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UMass Dartmouth returns 5 of its 6 top scorers from
last year as the Corsairs prepare for 2001 season
(Dartmouth, MA) -- UMass Dartmouth women's soccer coach Alex Silva heads
into his sixth season with the Corsairs with a combination of 5 returning
starters and handful of talented newcomers to the program.
While the Corsairs return 5 of their top 6 scorers from last year's 5-9-3
team, Silva will need to find several replacements in key positions after
losing players to graduation following last season. Filling those
vacancies and drawing on the strength of the returning veterans will be
UMass Dartmouth's most important challenge heading into the 2001 season.
"We're going to be a young team all around, even with the players who are
returning," said Silva, who will have senior co-captains Melanie Ross
(Methuen, MA) and Lisa Germano (W. Springfield, MA) back for their senior
seasons. "There are several very talented new players joining the team
this year and they will be a big help as they move into some important
positions on the team."
The Corsairs will lean heavily on the top returning scorers from last
season to provide the offense. Junior forward Leanne Teixeira
(Mattapoisett, MA) was the Corsairs' leading scorer last season with 5
goals and an assist for 11 points. Junior midfielder and defender Sarah
Bourque (Rochester, MA) was second in scoring (4-2-10) and will be joined
by Ross at forward, who was fourth (3-0-6), Germano, a forward and
midfielder (5th, 1-3-5) and junior midfielder defender Kerri Zukowski
(Wakefield, MA) (6th, 2-0-4).
On defense, where the Corsairs lost a couple of key starters after last
season, Silva will count heavily on junior Sarah Ashworth (Warwick, RI) to
control the tempo in the early going. Also back for another season will be
junior defenders Andrea Teixeira (Mattapoisett, MA) and Bridget Donahue
(Clinton, MA). Sophomore Hilary Miller (Tiverton, RI), a transfer student
from Elizabethtown College and a former Tiverton (RI) High School standout
player, could be a positive addition to the defensive unit or see some time
at midfield.
One other key defensive position to be filled will be in goal where Jen
Nelson who handled the bulk of the goaltending duties has been lost to
graduation. Junior Christina Nunes (Westport, MA) will be one of the
players under consideration by Silva for the starting job along with
newcomer Meghan Whelden (E. Falmouth, MA). A two-time Eastern
Massachusetts All-State and All League selection at Falmouth High School,
Whelden could also play defense for the Corsairs, a position she played in
high school.
"One of the keys for us, especially in the early going through the first
half of the season, is for us to stay healthy," said Silva who will be
joined by assistant coach Lisa Scholz, a former LEC First Team All-Star at
Rhode Island College. "We need to have our returning veteran players on
the field in order for us to be successful."
Silva is looking forward to seeing 3 newcomers demonstrate what they have
to offer to the Corsair program as first-year players. Shauna Ahearn
(Plymouth, MA) was three-time Mayflower League All-Star at Sacred Heart HS
in Kingston, Mass., and an Eastern Massachusetts All-Star following her
senior season. Stephanie Leahy (Burlington, MA) was an Eastern
Massachusetts All-Star and Middlesex League All-Star at Burlington HS,
while Kelly Fitts (Fairhaven, MA) was a South Coast Conference All-Star and
the leading scorer in Fairhaven High School history with 36 goals and 43
points.
"They are a talented group coming in this season," said Silva. "Only time
will tell about how those new players develop for us."
UMass Dartmouth opens its 18-game schedule with a pair of road games in
Florida. The Corsairs will take on Flagler College on August 31 and
Embry-Riddle University two days later on September 2nd before returning to
campus for the home opener on September 6th against Roger Williams College.
Following non-conference games with Lasall College, Wellesley College and
Bridgewater State College, the Corsairs will open Little East Conference
competition by travelling to Plymouth State College on September 15th.
Jim Mullins
Administrative Assistant
UMass Dartmouth Athletic Department
285 Old Westport Road
Dartmouth, MA 02747-2300
Phone: (508) 910-6930
Fax: (508) 999-8867
Email: jmullins@umassd.edu
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