2012 SNHU WOMEN'S SOCCER SCHEDULE
The Southern New Hampshire University women's soccer program enjoyed a successful 2011 campaign. The Penmen finished 10-8-2 overall and advanced to the semifinals of the Northeast-10 Tournament. Despite its success, the program fell short of its ultimate goal, a bid to the NCAA Tournament, as its overall record left it narrowly on the outside looking in.
Despite the loss of All-American Ariel Teixeira (who is now a member of the coaching staff), Southern New Hampshire appears to have all of the pieces in place to build upon last season's success and advance even farther. 17 players, including four of the top six scorers from a season ago, return. Also in the returner mix are a pair of senior All-Conference defenders, as well as two experienced goalkeepers. Throw in 11 newcomers, and expectations around the Penmen are the highest they've been in several seasons.
Graduate student Emily Mongeau (Westborough, Mass.) and senior Daniela Abruzzese (Parsippany, N.J.) will serve as captains for the 2012 season. The pair return as the most decorated duo on the roster, as Mongeau has earned Northeast-10 All-Conference honors in each of her first three seasons, while Abruzzese is a two-time All-Conference honoree while also garnering NE-10 All-Rookie accolades her freshman season. The pair will anchor the backline for SNHU.
In addition to the captains, the Penmen have five other seniors on the roster. Alex Barba (Hudson, Mass.) has seen limited action over her first three seasons splitting time between midfield and the backfield. Kasey Morrison (Hampton, N.H.) led Southern New Hampshire with eight goals last season and added a pair of assists to finish second on the team behind Teixeira with 18 points, while Kaleigh Roberge (Manchester, N.H.) started all 20 games a season ago and notched 16 points on the strength of six goals and four assists.
Jackie Squatrito (Pembroke, Mass.) has played primarily in the back over her career and has appeared in 38 games over her first three seasons. Goalkeeper Maggie Weldon (Manchester, N.H.) made 12 appearances in goal last season with 11 starts and posted a 1.65 goals-against average. In 2010 Weldon notched seven shutouts and compiled a 0.93 GAA.
Seven juniors and a trio of sophomores make up the remainder of Southern New Hampshire's returners. Emily Fougere (Scituate, Mass.) made 15 appearances, including her first career start, last season, and tallied a goal at Saint Anselm, while Aurianna Franco (Mashpee, Mass.) and Ashlynn Fratoni (Boylston, Mass.) each saw limited action in 2011. Defender Kasey Hereth (Pascoag, R.I.) played in seven games last season after appearing in 11 games as a freshman.
Ashley Jaskula (Palmer, Mass.) started all 20 games a season ago and tallied six goals and two assists on the season, including the lone goal in a 1-0 win over rival Franklin Pierce, while Bethi Ledoux (Westborough, Mass.) recorded 10 points on four goals and two assists
while starting nine times and appearing in all 20 games. Samantha Whittier (Sutton, Mass.) started nine games in goal and wrapped up the season with a 1.10 goals-against average and .722 save percentage to go along with three shutouts.
The sophomore class consists of midfielder Jennifer Arnold (South Burlington, Vt.) and defenders Olivia Boivin (Windsor, Maine) and Tara Murphy (Hampden, Mass.). Murphy and Boivin were fixtures in the starting lineup last season, with Murphy starting 18 times and playing 19 while Boivin started all 17 contests in which she appeared. Arnold saw time in three contests as a freshman.
Eleven freshmen make up the list of newcomers to the Penmen for 2012. Alyssa Balboni (East Longmeadow, Mass.) totaled eight goals and seven assists as a senior and was a two-time All-State selection at East Longmeadow HS, while Hayley Barnard (Bedford, N.H.) was a First Team All-State selection at Bedford HS after tallying three goals and six assists as a senior. Morgan Branco (Norton, Mass.) finished as the all-time leading scorer in Brockton HS history, scoring 89 career goals. Branco was a two-time All-State selection, while Gabby Cappello (Andover, Mass.) was the Merrimack Valley Conference Player of the Year at Andover HS after recording 13 goals and five assists.
Molly Carey (Swampscott, Mass.) spent last season at Cushing Academy after a standout career at St. Mary's HS where she was a two-time Lynn Item All-Star, while Lexxi Carroll (Plainville, Conn.) tallied 14 goals and 11 assists last season at Plainville HS en route to All-State honors. Lexie Doucette (Londonderry, N.H.) garnered First Team All-State honors playing for Londonderry HS last season, while Megan Hanna (Chelmsford, Mass.) was an All-State performer for Chelmsford HS.
Kiley Hardy (Pepperell, Mass.) was the leading scorer for Groton-Dunstable HS as a junior and team MVP as a senior, while Christie Ribeiro (Bristol, R.I.) starred for Mount Hope HS. Sarah Waltsak (East Longmeadow, Mass.) tallied 15 goals and eight assists as a senior as a teammate to Balboni at East Longmeadow HS and was a two-time All-State performer.
The early season schedule does Southern New Hampshire no favors as two of its three opponents reached the NCAA Tournament a season ago and the third is a perennial visitor to the postseason. The Penmen open Friday, August 31 against Holy Family at home. The Tigers finished 13-7-1 and reached the NCAA Tournament in 2011.
Three days later SNHU opens Northeast-10 play at home against Franklin Pierce, which is coming off an uncharacteristic 2011 in which it did not qualify for the postseason. September 5 brings the University of Bridgeport to Larkin Field. The Purple Knights spent much of last season ranked No. 1 in the country and finished with a 16-0-2 record and a sixth straight NCAA appearance. The Penmen also face defending Division II national champion Saint Rose in the early going, traveling to Albany, N.Y. to square off with the Golden Knights September 15.
The eight-team Northeast-10 Tournament kicks off October 30 with the championship game slated for November 4. The NCAA Tournament opens the following weekend, with the national semifinals and finals set for November 29 and December 1 in Evans, Georgia.
