The 2008 Sagehens
2007 Season Preview :
With a strong foundation of 20 returning players the 2007 Pomona-Pitzer Sagehens hope to surpass the successes of their past two seasons. After the program’s first ever NCAA tournament appearance in 2005, the Sagehens followed up in 2006 with a second place SCIAC finish and an overall record of 10-6-2. Though the three 2006 graduates will be missed for their leadership on and off the field, they have left behind a strong group of talented young players poised to make a great impact and grow as leaders as the Sagehens continue to build a reputation as a top division III team.
Not having lost any members to graduation, the Sagehen defense will have the opportunity in 2007 to continue to improve as a solid and cohesive unit. Returning goalkeepers, senior Kelsyn Bevins and junior Caroline Flynn, will continue to compete for time in the net. In the Pomona-Pitzer record books they rank 1st and 2nd respectively for season goals against average. Junior captain Julia Carr, a 2006 First Team All-West Region and All-SCIAC selection, along with senior Melissa Berg and sophomore Katherine DeJong, will anchor the middle of the defense. Also returning and seeing time on the outside will be junior backs Kaitlin Swarts and Liz McAllister and sophomore Claire McGroder. Last year McGroder garnered Second Team All-SCIAC honors. Sophomore Kira Watson is also poised contribute to the Sagehen defense as an outside back.
At midfield Pomona-Pitzer returns a cadre of talented ball-handlers, including senior captain and two-time second team All-SCIAC selection Jenny Medvene-Collins. Junior Lily Hitchner, was first team all conference in each of her first two years for the Sagehens, and in 2006 earned second team All-West Region honors as well. Sophomores Jane Philips, Erin Platter, and Kimber Lopez, who all saw considerable action as freshmen, will be important playmakers alongside their upper-class teammates.
Playing in the winger position, senior Hana Ripperger-Suhler will help set the example of hard work and tough play for her younger teammates, sophomore wingers Elena Brandford and Laura Terry-Green. Last season Ripperger-Suhler contributed two game winning goals, tying her for the lead in that category with Jenny Medvene-Collins and Angie Martinez.
On the attack the Sagehens return the talents of strikers Paige Maas, Angie Martinez and Elli Seo. Maas, a junior, was the team’s leading scorer in 2006 with six goals and will continue to be dangerous up top. Junior Angie Martinez, who missed most of her sophomore season due to a knee injury, will also be a considerable threat, having been the leader scorer in her freshman season. Seo, a sophomore and 2006 first team All-SCIAC and second team All-West Region selection, will bolster the offense with her ability to contribute to the attack from the striker, midfield, and winger positions. Seo currently holds the team record for assists in a season, with eight.
This foundation of 20 returning players is joined by a group of six new players who will contribute depth and talent to every position. On the attack, Hannah Carr from Portland, OR will contribute as a striker. Sophomore transfer Katie Kerr, who spent her first year of college soccer playing for Centre College, adds talent to the winger position. Heather Wegner from Westport, CT, brings further depth to the winger position and is also poised to contribute as a central midfielder along with fellow freshman Lisa Dusenbery from St. Paul, MN. Chelsea Muir from Santa Cruz, CA will challenge for playing time in the defense and goalkeeper Meghan Schauer from West Chester, PA adds to the Sagehens’ duo of veteran of net-minders.
As Pomona-Pitzer begins the 2007 season they will face competition from around the country. The Sagehens open play September 3 against Principia College (MO) and will then face University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh and Haverford College (PA) in the Bulldog-Athena-Sagehen Classic. Later in the season (Oct. 28) the Sagehens will face Macalester College (MN). Both UW Oshkosh and Macalester were participants in last year’s NCAA Tournament and provide an excellent chance for the Sagehens to challenge nationally competitive Division III opponents.
The team travels to Cal Lutheran to kick of the first round of SCIAC play on September 12. They will then face cross-campus rivals Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, followed by Occidental, Whittier, La Verne, and finally Redlands, the defending SCIAC champions, before starting into the second round of conference play. Between SCIAC matches Pomona-Pitzer will square off against Chapman in an important West Region game.
The Sagehens hope to perform at their top level in order to return to the SCIAC tournament and battle for the conference’s bid into the 2007 NCAA Tournament. In the 2nd annual conference tournament the top four teams will play for the chance to represent SCIAC in the national tournament.
Listed
below is the entire list of past women’s soccer SCIAC champions:
| 1985 Pomona-Pitzer |
| 1986 Pomona-Pitzer |
| 1987 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps |
| 1988 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps |
| 1989 Pomona-Pitzer |
| 1990 Pomona-Pitzer |
| 1991 Cal Lutheran University |
| 1992 Cal Lutheran University |
| 1993 Cal Lutheran University |
| 1994 Cal Lutheran University |
| 1995 Cal Lutheran University |
| 1996 Cal Lutheran University |
| 1997 Cal Lutheran University |
| 1998 Cal Lutheran University |
| 1999 Cal Lutheran University |
| 2000 Cal Lutheran University |
| 2001 University of Redlands |
| 2002 Claremont Mudd Scripps – Cal Lutheran |
| 2003 Whittier College |
| 2004 University of Redlands |
| 2005 Pomona-Pitzer |
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