University of Massachusets Athletics
2000 Women's Soccer Outlook
August 25, 2000 | Women's Soccer
Aug. 25, 2000
The University of Massachusetts women's soccer team enters the 2000 season looking to make a repeat trip back to the Atlantic 10 championship. Two major keys to climbing back up toward elite national status will be the Minutewomen's ability to make up for the loss of 10 players and their ability to stay healthy.
"This year we're confident because of what happened in the non-traditional winter and spring seasons," said head coach Jim Rudy. "Our kids got very fit. They really bought into the weight training, and they can see the results."
Rudy said that the Minutewomen will be much more of an attack oriented team than UMass has been in the past. He believes an aggressive offensive style of play suits his players best.
"There will be a lot of people going forward," Rudy said. "It's a team that is going to play a lot more attack than defense. Our players all have a sort of attacking mentality. We don't have one pure defender on the team."
Forward
The Minutewomen will have to make up for the loss of Emma Kurowski, who graduated as the career leader in points and goals scored at UMass. It is doubtful that just one player can replace the production of Kurowski, however, Rudy expects a number of players to increase their goal scoring production.
Kara Green is primed to have a successful senior campaign after finishing second on the team in scoring last year with seven goals and nine assists. Green, who is already UMass' career assists leader, has worked on her heading and left foot development to help round out her game.
"If we can get her healthy, I believe she very well could be our leading scorer," said Rudy. "She's a good finisher, and she's ready for a big year."
Junior Brooke Bartlett has been brought up front from the midfield position to generate added pressure on opposing defenses. Bartlett can score with both feet and has the ability to beat defenders one-on-one.
"She's due for a really big year," said Rudy of Bartlett, who played this past summer for the East Regional senior women's team. "We pushed her into more of an attacking mode. She's one of the best one-on-one players in the region."
Joining Bartlett and Green on attack is newcomer Erin Lilly. Lilly comes to UMass from a strong Shenendehowa High School program that has also produced current Minutewomen Bartlett and junior Katelyn Jones.
Senior Kara Ciocca and sophomore Andrea Trujillo also figure to add scoring depth. Ciocca has great breakaway speed and is the fastest player on the team. If she gets and stays healthy she should really be able to contribute this year. Trujillo, who possesses good ball control and excellent speed, is coming off a successful spring season.
Midfield
Junior Martha Conover has battled a knee injury the past two seasons, and she did not show signs of a full recovery until this past winter when she had an excellent indoor season. That success carried over to the outdoor spring season and Rudy expects it to continue this fall.
"She really came on in the winter when we started doing indoor," said Rudy about Conover. "Her fitness came up, her confidence level soared and she had a great indoor and outdoor season for us. It's the product of finally not only physically, but mentally, getting over the knee injury."
Junior Kathleen Machamer and Katelyn Jones solidify the midfield. Machamer is finally healthy, after seeing limited playing time the past two seasons due to a knee injury. Jones finished third on the team in scoring last season with three goals and six assists. She is a solid defender with good offensive skills. Junior midfielder Anna Morozuk is the strongest shooter on the team and can play anywhere on the field.
The Minutewomen have three freshman midfielders who all will be looking for playing time. Rudy expects Janelle Khouri, Amy Mink and Michelle Luttati to all log some playing time.
Defense
The defense will be anchored by junior captain Sarah Cook, who is making the switch from midfield to defense this season after impressing the coaching staff with her play at central defender during the winter and spring.
"She has made an excellent transition from midfield to the backline," said Rudy of this year's captain. "She enjoyed a great spring season organizing the defense."
Sophomore Maggie LaBrode also had a strong spring season and should be able to provide the team with speed and versatility. Sophomore Alexi Rudd is coming off a fine freshman year in which she started all 17 games. Rudd's stellar play earned her NSCAA/adidas third team All-America honors.
"As she emerges and grows there are not going to be many players who can really beat her," said Rudy of Rudd. "I think pretty soon she'll become a big-time player that opposing teams will attempt to keep the ball away from."
Sophomore Holly Wildenhaus also started all 17 games during her freshman year. She was a key factor in improving the Minutewomen's overall team defense from the year before.
Goalkeeper
There will be two new faces in goal this year for the Minutewomen. Junior transfer Julie Podhrasky and freshman Kelly Nigh will compete for playing time in net.
Podhrasky, who was the number two goalkeeper on a talented Clemson University team the previous two seasons, is very good in the air and puts great distance on her punts. Nigh, who was named The Seattle Times Female Athlete of the Year last season, caught Rudy's eye last December when she stopped three penalty shots and was named the MVP at the Miami Orange Classic.
Wrap-Up
UMass has the potential to be a sleeper in the soccer world this season. After a number of injury-plagued seasons, the Minutewomen look to be almost entirely healthy. Rudy knows he can expect a lot of production out of his returning players, and he also expects immediate production from his crop of newcomers. The Minutewomen are a young, yet experienced team that should be able to contend for the A-10 title despite the loss of 10 letterwinners.
"After the last two years, people have written us off," said Rudy. "We're not in any polls, and no one rated our recruiting class high, but we're going to surprise some people. I think we really turned a corner, and in many ways I think we're better than last year."
