the Week - Fairleigh Dickinson University women's soccer standout Kristen Habenicht was named the Northeast Conference Player of the Week, as announced by the league office on Monday.

The senior midfielder scored on a penalty kick two minutes before the half to lead the Knights to a 1-0 victory at Albany. Habenicht took the ball 35 yards out from the goal and dribbled through the center of the field. She beat her defender into the box, but was taken down before she could get off a shot.

Habenicht is tied for second on the team with five points (one goal, three assists).

Receiving Praise - For the first time in program history, the Fairleigh Dickinson University women's soccer program received votes in the Soccerbuzz Mid-Atlantic region (46 teams).

"It's a tremendous honor to be recognized as a program who is being considered one of the best in the region," said Head Coach Peter Gaglioti. "We are being included among names of schools with solid programs and it is showing that the people who voted respect what we've accomplished so far."

McCartney Draws Attention - Fairleigh Dickinson University's Christine McCartney was named the Brine/NEC Women's Soccer Player of the Week on Monday. She is the first Knight to earn the honor this season.

McCartney, a junior transfer from University Texas-El Paso, came up big in her FDU debut, scoring twice and registering an assist in the Knights' 3-0 shutout of Syracuse on Friday. The Orange, predicted to finish third in its division in the Big East, could not contain McCartney, who led Texas-El Paso in scoring last season with 24 points.

She scored on a cross from senior Kristen Habenicht with seven minutes left in the first half, then rebounded her own shot with 12 minutes remaining in the second stanza for her second tally of the match. With four minutes remaining on the clock, Tonya Hipsman converted a McCartney feed to put the game on ice.

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. 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.

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.