Nyack College Women\'s Soccer - 2006 Season Preview

Sunday, August 6, is a much-anticipated date for every member of the Nyack College Women\'s Soccer Team. This will be the day they report for preseason, and they will have an opportunity to put behind the lingering sting of a very disappointing 2005 season.

Much work needs to be done to rebuild the program. A total of nine players from the 2005 roster will not be returning to the team. Included among these are four starting defenders and the teams\' leading score, co-captain and CACC 1st Team selection Jenna Cutts.

Jenna\'s offensive talents will most certainly be missed, as will her leadership, work ethic and competitiveness. Her 11 goals and 2 assists represented more than half of the teams\' production. Second year players, sophomore Michelle Wolfson and junior Nicole Keiser, who combined for 7 goals and 7 assists in 2005, will look to improve upon these totals and provide an offensive spark.

But a more daunting task for third-year coach Dan Carillo will be to entirely reconstruct the defense. "Losing four back-line starters in one year will present quite a challenge. But I\'m confident that we will be up to it, and I expect a number of players will take advantage of this opportunity to step into these roles and contribute," he said. Sophomore Madie Hickok will return having benefited from a year of experience, and junior Rachel Klusewicz and senior Patty Irish will provide steady, reliable minutes.

With a team stocked with talented midfielders and forwards, Coach Carillo is considering converting some to defenders. Nicole Keiser, senior Rachel Rowles and junior Megan Detamore all have experience playing in the back line and may be called into service if necessary. Also, Coach Carillo feels that junior Jess Betts and senior Beth Fox have skills and physical characteristics to succeed in the back line. Sophomores Monique Veilleux and Becky Gogolen will build on their first-year experiences and round out the midfield. Monique will be expected to assume a more significant role as a playmaker.

"All of our players are talented and can contribute in many areas. We will use our time during preseason wisely and productively to identify and define roles for each of them. The potential success of the team will determine these assignments. We will organize our tactics to support our strengths and put together a strong starting eleven and a substitution rotation that will get everyone involved. Hopefully, the players will all get on board with a team-first attitude and accept their assignments," Coach Carillo said.

The Lady Warriors feel very secure in the hands of junior goalkeeper Whitney Shutt, who put together a very solid effort last year. She has been working on her fitness and conditioning throughout the off-season and will report to camp fully prepared to assume her responsibilities. Whitney will share the goalkeeper duties with freshman recruit Kim Storms from West Milford, New Jersey. Kim, a two-year varsity starter at Hawthorne Christian Academy, is a very promising young goalkeeper who is certain to have a positive impact on the team.

In addition to Kim, four players round out the recruiting class. Junior Agnes Hitimana, from Bujumbura, Burundi, will transfer from Fulton Montgomery Community College, where she was a two-year captain, team MVP and leading scorer. She is a highly skilled and gifted player, capable of playing every position. With her excellent field vision, touch and experience, Agnes will be expected to provide leadership and pace as a playmaker.

Freshman recruit Chauntel Veilleux is a gifted forward who produced 46 goals in a three-year varsity career at Calvary Christian Academy in Bangor, Maine. She is looking forward to reuniting with her sister Monique.

Freshman recruit Christina Hostetter, from Willow Street, Pennsylvania, was a four-year varsity starter at Lampeter-Strasburg High School. Christina is a fundamentally solid and versatile player, with good speed, who will contribute in a variety of roles. She is capable of providing a solid performance as a defensive midfielder or running the wing, and will be given an opportunity to contribute in the back line as well.

Brittany Kimlingen, of Scotland, Connecticut, completes the freshman recruiting class. Brittany played scholastic soccer for Windham High School and club soccer for Northeast Premiere. She is a very solid and capable defender with good speed, and can also play an outside midfield position.

Coach Carillo is very optimistic heading into the 2005 season. "I can state emphatically that we are coming into this season with a sense that we have something to prove to ourselves. I am absolutely certain that we are committed to wash away the disappointment of last season. We all realize that, given our talent and depth, we should have produced a better result. Perhaps we lack some depth this year, with a relatively small roster, but we are confident in our talent and abilities. I feel that our success will hinge on two key areas, fitness and team unity. Hopefully we have learned from our mistakes. If we fully commit to the conditioning program and dedicate ourselves to the team goals, subjugating personal desires, we will begin to move in a positive direction."