After a 2004 season that started slow, heated up, and then was capped by an upset defeat at the hands of Williams in the first round of the NESCAC Championship tournament, the Women's soccer team looks to return to its winning ways this year. The squad opens its season on the road at Colby on Saturday at 3:30 p.m.
Undoubtedly the biggest challenge for the Jumbos this season will be replacing the seven departed seniors from last year's squad. As a unit, the Class of 2005 was the heart of the squad both on and off the field, but coach Martha Whiting is confident that this year's juniors and seniors will quickly fill the holes left by the graduates.
"We've definitely had kids waiting in the wings," Whiting said. "The seniors, juniors, and even the sophomores, are really ready to go into those roles. We've been preparing them to do so for a while now and know they are ready."
Perhaps the biggest on-the-field loss among that group of seven seniors was in the goalkeeper position, where Meg McCourt started all but three games for Tufts throughout her four-year career. The squad, however, is confident in the abilities of junior Annie Ross, who stood as McCourt's backup for the past two seasons.
"I think Annie will perform really well," Whiting said. "We haven't gotten to see much of her in games, but we've always known she's been a good goalie. She's such a great athlete and so eager to learn and be coached that I really believe she'll be able to help us this year."
Senior tri-captain Sarah Callaghan agreed.
"She's a good goalie, an incredibly hard worker, and has an amazing attitude," she said. "If you put her in a goal and take shots on her, she's going to get to them."
Experience will certainly not be an issue up front, where Callaghan and fellow senior tri-captain Ariel Samuelson will occupy the forward positions on opening day. Samuelson, Callaghan, and sophomore Martha Furtek were tied for the team lead in points last season with eight each, and they will look to continue to plague opposing goalies.
Furtek, an All-NESCAC selection last season, will occupy the center midfield position with senior Lydia Claudio, with senior tri-captain Lindsay Garmirian and sophomore Lauren Fedore on the outside.
The back four, adjusting to the graduation of all-NESCAC center fullback Catherine Benedict, will consist of junior Jen Fratto, sophomore Joelle Emery, and a combination of senior Cate Meeker, sophomore Annie Benedict, and sophomore transfer Jessie Gordon. The latter three will all likely start this weekend against Colby, as Fratto will be sidelined with stress fractures in her back.
Gordon leads a group of seven talented newcomers to the squad - two defenders, two midfielders, two forwards, and a goalie - all of whom will have to step into their roles quickly. Whiting fields a team of just 19 this season, so each player will likely see action on the field early and often.
"Last year's class is obviously a very hard class to replace, but we're lucky to have a strong returning group and a very promising freshman class," Samuelson said.
Despite the myriad of new faces, the Jumbos have had no trouble scoring goals and putting together victories thus far this preseason. The returning players traveled down to Bermuda two weeks ago to scrimmage two club teams on the island, handily defeating both of them with an offensive onslaught. The squad also traveled to Bowdoin on Sunday to scrimmage, among others, the Polar Bears, in preparation for the start of NESCAC play this weekend.
Preseason was a time to get acquainted with the new faces, get back into the rhythm of Tufts soccer, and begin the quest for the ultimate goal of the season: to win the NESCAC championship.
"Our goal is to win the NESCAC, whether in the regular season or through the tournament - we'd love to get that NCAA bid," Whiting said. "The wins are obviously important, but trying to form a cohesive team and creating a situation where everyone is working together towards the same thing is just as important as everything else."
After Colby on Saturday, the Jumbos are home for a non-conference bout with regional juggernaut Wheaton College, followed by consecutive Saturday home games against NESCAC foes Middlebury and Amherst on Kraft Field.
