Aug. 10, 2004

Things are looking good for the 2004 edition of Duquesne women's soccer after a successful progression under first year head coach James Walker last season. With one year under his belt at the Dukes' helm, coach Walker and his staff are looking optimistically at this year's campaign, which is the 10th of Division I play for the Dukes. In all, 16 letterwinners return, including seven starters, from last-year's much-improved program ready and willing to do whatever is needed to take Duquesne to the next level. Ten strong-minded newcomers are on board as well determined to prove themselves and unleash the Dukes' potential. The 2003 season looked hopeful as Duquesne opened the slate going 1-0-1 at the Akron tournament, which the Dukes won by defeating the host Zips on penalty kicks. It was the start of something good for the Red & Blue who finished the season 8-10-2 overall, 4-6-1 in league play - sound improvement over the 2002 season's 5-13-1 (1-9-1) showing. The Dukes demonstrated promise as their win total was the most since the 1998 squad went 9-8-2 and their four A-10 wins were the most since the 1999 team posted a 5-6-0 conference record. To build on the team's progress, Duquesne will rely on returning veterans Erica Carey and Katie Schwager to pick up the scoring potential, which has suffered a loss due to the graduation of All-Conference performer Lauren Bracco (10 goals, 1 assist). Carey notched four goals and added an assist last year while Schwager recorded a team-best three assists and added two scores. Duquesne will also count on the scoring potential of Jennifer LaCava and Martine Gilbert to supplement the loss of Bracco. Returnees Caitlin Holmes, Katie McCarter, Jennifer Legge and Elizabeth Bok will anchor the defensive play while keepers Virginia Bondi and Rachel Gecik will once again protect the Dukes' net after recording a combined 132 saves and a 1.55 goals against average. The Walker era began with a solid base of coaching credentials, which will help put Duquesne women's soccer on the map. No stranger to winning, Walker led Tiffin (Ohio) to four American Mideast Conference Championship crowns over his tenure and posted an overall mark of 84-33-4. Under his guidance, Tiffin was nationally ranked his last five seasons and advanced to the Regional Final Four each year. Forwards: Senior Katie Schwager will once again secure the forward position and is expected to repeat as a consistent scoring threat. Schwager is the team's second-leading goal scorer back this year as she netted a goal twice. She has great anticipation skills and is able to dish the ball to her teammate for an impending goal as well. Bringing strength to the position is returning senior Justine Itte, junior Martine Gilbert and sophomores Christina Goodfellow and Amber Paul. Itte saw time in 18 outings last season and recorded one assist while taking eight shots. She has steadily improved her game over her career and is could have a strong showing this year. Gilbert is looking toward her first full season of competition after missing time to injuries her first two years. She competed in 11 outings in 2003 and netted one goal on 11 shots. One of the squad's most athletic players, she has the ability to change the game at any time and could share time at midfield as well. Goodfellow played in eight contests and netted one goal on five shots while Paul played in 15 matches with three starts. Expectations are high for newcomers Kelly Reed and Faye Rasmussen, who can also contribute in midfield play. Reed, a 2004 pre-season A-10 All-Rookie pick, helped lead her South Park HS squad to four WPIAL titles and a 76-21-2 record. Rasmussen was an all-conference and all-state pick and is expected to adjust well to the collegiate game with her attitude and anticipation skills. Midfielders: The midfield suffered a hard hit with the graduation of All-Atlantic 10 performer Lauren Bracco to graduation. Looking to fill the void will be senior Erica Carey, juniors Katie Hensel and Jen LaCava along with sophomore Ashley Stelmak. Carey is the Dukes' top returning goal scorer finding the back of the net four times. She is a consistent scoring threat and can be looked upon for a feed as well. LaCava had one of her strongest campaigns last year and is looking to build upon a solid spring season. Hensel registered two assists in her rookie season playing in 14 matches with six starts and is one of the squad's most intense competitors. Stelmak, who is expected to hold down the central midfield, played quality minutes in 11 matches last year where she helped the Dukes post a 1.55 goals against average and four shutouts. Joining them are newcomers Elizabeth Riggs, Audra Mathews and Nicole Nanchoff. Riggs, a transfer from Akron, should be a solid contributor with two years of experience to her credit. Last year, she posted three assists in eight contests to stand second for the Zips. Mathews, a 2004 A-10 pre-season All-Rookie pick, led her St. Ursula Academy squad to a #1 national ranking in 2003 and was a first-team All-GGCL and all-city pick. Nanchoff, who played for the Cleveland Internationals this past summer, helped guide her Walsh Jesuit team to an 80-5-2 mark as a prep and to the 2000 and 2001 state championship titles. Adding to the position's strength are dual-role players Gilbert, Schwager and Jennifer Legge. Legge, who will hold more of a defensive role, brings size and technical ability to the field and will see some play at midfield as well. The remaining trio brings immense experience and leadership to the midfield, but will see time mainly in the forward position. Defenders: A solid corps of returnees secures the defensive role with the return of senior Caitlin Holmes, junior Katie McCarter and sophomores Jennifer Legge and Elizabeth Bok. The foursome aided in the Dukes posting a 1.55 goals against average and four shutouts last season. A three-year starter, Holmes has great field vision and distribution skills and isn't afraid to challenge for the ball. McCarter possesses incredible speed and is a great one-v-one defender. She has seen time in a starting role each season and should come into her own this year. Legge had an exceptional rookie year sharing time at defense and the midfield. She has an exceptional eye for the game and has a great height advantage with her 5-11 frame. Aiding in the role is senior Katie Ireland and freshmen Cynthia Kaylor, Emily Sedgwick and Lindsay O'Connell. Ireland has great determination and the ability to bring a spark to the game and could see time in the midfield as well. She has played some quality minutes over her career, which adds to the depth and talent of the defense. Kaylor was an all-district performer and hails from strong and successful club and ODP programs in Virginia. She brings stability and aggressive play to the table. Sedgwick was a first team all-conference performer and helped lead her Loomis Chaffer School to gold at the 2002 New York Empire State Games with a 10-1-1 record. O'Connell, an all-league honoree as a prep, joined the Dukes as a walk-on during the spring 2004 slate making a positive impression on the coaching staff and team and will compete for her positioning in the lineup. Goalkeeper: Back for their sophomore season protecting the net are Virginia Bondi and Rachel Gecik. Bondi received the starting nod in 14 of her 15 games recording two shutouts (La Salle & Niagara), 90 saves and a 1.50 goals against average. She clocked in nearly 2000 minutes of play and was tabbed an A-10 Co-Rookie of the week. Gecik also notched two shutouts (Canisius & Youngstown St.) and started five of her 15 contests. She recorded 36 saves, saw 665 minutes of play and had a 1.63 goals against average. Each brings something different to the game and is expected to share time once again. Challenging them is freshman Catherine Hellmuth, who comes from Our Lady of Good Counsel, which was ranked in the top 25 last year. She led her squad to a 20-1-0 mark as a senior, which included 14 shutouts. Hellmuth refused a goal in 37 matches over her prep career and was twice named an all-conference and all-county performer. The Schedule: The 2004 campaign gets underway Aug. 27-29 at the Bowling Green Invitational with the Dukes facing the host Falcons and Eastern Michigan. The Red & Blue meet cross-town rival Pitt on Sept. 3 followed by a bout at first-year program Cleveland State Sept. 5. The home slate begins Sept. 10 as Niagara comes to Rooney field followed by first-time opponent Arizona Sept. 12. Other non-conference match-ups include St. Francis, Canisius and Robert Morris. The Atlantic 10 season begins Sept. 26 as the Dukes host St. Bonaventure before enduring a six-match A-10 road series to begin the month of October, including a date with defending A-10 champion and NCAA participant Dayton. The calendar closes out with four league home games vs. Temple, St. Joe's, Rhode Island and UMass. The top six teams in the Atlantic 10 will challenge for the league's automatic bid into the NCAA College Cup at the A-10 championships slated for Nov. 4-7 at the University of Massachusetts