2007 Season Preview
The Swarthmore women's soccer took the college soccer scene by surprise in 2006, making the biggest improvement in all of Division III. The Garnet ran off a nine-game swing while setting a school record for wins (15), winning a Centennial playoff game and ECAC game for the first time in program history. With all four All-Centennial players returning in 2007 and another talented first-year crop, third-year head coach Todd Anckaitis looks to continue the Swarthmore soccer resurgence with the school's first Centennial soccer title and a subsequent NCAA Tournament appearance.
The defense set the tone for Swarthmore women's soccer in 2006, putting together a scoreless streak of 417:56 at the season's onset and allowing just three goals in 11 games at home.
 |
| Lauren Walker '09 led the Centennial Conference in goals-against average in 2006. |
The Garnet backline features red-headed bullet Cait Mullarkey '09 (Wilmington, Del. / Ursuline), a two-time first team All-Centennial selection and 2006 All-Region honoree. Mullarkey is arguably the top athlete in all of the Centennial Conference, capturing the gold in the indoor 800-meter race and a bronze in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the CC Outdoor Championship.
If you are lucky enough to get past Mullarkey, the challenge now becomes of getting a ball past junior goalkeeper Lauren Walker (Fallston, Mary. / The Hotchkiss School), another talented multi-sport Swarthmore athlete (two-year starter in centerfield for the softball program). Walker put together a 385:17 scoreless streak of her own in 2006, sandwiching three shutouts around a mid-season hand injury. Walker finished the 2006 season with the top goals-against average (0.326) in the conference with -13th in all of Division III - and was second with six shutouts. Additionally, she ranked 25th in the country and led the conference with a save percentage of .893. For her efforts, Walker was named Centennial Conference Defensive Player of the Week and E.C.A.C. Goalkeeper of the Week on Sept. 15 and was an All-CC Honorable Mention selection at the conclusion of the season. Senior Kristen Traband (Swarthmore, Pa. / Ridley), a two-year team captain and member of the Swarthmore basketball team, brings valuable leadership to the Garnet while serving as a backup to Walker. Sophomore Eileen Earl (Redmond, Wash. / Inglemoor) was a steady defender as a freshman, starting all 21 games, and should provide a calm presence as the Garnet turn to a collection of promising freshmen to help overcome the loss of two-year starting center back Alexa Bensimohn (Allentown, Pa. / Moravian) to a knee injury.
Every so often an athlete makes a dramatic splash, days after unpacking their life at a college dorm. Garnet sophomore forward Katie Kanuka (Oakville, Ontario, Canada / Holy Trinity Catholic) was making residence in a new country in 2006, let alone the life-changing experience of enrolling in college. Kanuka's first-year fireworks electrified the muggy fall nights at Clothier Field, leading the Centennial Conference in points (35), goals (17) and game-winning scores (nine), earning first-team All-Centennial and third-team All Mid-East Region. The goals came at the most opportune time and the Swarthmore fans had one of those feelings - almost like anticipating the World War II air horn firewarning known to wake the dead ghosts in the Crum - that Kanuka needed just one opportunity and she would cash in. Senior captain Danielle Tocchet (West Point, N.Y. / James I. O'Neill) is another viable scoring threat for Swarthmore (team-leading eight goals in 2005) using a knack for keeping defenders off the ball to finish up top.
Taylor Rhodes '10 (Redlands, Calif. / Redlands East Valley) is a valuable commodity for Anckaitis, providing the versatility to help on the attack or move back to aid the defense. Look for forwards Melinda Petre '08 (Clarksville, Mary. / Atholton) and Caitlin O'Neil '10 (Del Mar, Calif. / The Bishop's School) to provide depth on the frontline.
The Garnet midfield is a young, but talented group, led by sophomores Maggie DeLorme (Lusby, Mary. / Patuxent) and Julia Luongo (Tallahassee, Fla. / Leon). DeLorme (15 starts, five assists in 2006) is seemingly everywhere, showing a penchant for getting to balls in the air well before other players. DeLorme plays a fearless brand of soccer that drew the attention from the coaches in the Centennial, receiving Honorable Mention recognition. As good as DeLorme is in the air, Luongo matches that skill level on the ground. The ball attaches to her feet like Velcro, and combining with exemplary instincts and anticipation, allow her to create plenty of scoring chances for the fleet Garnet forwards. Luongo started 20 games during her freshman campaign, tying DeLorme for second on the team with five assists. Sophomores Monica Cody (Torrance, Calif. / Marymount) and Lizbeeth Lopez (Sacramento, Calif. / West Campus) will provide Anckaitis with many options in the midfield.
The 2007 Swarthmore slate is full of challenges, getting kicked off with the annual Swat Kick Classic on Sept. 1-2. The Garnet take to the pitch for the first time on Saturday, Sept. 1 at 12:00 p.m. against Catholic (Swarthmore has won 11 consecutive season-opening matches) and follow up the next day vs. Neumann at 12:00 p.m.. Nationally-renowned Grinnell visits Clothier Field on Sept. 7 and the Garnet open up the 2007 Centennial slate by hosting Dickinson on Sept. 15. The marquee game on the schedule takes place on October 3 when 2006 Centennial champion Johns Hopkins comes to campus for a re-match of the 2006 Centennial Championship.
Read Here for information on the 2011 class of Garnet soccer players.
Centennial Conference Pre-Season Poll
Team (1st place votes)
1. Johns Hopkins (9)
2. Swarthmore (1)
3. Gettysburg
4. Muhlenberg
5. Ursinus (1)
6. Dickinson
7. Haverford
8. Franklin & Marshall
9. McDaniel
10. Bryn Mawr
11. Washington