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2010 Illinois Women's Soccer Preview
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Senior Jordan Hilbrands returns after leading the Illini in points in 2009
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Aug. 11, 2010
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - After earning a berth in six consecutive NCAA Tournaments from 2003-08, the Illinois women's soccer team and head coach Janet Rayfield are primed to return to post-season play in 2010 with an abundance of skill at each position, a challenging schedule and six seniors ready to lead the Fighting Illini.
The Illinois offensive unit remains nearly unchanged from 2009 as the top six point recorders return for another season with the Orange and Blue while the midfield remains a strength despite the departure of key players due to the continued improvement of the younger athletes and an infusion of new talent. On defense, the Illini feature four returning starters from the 2009 season as well as a goalkeeper primed for her third year in net.
FORWARDS
Seniors Jordan Hilbrands, the leader among Illini in points during 2009, and Christina Sahly, three goals and one assist last season, will lead a core of young strikers during 2010.
"Our attack will come from a great combination of midfield and forward attacking personalities not just from a talented forward line," Rayfield said. "However, it will be important for our upperclassmen, especially Jordan and Christina, to utilize their experience, determination and talent to set the tone when it comes to scoring goals."
The Fighting Illini also return their leading shot-taker from last season in junior Marissa Mykines. Mykines fired 21 shots on target, netting four goals to go with three assists during 2009.
Sophomores Niki Read and Shayla Mutz, a 2009 Big Ten All-Freshman Team honoree, also return after combining for five goals and four assists last season.
"Both Shayla and Niki had periods in the season where they were extremely effective and had an impact on the game," Rayfield said. "This previous spring, the freshman class really began to understand what it takes to be consistently successful at this level. I think that realization will pay off and you will see both having an impact all season long."
Joining the Illini forwards for their first season in Orange and Blue are freshmen Megan Pawloski and Jannelle Flaws. Pawloski earned Chicago Tribune First Team, IHSSCA All-State, NSCAA/adidas All-American, St. Louis Post Dispatch Player of the Year and Belleville News Democrat Player of the Year honors while leading Althoff Catholic to the Class AA State Championship during her senior season. Flaws also earned All-State recognition from the IHSSCA as well as All-Central Suburban South and Chicago Tribune All-Area honors while attending Glenbrook South but will not see action in 2010 while she recovers from injury.
Sophomore Marissa Holden (Murphy, Texas/Plano East) will look to add depth to the 2010 Illini attack after seeing time in eight contests during 2009.
MIDFIELDERS
Despite losing experienced midfielders Jackie Santacaterina and Courtney Bell to graduation, the Illini will remain strong in the middle of the pitch throughout 2010 with talented first-year players ready to combine with returning Illini.
"Those players, collectively, provided two very important roles for us - ball winning and play making," Rayfield said. "The 2010 roster has several players, returners and newcomers, that can fill those roles for us."
Senior Laura Knutson and junior Jenna Carosio return after seeing time in the midfield mainly as substitutes throughout 2009. Knutson and Carosio combined to notch three goals and two assists in 2009.
"Laura (Knutson) has played everywhere on the field for the Illini," Rayfield said. "In 2010, she will have a clearly defined role in the midfield - to win balls in the air. Her athletic ability, physical courage and competitive mentality will serve her well in the ball winning role that she will share with Jenna (Carosio)."
Junior Jackie Guerra and sophomore Nicole Denenberg will look to add depth to the Illini midfield throughout the season.
Freshmen Vanessa DiBernardo and Sarah Wieder join the Illini midfield after successful scholastic careers. DiBernardo, the 2010 Illinois Gatorade Player of the Year and IHSSCA Illinois Player of the Year led Waubonsie Valley to the IHSA Class AAA state title in 2010 while Wieder earned All-Suburban West Conference and ESPN Rise recognition while attending Marquette High School.
"The play-making role will also be shared," Rayfield said. "The exciting thing is the number of players capable of helping us be a dynamic and ball controlling team. (Marissa) Mykines, (Julie) Ewing, (Vanessa) DiBernardo, (Jackie) Guerra, (Nicole) Denenberg, (Niki) Read and (Sarah) Wieder all have play making qualities and the ability to attack in combination while parts of this group have incredible flare. It will be exciting to watch this unit come together on the field."
DEFENSE
Senior co-captain Danielle Kot returns for her fourth season as a starter for the Illinois defense as the leader of a talent-laden position set to protect the Illini net. Kot, the only Illini to play all 1,770 minutes of action in 2009, will be responsible for denying opponent's strikers as well as acting as a mentor in order to establish a dominant and suffocating defense beyond the 2010 season.
"Kot has been a consistent and stabilizing piece of our defense since early in her freshman campaign and will continue to fill that role in 2010," Rayfield said. "The positive thing is she has begun to share that role, demanding that the players around her learn, understand and communicate alongside her. She is building a legacy of organization and sophistication that won't disappear when she leaves."
Senior co-captain Krystin Miller returns to the Illini defense to team with Kot as Miller enters her second season as a starter. Miller logged 1,717 minutes in 2009, the third-most among Illini, and notched two goals as the Illini penalty kick specialist.
"Krystin has continued to develop," Rayfield said. "The experience she gained in 2009 will be vital as we potentially add some freshmen into the defensive mix and bring along young players like (Kristen) Gierman to fill the center back role in the future."
Also returning for their second season as starters on the Illini backline are juniors Caitlin Dombart and Julie Ewing. As sophomores in 2009, Dombart started 12 of the 17 contests she saw time in while Ewing started and played in 18 of the Illini's 19 games.
Sophomore Kristen Gierman, redshirt-freshman Christina Farrell and freshman Kassidy Brown will assist the duo of juniors and seniors on defense during the 2010 season. Gierman saw action in two contests in 2009 and earned the Illini Most Improved Award. Farrell, a transfer from the University of Oregon, will play her first season as an Illini in 2010 after spending her freshman season as a member of the Oregon Ducks' defense. Brown earned honors as a Chicago Sun-Times Top Player, All-East Suburban Catholic Conference, IHSSCA All-Sectional and Daily Herald All-Area recipient while leading Carmel Catholic as a four-year letterwinner.
"Dombart, Ewing, Brown and Farrell all bring something different to the table but all have the ability to provide a role at outside back," Rayfield said. "Dombart adds experience and a `one-versus-one' defensive mentality and Ewing has experience as well but also provides an incredible attacking flare coming out of the back. Brown has athleticism and serves the ball well with both feet, while Farrell brings pace, athleticism and a defensive toughness to this experienced backline. The bottom line is we have the pieces to put together an athletic, tough and talented defense."
GOALKEEPERS
The Illini have three goalkeepers who could see time this season with the return of 2008-2009 starter Alexandra Kapicka as well as sophomore Steph Panozzo and freshman Lauren Parkin.
"The goalkeeping situation is exactly what you want to have going into a year with high expectations," Rayfield said. "We have a returning goalkeeper with experience and proven success, and young goalkeepers to challenge her everyday to earn the starting role."
Kapicka returns as a fifth-year senior and the leading candidate to start in net for the Orange and Blue in 2010. In 2009, Kapicka finished with 1.38 goals against average while holding opponents to one goal or less in 13 of the Illini's 19 games. Panozzo, who saw time against Michigan State and preserved the Illini's 5-0 shutout by making one save in 11 minutes and 29 seconds of action, is joined by Parkin in challenging Kapicka for time. Parkin earned IHSCAA All-Sectional and News-Democrat Class AAA All-Area honors while earning four letters as Edwardsville's goalkeeper.
"Alexandra obviously has the experience and maturity that comes with a fifth-year senior who has taken the team to the Sweet 16 and played against the best teams in the country," Rayfield said. "However, Steph has had successful outings this summer and Lauren has athletic tools that give her a chance to compete right away. The exciting element is that the competition among these three goalkeepers may provide great goalkeeping in our net not just for 2010 but for several years after as well."
THE SCHEDULE
The Illini face a challenging group of opponents in 2010, including non-conference matches against 2009 NCAA Tournament participants Connecticut and LSU as well as first-time opponents Ball State and Yale.
"The goal of putting together a schedule is always two fold - challenge your team and prepare them for conference and post-season play which means exposing them to different styles," Rayfield said. "NCAA Tournament participants like Connecticut and LSU provide that challenge, both at home and on the road, with teams from different parts of the country and different conferences. You also want to put together a schedule that will allow the selection committee to evaluate the body of work throughout the season and compare you both within and outside the region to determine your place among the nation's best. We feel we have put together that type of schedule."
The Orange and Blue open their season by traveling to Rogers Park to face Loyola-Chicago on Aug. 20. In 2009, the Fighting Illini blanked the Ramblers, 2-0, in Champaign, Ill., on the strength of goals from Jordan Hilbrands and Marissa Mykines.
The Illini return to Illinois Soccer and Track Stadium to open the home portion of its schedule with a contest against Wright State on Aug. 24. The Orange and Blue won their only previous match against the Raiders, 2-0, on Sept. 10, 2004 when current assistant coach Leisha Alcia earned the shutout in net for the Illini. After facing off against Ball State at home on Aug. 29, Illinois visits Connecticut on Sept. 3 before traveling to Yale on Sept. 5.
Following their final non-conference road match at Cincinnati on Sept. 11, the Orange and Blue return to Illinois to wrap up non-conference play by hosting LSU and Louisville on Sept. 17 and 19, respectively.
Illinois travels to Minnesota on Sept. 26 to open Big Ten Conference play in Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium before returning to Champaign to host Purdue on Oct. 1. The Illini follow by hosting Indiana for SoccerFest 2010 on Oct. 3. The second-largest turnout in the history of the Illini soccer program, 2,537 fans, saw Illinois rally to earn a 2-2, double-overtime draw with Minnesota during SoccerFest 2009.
After taking to the road for a game at Wisconsin on Oct. 10, the Illini return home to host Iowa on Oct. 16. In 2009, Illinois earned the come-from-behind victory, 3-1, over the Hawkeyes as Julie Ewing tied the contest in the 27th minute before assisting Laura Knutson on the game-winning goal 15 minutes later.
Illinois travels to Columbus, Ohio for its Oct. 21 match with Ohio State before returning to Illinois Soccer Stadium on Oct. 24 to host Penn State. The Illini conclude their away schedule with contests against Michigan State on Oct. 29 and Michigan on Oct. 31. Last fall, the Orange and Blue downed Michigan State, 5-0, behind 10 different point scorers - recording their largest victory of the season in the process. For their final regular season contest, the Illini host Northwestern on Nov. 6.
The NCAA Tournament First and Second Rounds are scheduled for Nov. 12-14, while the NCAA Championship match will be held on Dec. 5 in Cary, N.C.
