Women's soccer enjoys best DI season yet
SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Looking to raise the bar in its final season of Division I reclassification, the Bryant University women's soccer team not only met preseason expectations, but raised them to an all-time high during the 2011 season, as the Bulldogs set a program record for single-season victories since joining the DI ranks en route to finishing with a .500 winning percentage for the first time since 2008.
Predicted to finish in seventh place in the Northeast Conference, the Bulldogs - led by head coach Chris Flint - challenged themselves with a nine-game non-conference schedule that took to Maryland, western Massachusetts and New York, and emerged with a winning record in games outside of the league. Bryant finished 2011 with an 8-8-3 overall record.
Bryant opened the year a mere 10-minute drive away at Providence College, where the Bulldogs took a 2-0 lead against the Friars into halftime on Aug. 21. But a goal in the 90th minute allowed PC to draw even at 2-2, and that score would not change as the Bulldogs opened the year with a tough draw.
The Black and Gold returned home for a pair of tilts against teams in the MAAC, first dropping a 3-0 decision to Rider, but dominating Manhattan College two days later en route to a slim 1-0 victory. In that game, the Bulldogs held an astounding 37-7 advantage in shot attempts; that single-game total in shots would stand as one of the highest single-game marks in the country for the rest of the season.
After that, Bryant opened up a pivotal four-game road swing, first heading to Amherst, Mass. to take on the University of Massachusetts. In one of their finest single-game efforts this year, the Bulldogs walked all over the host Minutewomen, led by sophomore Shana Follette (Plymouth, Mass.) and her career-high two-goal effort, propelling the team to a 4-1 victory.
After that match, Bryant participated in the Navy Invitational on Sept. 9-11. The host Midshipwomen earned a 5-2 victory over the Bulldogs in the opening round, but Bryant bounced back to down George Washington, 1-0, in the second game of the tournament. The Bulldogs rounded out the road trip with a Wednesday night battle at Holy Cross. Despite outshooting the Crusaders 16-5, a goal in the 90th minute by the home team handed Bryant a heartbreaking 1-0 defeat, finishing off the season-high four-game streak away from Bulldog Stadium at a 2-2 record.
The Bulldogs returned home and welcomed New Hampshire on Sept. 18, fighting the Wildcats for 110 minutes of back-and-forth action, but both teams settled for a scoreless tie when all was said and done. After that match, Bryant opened conference play against Wagner College on Sept. 23 looking to snap a two-game winless streak, and did so in commanding fashion, ending a streak of 310:04 without a goal en route to a 2-0 blanking of the Seahawks.
The Bulldogs wrapped up their non-conference slate at Albany on Oct. 2, and two quick goals by junior Krista Johnstone (Dover, N.H.) were all that Bryant would need during a 2-1 victory over the Great Danes.
In conference play, Bryant picked up victories over four squads en route to a 4-5-1 Northeast Conference record. During that 10-game stretch, the Bulldogs fought hard against conference tournament participants Saint Francis (PA), Long Island, Monmouth and Sacred Heart, but came up on the short side against those squads. The Bulldogs earned wins over Wagner, Fairleigh Dickinson, Robert Morris and Mount St. Mary's – including back-to-back victories over the Colonials and Mountaineers – to finish in sixth out of the 11-team field by season's end.
For the fourth time in her decorated career, senior Kaitlyn Hinck (Bow, N.H.) led the team in scoring, sharing that honor this year with sophomore Ari Goldberg (East Bridgewater, Mass.). The pair finished with 10 points apiece, with Hinck reaching that mark via a team-high four goals and two helpers, while Goldberg found the back of the net three times while dishing out four assists.
Fellow seniors Stephanie Morse (Warwick, R.I.) and Mary Green (Merrick, N.Y.) joined Hinck in their final season as Bulldogs, accumulating 23 victories over their careers while helping the program build a strong foundation to succeed at the Division I level starting in 2012. Green capped off a tremendous career as the team's leader on defense by being selected to the All-NEC Second Team. She registered a career-high two goals in a 3-0 drubbing of Fairleigh Dickinson. Morse, a transfer from CCRI who began her career with Bryant as a junior, ended the season with one goal and one assist – including the game-winner against Manhattan.
The future certainly has never been brighter for the Bulldogs, as its lead returning scorer (Goldberg) will be back in the Black and Gold next season, in addition to a handful of other key players who were instrumental in Bryant's 2011 campaign. Freshman Suzanne Sanders (West Chester, Pa.) was in the midst of a promising rookie season before suffering a season-ending injury at the end of September.
Johnstone and fellow juniors Alex Bengston (Andover, Mass.) and Regan Marin (Bedford, N.Y.) will lead the team in the attacking end next season, as well. Bengston finished the year with a goal and two assists (4 points), while Marin recorded two goals (4 points). Sophomore Julie Vajda (Midland Park, N.J.) reached the two-goal mark as well this season, while seven other Bulldogs each recorded a point in 2011.
The Bulldogs should also be strong between the posts once again in 2012, returning both goaltenders in junior Kelsi Jacob (Mahwah, N.J.) and sophomore Lauren Viverito (Dayton, N.J.). Jacob finished the season with a 4-6-1 record over 10 starts, registering one shutout while posting a team-high 1.36 goals-against average and a .746 save percentage. Viverito saw action in 10 games – 8 starts – and earned a 4-2-2 record, shut out two opponents and held a 1.65 GAA.
For continuing coverage of Bryant University women's soccer, check back at www.bryantbulldogs.com, and be sure to follow the Bulldogs on Twitter @BryantAthletics.