Three-time All SUNYAC keeper to lead Devils
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Women's Soccer
FREDONIA, N.Y. -- A slow start in 2007 translated into a break-even season for the Fredonia State women's soccer team.
An 8-8-4 finish still included trip to the post-season - the Blue Devils fifth in the six-year tenure of head coach Chris Case. A 1-0 overtime loss to Nazareth in the semifinals of the ECAC Upstate Tournament marked the end of the line for only one senior - a highly decorated two-way player.
Now a Blue Devil graduate assistant coach, Danielle Bleecker won three all-region and four all-conference awards for her contributions at both ends of the pitch. She's the only woman in program history to receive all-conference honors four straight seasons.
Becky Scroger has a chance to become the second. Entering her senior year, Scroger was First Team All SUNYAC goalkeeper in 2007. She made Third Team as a sophomore, Second Team as a frosh.
"We have the luxury," Case said, "of having a very good goalkeeper behind our back (defensive) four. When a mistake is made, we have somebody solid to come up with a big save for us."
Bleecker and Scroger worked in concert the past three seasons - the former yelling out directions from her sweeper position and jumping into the offensive attack when called upon, the latter learning the college game step-by-step and producing record results. Scroger's 20 shutouts over three seasons already constitutes a school record, while her 1.00 goals-against average would rank No. 1 among players who have already completed their eligibility.
"She's a great shot stopper," Case said. "and has improved on being a little more vocal. As she enters her senior year, she's gotten better at reading the game as it comes to her. Her positioning has been pretty good so that she doesn't have to make great saves, but just the little saves."
Scroger had seven shutouts in 2007 and allowed just 10 goals all season. Yet despite a single-season school-record 0.67 goals-against average, her won-loss-tie record of 5-6-3 fell short of her freshman (11-7-4) and sophomore (10-9-1) numbers.
Bleecker tied for the team lead with seven goals and led the Blue Devils with 19 points. Overall the Blue Devils outscored opponents 34-18. Those totals are deceiving. Twenty-four of the goals were scored in four games combined, the remaining 10 goals spread over 16 games.
Junior forward Lauren Heilweil also had seven goals last season - including a team-high three game-winners - and was second on the team with 18 points. She was Second Team All SUNYAC, and First Team as a freshman.
Case believes Heilweil will benefit this season by a stronger supporting cast. "Lauren is a real hard worker up top," Case said. "She has great potential to be our leading scorer again this year, and it'll help having more talent around her."
Her was referring to sophomores Julie LaPolla and Jessica Loretz, as well as freshmen Reilly Condidorio and Lindsay Putman. LaPolla's nine points tied for third on team last season while Loretz had eight points despite sitting out six games, the last four of the season due to a knee injury. Meanwhile, the diminutive Condidorio - she's listed as 5' 1" and 110 pounds - has been anything but small offensively during pre-season practices and scrimmages.
"The disappointing thing about last year was our leading goal-scorer was a defender (Bleecker)," Case said. "This year I'm looking forward to this group to step forward and produce goals. They need to be a bigger threat in the offensive third."
The Blue Devils return seven experienced midfielders - three central players, two on the outside, one player who split time inside and outside, and another who played outside when she wasn't playing up as a forward.
The returning three central starters, Case said, "each bring something different" to the midfield mix - senior Mimi Blackman a knack for making creative plays, junior Lisa Curtis a physical presence, and sophomore Christa Morgante good field vision and awareness. "All three," Case said, "work well together."
Senior co-captain Jackie Borcyk will return to right outside midfield. She has a competitive spirit and a level of physical fitness that is hard to miss. "Jackie can run all day," Case said. "She has a quick first step ... She can get up and down the field and has great endurance."
Three sophomores, all with freshmen experience, return to the outside midfield. Angela Beck, who also plays forward, will factor in at both positions again this season. Her four goals in 2007 were third best on the team, while her nine points tied LaPolla for third, too. Kaleigh Vogan, who split time between central and outside positions, and Rachel Mimken, whom Case said "got better as her freshman year progressed," also return. Mimken will compete for playing time with another sophomore, Ani Zdrojewski, a transfer from Roberts Wesleyan. The left-footed Zdrojewski has impressed Case with a level of fitness similar to that of Borcyk. Freshman Julia Medwid is also in the midfield mix.
"I think our midfield," Case said, "is our strength this year. We have some depth there (and) I look for the midfielders to control the game and create more scoring chances than we've had in the past."
Case hopes the loss of Bleecker will be offset by what she passed along to her teammates on defense. Senior co-captain Meghan Thoin, will be ask to take on the leadership role and be more vocal, while senior Sarah Stewart and junior Gwen Curtis along with Thoin will be called on to cover for each other and to remain positive during the rough spots.
Among Bleecker's possible replacements is senior Amber Balseca - a part-time starter as a junior and at 5' 7" the tallest of the returning defenders, while freshman Lyz Dembrow will push for playing time in the middle back. Two other freshmen, Laura Hartung and Emily Beh, and sophomores Maggie Stewart and Nicole Campbell, are in reserve.
"I think we picked up three good (freshmen) defenders," Case said, "to go with what we already had. Overall our defensive chemistry will be good."
Meanwhile, Scroger is in line to again get the majority of playing time in goal. She has made 58 (of 62 possible) starts in her three seasons as the Blue Devil starter. Freshman Paula Culhane, freshman Alexia Mickles, (and/or) sophomore Joanna Olson, a transfer from Baldwin-Wallace, will wait in the wings.
"We have a great deal of returnee's who contributed last year," Case said. "(As a result) we'll be more experienced at the beginning of the season than we were last year. That should help us get off to a better start."