|
|
Eliza Perry and the Fighting Scots are poised |
The College of Wooster enters the 2014 season with experience and talent on its side, as it returns eight starters, including top-point producer Eliza Perry, and all-region selections Ellie Hudson-Heck and Molly Sennett, which makes the Fighting Scots a strong contender for the North Coast Athletic Conference championship yet again.
Wooster has appeared in the NCAC Tournament finals in six of the last seven seasons, winning the championship three times during that span (2007, 2009, 2010), but no one on this year's team has hoisted the trophy, which is something head coach Liz Ford hopes to change.
"This team has a lot of potential to be in the top four and vie for the top spot again," said Ford. "They are working hard every day and it is their goal as a team to be in the final game and have their hands on the trophy."
Taking on a leadership role this year will be Perry, a senior attacker, who is quietly putting together an excellent career. Perry set new career-highs in goals (36) and assists (28) last year on her way to the eighth-most points in the NCAC (64). She already ranks eighth in program history in assists with 46, and with 79 career goals, Perry has her sights set on reaching 100 and more.
"Eliza (Perry) has set some lofty goals for herself on the attacking end this year," admitted Ford. "She wants to have her best year yet and we want that for her, too. We want her to take over games and score more and fire off shots when they are there. But we know she's a team player and she likes setting up her teammates first, so she will do a lot of different things for us."
Other returning starters on the attack line are junior Shelby Stone and sophomore Abby Szlachta, who both could take on bigger scoring roles with the graduation of all-region attacker Clare Nelson-Johnson. Stone has been remarkably consistent in her two years with the team with back-to-back 30-plus goal seasons, while Szlachta looks to build off her 19-point (13 goals, 6 assists) rookie campaign.
There are several other players that are competing for time on the offensive end, either as attackers or midfielders, including junior Ashley Parry, who totaled seven goals and seven assists last season, as well as junior Shannan Pullara, and sophomores Heather Honn and Jamie Wren-Jarvis.
The midfield line boasts the most experience of any position, as seniors Cassie Greenbaum and Alison Schlothauer return, along with sophomore standout Hudson-Heck.
Greenbaum is a two-time all-conference pick that has found a niche as one of the league's best at draw controls, while also providing steady contributions of between 17-19 goals and seven-eight assists in each of her three seasons. Schlothauer is a speedy, defensive-minded middie with the ability to cause turnovers, contribute on the draw, and chip in some points. Hudson-Heck burst onto the scene and led the team in goals with 46 as a newcomer last year.
"Ellie (Hudson-Heck) is such an explosive player for us," said Ford. "She came to us as an attacker, but we think that limits her from doing all that she is capable of. She is working hard to improve her defense so that she can be a true midfielder for us now."
The most notable difference in personnel comes at the defensive positions, where the Scots have lost two starting defenders as well as four-year all-conference goalkeeper, Shawna Ferris. Luckily, Wooster returns some strong building blocks at those positions.
Sennett, who was named all-region as a midfielder last year after totaling 20 goals and 13 assists, will likely be making the move back to defender this year, where she played her freshman year en route to all-region accolades at that position as well. Sennett led the team in groundballs (44) and caused turnovers (31) a season ago, and will be the anchor on an otherwise young group.
Joining Sennett will be sophomore Julia Huldin and junior Emily Turnbull, both returning starters, as well as sophomore Haylie Honn who appeared in 15 games a season ago. In goal is sophomore Isabel Perman, who filled in for the injured starter seven times as a freshman and finished third in the NCAC with a 9.36 goals allowed average.