THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, September 1, 1994 TAG: 9409010690
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C8 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ABE GOLDBLATT, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 57 lines
Coach Kyle Hannan figures his young and talented Virginia Wesleyan women's soccer team can make a serious bid for its first title since joining the Old Dominion Athletic Conference six years ago.
The Marlins (8-8-1 overall, 5-3 in the ODAC last year) are strong in goal with Sonya Huss, a sophomore out of Princess Anne who took over in midseason last year. With Huss in the net, Virginia Wesleyan won seven of its last eight games.
A 1-2 scoring punch returns in sophomore forward Mandy Nixon (Princess Anne), who tallied eight goals and six assists to win first-team all-conference honors last season, and junior Paige Kerry (Kempsville), who had 13 points.
Brigitte Bradley (Salem), who transferred from Division I Radford a year ago, has been moved from sweeper to the midfield.
Other returnees include sophomore midfielder Tatia Boskovich, senior back Mary Roark, sophomore midfielder Isabel Vieria and junior Staci Borowski.
Top newcomers include back Christy Reccord (Great Bridge), a two-time All-Tidewater pick, back Kristen deStronie, forward Kelli Brubaker, back Kim Vaughan (Kempsville), and back Marcie Blackbourn.
Elsewhere around the state:
William and Mary: The defending Colonial Athletic Association champs (12-5-1, 2-0-1 CAA) are ranked No. 7 in Division I preseason poll. The Tribe lost some key people, but John Daly, the 1992 Colonial Athletic Conference coach of the Year, has every reason to expect his team will be in the NCAA playoffs for the 10th time in 11 years.
Junior Natalie Neaton heads up the attack. Neaton, a two-time All-American and the 1993 CAA player of the year, scored 15 goals and totaled 37 points last fall.
The Tribe will also look for goals out of junior Julie Seamon (seven last season), and seniors Collen DeLong and Robyn Elam.
The freshmen crop includes Whitney Cali, a two-time All-Tidewater forward from Green Run High, and Melissa Kenny, a member of the Eastern Region Under-19 team.
Midfield is again expected to be a key part of the Tribe success, with the return of fifth-year senior Jenn Baumann. Sophomore All-America Ann Cook set a W&M single season assist record with 13 last season.
Sophomore Karen Wake is expected to take over for departed Maren Rojas, the three-year starter at goalkeeper.
Virginia: An experienced defense and midfield should give the 13th-ranked Cavaliers (19-9-2, 2-3-1 ACC) their eighth consecutive winning season.
Four-year starters Danielle Desfosses and Mia Ward lead a powerful defense. Junior Jennifer Cowart, who started the last 10 games last season, is in goal. Freshman Diane Padula, voted the top high school midfielder in the country by Parade magazine, is expected to be with veterans Jen Sweda and Jen Kilpatic. by CNB