Western New England Women's Soccer Kicks Off Season in Bangor, Maine
SPRINGFIELD, Mass.--The 2012 edition of the Western New England University women's soccer team will usher in their 29th season of competition on Saturday and Sunday, when they will be competing in the 8th annual Husson University Classic at Boucher Field. Western New England will play Maine Maritime in the tournament opener at 11 a.m. Saturday and then the host Eagles at 1 p.m. Sunday.
Maine Maritime last season went 0-15 overall and 0-9 in the North Atlantic Conference, while Husson fashioned a 9-12 mark and 6-3 in the NAC.
Western New England will look for lone senior co-captains Alexis Bshara, a midfielder from West Springfield (Cathedral High School), and Jocelyn Rose, a defender out of Clinton, Conn. (The Morgan School), to provide leadership during a rebuilding year for a young Golden Bears squad that includes 20 freshmen.
Besides Bshara and Rose, starters sophomore defender Gabrielle Bates (Wilbraham Monson Academy), junior goalkeeper Victoria Trezise (Islip [N.Y.] HS) and sophomore forward Tayler Mazurski (Wolcott [Conn.] HS) are among a list of returners that also includes sophomore midfielder/forward Avery Clark (Groton, Conn./Fitch HS, junior midfielder/defender Amanda Waluszko (Pittsfield HS), sophomore midfielder Sarah Stevens (Stratford [Conn.] HS) and sophomore midfielder/forward Kelly Lemay (Broad Brook, Conn./East Windsor HS). Mazurski is the team's top returning scorer with nine points while Trezise posted a 1.79 goals-against average during 1655 minutes and 37 seconds in net.
The Golden Bears made some noise at the end of last season by advancing to the Commonwealth Coast Conference semifinals as a No. 8 seed, defeating top-seeded New England in a penalty-kick shootout on the road before losing only 1-0 at Endicott. They hope that momentum will carry over into 2012 and serve as a confidence booster throughout the year.
Head coach Ron Dias will place on emphasis on offense this season because last year's team had a tendency not to finish chances in the final third of the field.
"We're hoping that a new infusion of players will kick start the team in the right direction. It's imperative that we get some early wins," said Dias, whose 213-145-20 19-year coaching record for a .590 winning percentage stand as one of the best active marks in NCAA Division III.
"Our players are looking to the future, which includes again challenging for a CCC championship.
Vassar (7-9-1 overall, 2-5-1 Liberty League) is the fourth team in the Husson Classic.
