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2000 Season Outlook The Lady Jackets are looking forward to what the 2000 season holds. After posting a deceptive 5-9 record last fall in just their third year of varsity competition, the women's program is not far from pulling off their first winning season. Veteran leadership will be a key to a successful campaign but not the sole criteria for one as the freshmen class is expected to make a significant contribution. Cedarville appears to be stronger at practically every position on the field. "We are excited and encouraged about this season," stated head coach John McGillivray, who enters his 27th season at Cedarville and his third with the Lady Jackets. "Time will tell, but I think we're improved in a number of areas."
Close games were tough on the women in 1999 upon winning just one of seven one-goal decisions. They hope to turn that trend around. "We were so close to having a good season last year," McGillivray recalled. "I believe we have the talent to win some of those tight games this year." Senior co-captain Kristen DeVinney, who hails from Perry, NY, has started all 45 matches in the program's history. The midfielder is Cedarville's all-time leading scorer with 18 goals and 16 assists for 52 points and was voted to the American Mideast Conference Second Team last year. The Jackets' most dangerous player is Michelle Ruhlman, a junior midfielder from Shoreline, WA. She is a two-time NCCAA All-America Second Team performer and has twice been voted the team's MVP. An All-AMC First Team player, Ruhlman led Cedarville in scoring last year with eight goals and six assists for 22 points.
Senior defender Amy Nyhuis of Kalamazoo, MI joins DeVinney as the first four-year players in the program's history. Cindy Probus, a sophomore midfielder from Manassas, VA, earned All-AMC Second Team honors as a rookie while Amber Bungart, a junior forward from Oxford, MI, netted five goals last season which ranked second on the team. Seven other players saw action in at least ten matches last fall which adds to the team's depth. That list includes juniors Jessica Alexander (Williamson, NY), Lisa Hockenberry (Orland Park, IL), Esther Kelly (Grand Rapids, MI), Annette Ruba (Philadephia, PA), and Jennifer Walker (Brownsburg, IN) as well as sophomores Danielle Davidson (Williamsville, NY) and Karissa Waldron (Grand Rapids, MI). The Lady Jackets play eight of their 17 matches on the home turf. The schedule includes a Homecoming date with Saint Vincent on October 21 to go along with five other AMC home assignments. | ||||||||
