FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                         
September 13,  2004

UMass Dartmouth women’s soccer heads
into LEC action with solid start in 2004

 

(Dartmouth, MA) – UMass Dartmouth women’s soccer coach Alex Silva is getting ready to

open Little East Conference competition on Saturday, September 18 against Plymouth State

College.  After a pair of non-conference wins to open the 2004 season, Silva and his Corsairs

have reason to be optimistic as they enter the new season.

 

After a 5-1 win over Roger Williams to open the season, the Corsairs blanked Wentworth Institute

of Technology, 2-0, on Sept. 11 for an early 2-0 record.  Silva and his Corsairs will be leaning

on the efforts of nine returning starters from last year’s team, which finished 6-9-4 overall and

placed fifth in the LEC at 2-3-2.

 

“We can already see the benefits of having an experienced team,” said Silva, the LEC Coach of the

Year in 2003.  “The team knows what is expected of them. Last year it was a young team and this

year they are much more mature. They have grown a lot into the game and they know what it takes

to be successful.”

 

Having allowed only one goal in their first two games, the Corsairs have already proven they should

be a solid defensive team.  Senior co-captain Stephanie Leahy (Burlington, MA) is a four-year starter

for UMass Dartmouth and has twice been an LEC Second Team selection on defense. Junior Melissa

Tavares (Dartmouth, MA), a two-year starter at the position, joins her on the back line.

 

UMass Dartmouth’s defense will benefit from the experience in goal of junior Amanda Tavares

(Dartmouth, MA). A second-year starter for the Corsairs, Tavares was the LEC First Team All-Star

goalie as a sophomore after working her way into the starting lineup in her first year with the Corsairs.

In 17 games last season, Tavares had a 1.14 goals against average, fourth in the LEC, and had six s

hutouts to her credit.

 

“Our defense is not going to be an issue this season,” said Silva, who will be working with assistant

coach Sarah Bourque again this season.  “We can play defense and with Amanda in goal, we have a

very solid player in net.”

 

In order for the Corsairs to move up in the LEC this season, they are going to have to find some players

who can score.  Along the front line, UMass Dartmouth has two starters back from last season, including

senior co-captain Amy Page (Mendon, MA) and sophomore Hillary Longley (Swansea, MA).  The

Corsairs are also looking for some offense from the midfield where returners Shauna Ahern (Plymouth, MA),

a four-year starter and senior co-captain, is joined by junior Lindsey Smith (Hanson, MA), Erin Estelle

(Worthington, MA) and junior Maura Armstrong (Worcester, MA), a three-year starter.

 

“We have got to finish the game when we have to. We need to put games away instead of just outplaying

teams but not getting wins,” said, Silva, who is entering his ninth season with the Corsairs.  “We need to be

patient and take advantage of our chances for goals.”

 

With an eye toward the future, Silva has brought in several first-year players with solid credentials in high

school.  Among the newcomers to UMass Dartmouth who will push the starters for playing time are Crystal

Ferreira (Somerset, MA), a Herald News All-Star and Eastern Athletic Conference All-Star and her Somerset

HS teammate Andrea Motta (Somerset, MA), the top scorer on her high school team.  Leanne Nygaard

(Medway, MA) was an Eastern Massachusetts All-Star and a team defensive MVP, while Ryann Robinson

(Meriden, CT) was a First Team selection and All-State in Connecticut. 

 

“The new players have to learn a lot about the game and some are going to be asked to contribute this season.”

said Silva.  “We need to build our program and get them into our system so they can learn the game. They all have

good backgrounds in soccer but at this level it’s a new game for them.

 

With Eastern Connecticut and Keene State College at the top of the LEC Coaches’ Pre-season Poll, UMass Dartmouth

was ranked seventh in the poll.   The Corsair will get their chance at Eastern Connecticut on Sept. 25 and will wrap up

the LEC regular season on Oct. 30 at Keene State. 

 

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