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2002 Season Outlook The Lady Jacket soccer team will seek to continue their winning ways in 2002 after posting a second consecutive winning season last fall. The Lady Jackets have posted a 23-16-4 record over the past two seasons. The squad lost six starters from last year, but returns an experienced nucleus of talent from the 2001 group that finished 11-9-2 including a 9-5-2 mark in the American Mideast Conference. Head coach John McGillivray returns for his fifth season with the Lady Jackets after coaching the Cedarville University men's program for 24 years. McGillivray has posted a 36-34-6 mark in his four seasons and is optimistic about the prospects for 2002. "There is no doubt we lost some talented people due to graduation and injury, but the nucleus is solid for the upcoming season. There is strength returning both offensively and defensively. The key to success will be how well we can fill-in the holes," commented the veteran coach. Forward Jane Adams, a 5-8 junior from South Hadley, MA, headlines the returnees and has paced the team in scoring her first two years in the program with 26 goals and 18 assists. Adams earned honorable mention on the 2001 All-AMC squad.
Danielle Davidson, a 5-5 senior defender from Williamsville, NY, returns for her final season after earning the team's Defensive MVP award last season. She started all 22 matches and was a stalwart member of the record-setting defensive effort that posted seven shutouts. Davidson and Adams will serve as the team captains this fall. Melissa Fawcett, who set a school record with seven shutouts last year, returns to the nets to anchor the 2002 defense. Fawcett, a 5-9 junior from Cedarville, OH, was a member of the All-AMC Second Team while allowing just 1.66 goals per game. Senior Alicia Anderson, a 5-6 defender from Ft. Lupton, CO, returns for her final season with the Lady Jackets. Anderson started 11 of the 19 matches she appeared in during the 2001 campaign and contributed three goals and two assists. Sophomore Natalie Fox, a 5-5 defender from Temecula, CA, will again make a significant contribution to the Lady Jacket defense after starting all 22 matches as a freshman.
Several other returning players will be vying for significant playing time including Chelsea Casto (5-4, So, Cayce, SC), Jessie Gasiorowski (5-1, Jr, Jarrettsville, MD), Karin Nyhuis (5-8, Jr, Kalamazoo, MI), Karissa Waldron (5-3, Sr, Grand Rapids, MI) and Ruth Young (5-6, Jr, Doylestown, PA). McGillivray is impressed with the potential of his freshman class and is confident that help will come from several of the rookies. "We will need several of our freshmen to step in right away and contribute," added McGillivray. "There are going to be plenty of opportunities for them to show what they can do on the field and only time will tell how it all comes together." The schedule is once again demanding as the Lady Jackets face the American Mideast Conference South Division which includes last year's champion, Malone, as well as rival powers Tiffin, Ohio Dominican, Mount Vernon and Urbana. To make matters tougher - under the newly created north and south divisions, just four teams from each will advance to the AMC/NAIA Region IX Tournament. Cedarville will host ten matches including a homecoming tilt with non-conference foe Taylor University. The remainder of the non-conference schedule is difficult with foes like Earlham, Grace, Indiana Wesleyan, Marian, Oberlin, Ohio Northern, Otterbein and Wittenberg awaiting the Lady Jackets. | |||||||||||||||
