Bulldogs enjoy best DI season
WOMEN'S SOCCER FINISHES 2012 WITH A PROGRAM-RECORD 11 WINS
SMITHFIELD, R.I. –For the second-straight season, the Bryant University women's soccer team was predicted to finish in seventh place in the Northeast Conference. When things were all said and done, the Bulldogs not only exceeded expectations, but set program records en route to their best season since joining the Division I ranks.
In the program's first season of Division I postseason eligibility, Bryant finished NEC play just one point shy of the fourth and final conference tournament spot. Led By head coach Chris Flint in his 13th season, the Bulldogs posted an 11-8 overall record, including a 6-4 mark in NEC play (both D I program records).
The Black and Gold opened their record-setting season in Orono, Maine, on Aug. 17. Finding themselves down early, Bryant notched two-straight first half goals to earn a 2-1 victory in their 2012 season opener.
After a successful opener, the Bulldogs returned home for a three-game tilt in Smithfield, opening with a tough 3-2 loss to UMass on Aug. 22. Bryant, however, would go on to win its next two matches, recording a season-high five goals against The Citadel on Aug. 26 and topping Holy Cross, 1-0, just four days later, on freshman Rachael Ivanicki's (Colts Neck, N.J.) first career goal.
The Bulldogs opened September with a tough three-game road trip, falling to URI, 2-1, before dropping two matches in Colorado Springs, Colo., first to Colorado College, 4-0, and then to Air Force, 1-0. Bryant closed nonconference play with a pair of victories at home, defeating Delaware St., 2-1, on Sept. 14 and Vermont, 3-1, on Sept. 16.
In conference play, Bryant picked up victories over six teams en route to a 6-4 Northeast Conference record. The Bulldogs split each of the first four pairs of weekend matches, before earning a win in each of the final two weeks. During that 10-game stretch, the Bulldogs put up a tough fight against conference tournament participants Saint Francis (PA), LIU Brooklyn, Monmouth and Sacred Heart, but came up on the short side, falling by a one–goal margin in three of their four conference losses.
Bryant earned conference wins over Wagner, Central Connecticut St., Quinnipiac, Fairlieigh Dickinson, Robert Morris and Mount St. Mary's, including three one-goal victories over the Knights, Colonials and Mountaineers to close out the season.
"When you look at the season as a whole it was certainly successful," said head coach Chris Flint. "Getting to 11 wins is quite an accomplishment and with that you can see that the program is headed in the right direction."
For the first time in her career, junior Shana Follette (Plymouth, Mass.) led the Bulldogs in scoring registering a team-high eight goals and one assist for 17 points. Follette's offensive output ranked her fourth overall in the NEC in points and tied for third in goals, earning her a spot on the All-NEC Second Team.
Joining Follette on the Bulldogs' points leaders were junior Ari Goldberg (East Bridgewater, Mass.) and Ivanicki who finished the season with nine and eight points respectively. Ivanicki's team-leading six assists ranked first among freshman in the conference and earned her a spot on the NEC All-Rookie squad.
The Bulldogs will see the departure of 12 seniors who helped the Bulldogs to their best Division I season in 2012, including veteran leaders and tri-captains Alex Bengston (Andover, Mass.), Kaitlyn Fare (Millstone Township, N.J.) and Mary Green (Merrick, N.Y.).
"What is really impressive about this team, and specifically this senior class, is the progress they've made over the past four seasons," added Flint. "The goal differential four years ago was -21 and this year we were +3, that's an impressive 24 goal swing."
Despite losing a plethora of experience, the Black and Gold are primed for another strong season in 2013, bringing back their top three scorers and over 65 percent of their offensive output. In addition to Follette, Ivanicki and Goldberg, Bryant returns junior defender Alyssa Kozlowski (Elliot City, Md.), who started all but four matches for the Bulldogs this season and will likely anchor the defense in 2013. In the midfield sophomores Katy Biagi (Natick, Mass.) and Emily Barbato (Sutton, Mass.), and freshmen Quinn Massaroni (Albany, N.Y.) will all log major minutes.
The Bulldogs also return junior goalkeeper Lauren Viverito (Dayton, N.J.) who started 16 games between the pipes, finishing with a .738 save percentage and a 1.41 goals-against average in 2012.
"Although we lost a lot we also have a very good group coming back," said Flint. "I think that they've gained a lot of experience almost making it to the NEC Tournament, and now they know what it will take next season."
"There is nobody coming back that hasn't seen the field at some point and our focus from now until next the start of next season will be preparing this group for another competitive season."
For all the latest on Bryant University women's soccer, visit BryantBulldogs.com.