2004 Women's Soccer
Outlook

Five freshmen, a junior college transfer and four other newcomers will join seven returnees as the Lake Erie College women's soccer team prepares for its 2004 season.

The strong incoming class will certainly aid the returnees, which include the Storm's top goal scorer and its starting goalkeeper, as fifth-year head coach Lauren Ferullo looks to improve on a 3-15-1 finish from last season.

Junior Jane Roberts (Rochester, N.Y./Greece-Odyssey) will resume the starting goalkeeping role, her third consecutive season in net. During last year's campaign Roberts registered 218 saves in 17 games for a 12.824 saves per game average. She also totaled a 4.669 goals against average in 1542 minutes of play. As a sophomore, Roberts ranked 21st in the nation with 11.7 saves per game.

"Jane is working hard on her goalkeeping skills," Ferullo noted. "She will have a much improved defense in front of her, which should relieve some pressure."

Entering her third season in the starting lineup as a defender, junior Rachael Kocher (Beloit, Ohio/West Branch) will be alongside plenty of new faces. Freshmen Amy Shaffer (Warren, Ohio/JFK), Stephanie Ramirez (Defiance, Ohio/Defiance), Nicole Brooks (Girard, Ohio/Girard) join fellow first-year players Megan Gurskey (North Canton, Ohio/Central Catholic), a sophomore, and Heather McElwain (Mentor, Ohio/Mentor), a junior. Kocher started all 19 games last season, tallying one assist. Senior Erin Kinter, who also started all 19 games last year, will vie for playing time in the rejuvenated defense.

"With the addition of three new players, the defense will be much improved," Ferullo said. "The additions will also allow us to institute a flat back four system of play."

Only one player, Theresa Hunter (Hartford, Ohio/Badger), returns at the midfield position, however, senior Mandi Stachon (Cheboygan, Mich./Cheboygan Area), junior Becky Humphreys (Howard City, Mich./Tri-County Area) and Cassie Stanz (Jamestown, N.Y./Jamestown) all worked with the team during spring training during the end of last school year. Hunter started 16 of the 17 games she appeared in, while Stachon returns to the Storm after sitting out last season with a knee injury. Stanz is also returning to the field after taking a year off. The sophomore played as a freshman at Jamestown Community College in 2002 but opted to sit out the 2003 season before transferring to Lake Erie. Humphreys joins freshmen Katy Banks (Boardman, Ohio/Boardman) and Loni Sargent (Hubbard, Ohio/Hubbard) as first-year players on the Storm roster.

According to Ferullo, Sargent and Banks are very strong players who should be able to dominate the middle of the field. "(Loni and Katy) will team with Cassie and Mandi to round out a much improved midfield," Ferullo said.

The midfielders will be called upon to create more scoring opportunities for the top three scorers from last season. Junior Keri Cameron (Mentor, Ohio/Mentor) and Stevi Culverwell (Cassadaga, N.Y./Cassadaga Valley) join sophomore Chrissy Griffeth (Saratoga Springs, N.Y./Saratoga Springs) as the only listed forwards on the preseason roster. Cameron, who is the Storm's two-time team MVP, and Griffeth each registered four points last season, while Culverwell tallied five goals and led the team in scoring with 12 points. All together, the three accounted for 80 percent of the team's scoring, but with the improved midfield goals the pressure to do it all should be somewhat relieved.

"All of our midfielders can create and score," Ferullo commented.

In all, the women's squad is primed to set new standards in Lake Erie women's soccer. And, the opportunity to do so begins Wednesday, Sept 1 with a 3:30 contest at Hiram. The home season begins Tuesday, Sept. 7 against Baldwin-Wallace at 4:30.