Building a Foundation for Success
8/26/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Building a Foundation for Success
8/26/2004
When Sue-Moy Chin was named the University of Pittsburgh?s head women?s soccer coach on March 27, 2003, she listed three main goals to begin building her program. Those objectives included building the student-athlete?s spirit back, changing the environment and relying on defense as a foundation.
So far, Chin?s long-term plan for success is working to perfection. Anyone who witnessed the Panthers play last year noticed the team?s improved desire and spirit. They saw a competitive team that rose to each of its challenges during the season. In addition, defense became the Panthers? trademark as the team set season school records for least goals allowed (23) and least goals allowed per game (1.32). Those adjustments have provided a foundation for future Panther soccer teams.
?The biggest thing we changed last year was the mentality and competitive factor,? Chin said. ?We focused much of last year on building the players? spirit back. Our intent was to focus on getting them more competitive in training and we geared our training sessions in that competitive environment each day. It took the players some time to adjust, but that?s how you improve and the results showed last year.?
?My long-term vision and goal for the program is to be competitive and in contention for Big East Championships and NCAA Tournament berths in the not-too-distant future,? Chin continued. ?It?s going to take some time but I believe it is an attainable one. We have so much to offer at the Pittsburgh and I know we will be able to attract elite student-athletes. We had a good start last year, we?re not too far off from where we want to be and we?re excited about the future of the program.?
Chin, who is assisted by former Washington Freedom forward Monica Gerardo, has a firm but fair coaching style. Chin hopes that her student-athletes enjoy the experience and learn while they attend the University of Pittsburgh.
?Our goal this season is continue to improve the program and build on what we started last year,? Chin says. ?Our goal is to make the Big East Tournament and finish in the top-eight in the conference. With the players we have back and the new players, I think it is attainable for us.?
Chin welcomes back a solid group of experienced players from the previous season and will blend it with her first recruiting class. Pittsburgh returns 10 of its 11 starters and 17 letterwinners from the 2003 season which ended in a 5-10-2 finish. Key players returning include forwards Cara Senger and Sara Gutting, midfielders Erin Hills, Jennifer DeLaHoz and Corina Sebesta, the entire backfield of Carli Brill, Courtney Wrightson, Jacqueline Reuter and Aimee Romasco along with starting goalkeeper Jamie Pelusi.
Six new freshmen join the 2004 squad with a heavy emphasis on scoring.
?We need to have more of an attacking presence,? Chin said. ?We struggled with scoring goals last year so we focused our recruiting on attacking players. Our freshmen bring more depth, speed and power to the team. Rachel Vecchio gives us speed and Janean Gardner and Meta Haley are both strong physical players. We?re looking for them step up right away.?
The following is a position-by-position look at the 2004 Panthers:
FORWARDS
Even with the loss of 2003 senior Netta Agredano (17 career goals), Pittsburgh figures to be much more experienced and deeper at forward in 2004. The Panthers return four forwards and add three players to the mix.
Junior Cara Senger returns after leading the Pittsburgh in both goals (5) and points (10) in 2003. She tied a school record last season when she registered a hat trick (three goals) against Robert Morris. Also back is junior Sara Gutting, who started 16-of-17 games, scored one goal and led the team with five assists in 2003. In addition, sophomore Kristina Francois and junior Lisa Schulte both return with experience.
Three freshmen should also make an immediate impact in Janean Gardner (Cherry Hill, N.J./Cherry Hill H.S.), Meta Haley (Sewickley, Pa./Quaker Valley H.S.) and Kelley Vander Mallie (Penfield, N.Y./Penfield H.S
?We have several players returning and we?re a lot deeper at forward than we were last year,? Chin said. ?Sara Gutting played well but didn?t finish her chances last season and we?re looking for her to come up with the final piece. We also have three new forwards in Janean Gardner, Meta Haley and Kelley Vander Mallie. Janean should make an impact right away and Meta is coming in injured but we?re looking for her to step in when she gets healthy. We?re looking for our returnees, Kristina Francois, Cara Senger and Lisa Schulte to really step up.?
MIDFIELDERS
Three starters return to the midfield in juniors Erin Hills and Jennifer DeLaHoz, along with sophomore Corina Sebesta. Last year Hills tied for the team lead in points (10), scored three goals and added four assists. Hills, who has started 23 career games, has amassed 16 points in her career (six goals/four assists). DeLaHoz contributed four goals last year, including a team-leading two game-winning goals. Sebesta emerged as a solid force in the midfield while starting all 17 games and contributing two assists against UMBC and Robert Morris. Redshirt junior Kendall Enmark could play a key role if she recovers from a knee injury suffered at midseason last year.
Two newcomers in Rachel Vecchio (Hudson, Ohio/Hudson H.S.) and Lucy Kirkland (Bethesda, Md./Walt Whitman H.S.) also join the squad.
?We expect our three returnees to play key leadership roles this year,? Chin said. ?Erin Hills, Corina Sebesta and Jennifer DeLaHoz on the outside all have the ability to produce. Our newcomers?Rachel Vecchio and Lucy Kirkland?will both play big roles. Rachel has a chance to come in and earn a starting role and Lucy will be key to our depth.?
BACKFIELD
Pittsburgh will look to build upon its momentum as the team set school records for least goals allowed (23) and least goals allowed per game (1.32) in 2003. All four starters return to the 2004 Panthers including seniors Aimee Romasco and Jacqueline Reuter, along with sophomores Carli Brill and Courtney Wrightson. With a combined 80 starts between them, Romasco and Reuter will provide leadership in the backfield. Brill and Wrightson are two talented sophomores who represent the future of Pittsburgh?s backfield.
Also returning is senior Antoinette Koram and junior Erin McFarling, providing valuable depth. New to the mix is freshman Stephanie Davis (Olney, Md./Sherwood H.S.).
?The backfield should be our strongest and most experienced area on the field as all four starters return in Aimee Romasco, Jacqueline Reuter, Carli Brill and Courtney Wrightson,? Chin said. ?Antoinette Koram, Erin McFarling and Stephanie Davis will provide us depth. It is definitely our strongest area on the field as they all have an understanding of what we?re doing from a defensive standpoint.?
GOALKEEPER
Jamie Pelusi returns for her third straight season in goal. A junior who has started 36 consecutive games, Pelusi has amassed five career shutouts and 243 career saves, and secured her place in school history last year as she set school records for least goals allowed (23) and season goals against average (1.32). For the second consecutive season, Pelusi led Big East goalkeepers in saves per game (6.06 spg) and ranked fourth among league leaders in saves (104). Additionally, her save percentage increased substantially from 74.3% as a freshman to 82.0% as a sophomore. Look for Pelusi to improve even more in the coming season. Backing up Pelusi is junior Lailah Issac.
?We have both goaltenders back for another year in Jamie Pelusi and Lailah Issac,? Chin said. ?I?m looking for another strong season from Jamie and we?re hoping Lailah continues her development as our backup.?
SCHEDULE
Once again, the 2004 schedule will prove to be a challenge for the Panthers. Pittsburgh opens its season with a preseason scrimmage against Marshall on August 21. The regular season begins with the Bowling Green State University Tournament held in Bowling Green, Ohio from August 27-29. Pittsburgh will face Eastern Michigan on Aug. 27 and host BGSU on Aug. 29. Following the home opener against rival Duquesne at Founders Field on Sept. 3, the Panthers travel to Greensboro, N.C. for the two-game UNC-Greensboro Tournament (Sept. 10-12). The Panthers play host UNC-Greensboro (Sept. 10) and Old Dominion (Sept. 12).
Big East Conference regular season competition begins the weekend of Sept. 17-19 when the Panthers host both Georgetown (Sept. 17) and Providence (Sept. 19).
As always, the Panthers? Big East schedule will present a challenge as they face six teams that appeared in the NCAA Tournament last season: Connecticut, Notre Dame, West Virginia, Boston College, Villanova and Rutgers. This season, the Big East discontinued its divisional format. Under the new system, Pittsburgh will play 10 of the league?s 11 schools including all six teams that advanced to the NCAA Tournament in 2003. One school will capture the regular season title while the top eight schools advance to the conference tournament held on campus sites. The semifinal and championship rounds will be held at Connecticut.
?The Big East is always going to present competitive matchups and it is a competitive schedule for our second year,? Chin said. ?Our non-conference schedule will also be challenging. The two tournaments will be exciting for our team and pose a difficult challenge from schools in different regions than us. I?m looking forward to all of the games.?
What Pittsburgh Returns in 2004
Category Percentage Returning
Last year?s starters: 90.9% (10 of 11)
Last year?s total starts: 88.2% (165 of 187)
Points scored: 79.7% (47 of 59)
Shots: 80.5% (161 of 200)
Goals: 76.1% (16 of 21)
Game-winning goals: 40.0% (2 of 5)
Assists: 88.2% (15 of 17)
Saves: 100.0% (105 of 105)