UMass Dartmouth women’s soccer has five starters back heading into 2003 season

(Dartmouth, MA) -- UMass Dartmouth women’s soccer coach Alex Silva will open his eighth season with five starters back from last year’s squad and host of new players on his roster. Despite the small number of returning starters, however, Silva has key players back at important positions as the Corsairs look to improve on last year’s 6-8-2 overall mark.

“Our team in 2003 is going to be very young with eight first-year players,” said Silva. “We lost some key players from last year but the returning players who are back with us are very solid players.”

UMass Dartmouth will lean heavily on the efforts of senior co-captains Elena Gomez (Rockland, MA) and Hillary Miller (Tiverton, RI) during 2003. In 16 games last year, Gomez had a pair of goals and an assist for five points, while Miller played in 15 games and was a key player on the defensive end of the field.

The leading scorer returning from last year is junior Stephanie Leahy (Burlington, MA), a Little East Conference Second Team All-Star. In 16 games last season, Leahy had four goals for eight points, fourth best on the team in 2003.

One position in which the Corsairs should be steady is in goal with the return of sophomore Amanda Tavares (Dartmouth, MA). After taking over the starting job in goal early last season, Tavares appeared in 11 games and had a 1.47 goals against average. Tavares had a 2-6-2 overall record with two shutouts to her credit. She was an LEC Rookie of the Week last October when she was un-scored upon for a period of 200 minutes, including six saves in a win over Southern Maine and a scoreless overtime tie with Rhode Island College. Tavares will be backed up by sophomore Norah McNally (Clinton, MA) who was 1-1 with a 0.60 goals against average.

Leahy will anchor the defensive unit along with Miller, sophomore Melissa Tavares (Dartmouth, MA) and sophomore Lindsey Smith (Hanson, MA). UMass Dartmouth will feel the loss of Sarah Bourque in the midfield. Bourque has joined the team as an assistant coach this season and will work with junior Shauna Ahearn (Plymouth, MA), and Maura Armstrong (Worcester, MA), along with sophomores Erin Estelle (Worthington, MA) and Kate Conrad (Grafton, MA).

Gomez will be the leader for UMass Dartmouth on offense along with junior Amy Page (Mendon, MA) and first-year player Megan Hansen (New London, NH). The Corsairs will also welcome back junior Kelly Fitts (Fairhaven, MA), who sat out last season with an injury.

“It is a young team but they have been working very hard in the pre-season,” said Silva who will also be joined by new assistant coach Paul Texeira this season. “We are looking forward to this season.”

UMass Dartmouth will be out to improve on last year’s sixth-place finish in the LEC (2-4-1) which produced the Corsairs’ second invitation to the conference post-season tournament in as many years.

The Corsiars open the 2003 season at home against Bridgewater State College on Sept. 6 at 3:30 pm. Corsair home games will be played on the new artificial surface at Cressy Field. UMass Dartmouth will open Little East Conference action on Saturday, Sept. 20 at Plymouth State College.