Full Release from the Commonwealth Coast Conference

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. -- One of the most successful teams in school history, the 2012 Endicott women's soccer team has once again set its sights on supremacy in the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC). The Gulls have been picked to finish at the top of the CCC according to the preseason poll that was released Tuesday afternoon by the conference office and commissioner Gregg M. Kaye.

The poll, which was voted on by the conference's head women's soccer coaches, had Endicott receiving four of the 10 first-place votes and a total of 91 points. The University of New England was selected to finish second receiving one first-place vote, while the defending 2011 champion Roger Williams University was picked third and received four first-place votes. Salve Regina University was tabbed as finishing fourth and grabbed the remaining first-place vote and Gordon College was selected as fifth.

The Gulls program has a storied history of accomplishments, which includes eight conference titles and a current streak of 11 consecutive CCC championship appearances.

The Gulls have been unlucky in the last two finals, however, losing to Roger Williams on a late goal in double overtime last season after falling to the Hawks on penalty kicks in 2010. Both of those contests took place in Bristol, R.I., a trend that eighth year head coach Jodi Kenyon would like to change.

"Our main goal this year is to win all our conference games to be able to get back to the tournament, play at home and take it one game at a time from there," said Kenyon, Endicott's active leader in winning percentage. "We don't want to put the pressure on ourselves that we have to be in the championship game, but we've been denied that the past few years, so there's some unfinished business."

The 2012 team will be comprised of a strong veteran core that includes seven members each from the senior, junior and sophomore classes returning for the Gulls from a team that last year finished with a record of 12-9 and made their second consecutive appearance in the ECAC New England tournament. They will be joined by 19 freshman hopefuls, many of whom with the talent and experience to make immediate impacts.

Endicott's experience and leadership will start with its back-line of defense, which will feature two four-year starters in Lauren Todd and centre back Caitlin Peters, team co-captain and reigning CCC Defensive Player of the Year. They will anchor a defensive line that gave up an average of just a goal a game last year and nine times kept their opponents off of the scoreboard.

"The experience that we have back there is going to be the best aspect of our game," said Kenyon. "Peters has such as great way of reading the game and staying composed and providing good solid leadership in the back line. Everyone seems to rely on her. Lauren is a vocal and energetic leader, and she always provides an emotional push."

Joining the defensive backfield will be senior Christine Silva, who last year was named Second Team All-New England as well as Honorable Mention All-CCC. Silva, along with returns Allison Ferro, Madison Missinne and Sarah Person and the addition of some key freshman, will combine to produce speed on the flank and an added offensive push out of the back.

In midfield Endicott will look for increased contributions from second-year player Hannah Schneidenbach, who is solid in the air and plays a physical, aggressive style, as well as transfer Aly George, a confident and composed player who is very smart with the ball, solid at her feet, and has a good first touch, according to Kenyon.

Battling in central midfield will be senior Christina Vellucci, who scored four goals a year ago, while on the midfield flanks will be senior co-captain Chelsea Garlock, who showed her ability to get forward and make things happen last year when she was named to the Third Team All-New England Region.   She will be joined by Micaela Hogan, Heather Moody and Vanessa Caruccio, who had two goals and five assists last year in a midfield that will feature experience, speed and athleticism. 

The forward position will have to cope with the graduation of Colleen Pepin, who became the second leading goal-scorer in Endicott history with 16 tallies last year. The Gulls will look to adapt by spreading out their scoring through the midfield and forward spots, with juniors Lexi Dussi, a co-captain, and Nicole Fournier leading the charge. Fournier was the second-leading scorer on the team last year, netting eight goals, including three game-winners. Moody, Caruccio and Garlock will also look to come forward and get on the score-sheet.

"This will give us an opportunity for us to be a more rounded offensive threat and for others to step up and provide offensive scoring power. Any of these kids can be solid and prolific goal scorers," Kenyon said of Pepin's departure. "It's going to force somebody to lead and take charge and when we need a goal scored they're going to have to step up and do it. We're much more of a team unit than one person."

The Gulls will have depth at the goaltender position, as junior Natalie Wyrsch and sophomore Katie Donnelly, who split time last year, will both return to the squad. They will be joined by sophomore Valentina Ciotto and freshman Julianna McDermott who is coming from a large high school and solid club program to provide a solid challenge and more depth, creating a solid goalkeeper unit.

Kenyon expects the youngsters to push the veterans at every position and challenge them in practice and for playing time up and down the roster. She hopes that those veterans will use some of the adversity they have faced over the past few seasons to fight through tough spots this year.  

"All the experiences we've had in the past are good experiences, like losing games in OT and in the last few seconds. The veterans have that fire -- they don't' want to be in those situations. All those experiences have led to providing great leadership and a solid cohesion within the team. It's going to be important to incorporate these freshmen into that off the bat," said Kenyon.

Endicott's non-conference schedule, which will again be one of the most competitive in the region, will include teams such as Union, Babson, Wellesley, Tufts, Williams and Salem State, while also adding Plymouth State and Lesley's programs to the mix. Though they are a tune-up for the conference portion of the season, Kenyon wants to focus on getting solid results in these matchups to propel the Gulls into the top rankings in the region.

As always, the second half of the season will be focused on winning a very competitive Commonwealth Coast Conference, where the Gulls will have to deal with University of New England, Salve Regina, local rival Gordon and solid challenges from schools like Nichols and Wentworth, in addition to the defending champion Hawks. "Everyone is getting better," said Kenyon, who stressed the need to build from every game and show the proper focus for every opponent.

Endicott's 2012 campaign will begin at nearby Salem State on September 2^nd, with the home opener against Wellesley slated for Wednesday night, September 5^th. 

2012 PRESEASON WOMEN'S SOCCER POLL

Teams received 10 points for every first place vote received, nine points for second place votes, eight points for third place votes, down to one point for a last place vote. First place votes are shown in parentheses.