Nov. 18, 2002
Duquesne University's Lauren Bracco (Dix Hills, N.Y./Half Hollow Hills West) and Kristin Scharphorn (Niskayuna, N.Y./Niskayuna) have been named to the 2003 Atlantic 10 women's soccer Academic All-Conference team as voted upon by the league's sports information directors. A total of 12 student-athletes are chosen for the award. All 12 members of the Atlantic 10 sponsor women's soccer.
Bracco, a junior midfielder, earns her first Academic All-Conference honor. She boasts a 3.47 grade point average in physical therapy. The 2003 second team All-Atlantic 10 pick started all 18 of her matches and ranked second among the Dukes with four goals and three assists for 11 points. Three of her goals were game-winners as she seal the win for Duquesne versus Youngstown State, Robert Morris and St. Bonaventure.
Scharphorn earns her first Academic All-Conference honor posting a 3.42 grade point average in secondary education/general sciences. She started all 19 matches in goal for the Dukes and recorded 122 saves on 284 shots. Her 122 saves stands third on the DU single-season list. Scharphorn also had a .744 saves percentage and posted a 2.13 goals against average while clocking 1772:58 minutes in front of the net. She posted two shutouts and matched her career-best with 17 saves vs. Rhode Island. The two-year starter and team captain ranked second in the A-10 in saves and third in saves per game.
The Dukes finished the season 5-13-1 overall, 1-9-1 in Atlantic 10 play. The Red & Blue set a new school single-season winning streak mark this year winning all five consecutively. It was a deceptive record though, as six falls were decided by just one goal, three of which came in overtime.
