St. John's University Athletics
2012 Women's Soccer Preview
8/15/2012 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Aug. 15, 2012
- 2012 Women's Soccer Schedule (HTML)
- Watch Now! (FREE) StormTracker All-Access Interview with Stone
- Watch Now! (FREE) StormTracker All-Access Interview with Klement
- Follow @STJ_WSoccer on Twitter
- Buy Tickets Now!
QUEENS, N.Y. - Head coach Ian Stone will begin his 19th season at the helm of the St. John's women's soccer program on Friday, opening at home for the first time since 2008. The Red Storm will kick off the 2012 campaign against George Mason, under the lights on the newly-surfaced Belson Stadium.
The 2012 Red Storm will have to fill the scoring and leadership void left by Jen Leaverton, who was the Red Storm's leading scorer in 2011 with 10 goals and two assists, as well as her classmates Anna Torregiano and Raelynne Lee. However, the profile of the 2012 Red Storm boasts a veteran roster with experienced players in each position.
"I am really excited about our team this year. The majority of our players are going into their junior or senior years, and there has been a lot of learning and a lot of growth over the past two years and I am ready to reap the benefits of it," said Stone.
On offense, Stone and Red Storm will be led by junior midfielder Amy Marron, a 2011 BIG EAST second team honoree and a 2012 Preseason All-BIG EAST selection. Marron switched from forward to midfield in 2011 and added three assists for the season. Marron will be aided by the return of Runa Stefansdottir, back for her senior season and as the second-highest point scorer from 2011 with five assists and a goal.
Returning at forward along with Stefansottir is sophomore Caitlyn McLaughlin, a 2011 BIG EAST All-Rookie selection. McLaughlin is the highest returning point scorer from 2011, where she scored two goals and added four assists in 16 games and five starts. Also returning at forward is McLaughlin's classmate, Chelsey Martino, who played in all 19 games and started four. Martino tallied six points through three goals, second highest behind Leaverton on the 2011 team.
Rookies Shelby Halász and Diamond Thomas will add depth to the veteran core, with Halász being ranked No. 10 by TopDrawerSoccer.com in October 2011. Over her high school career, Halász scored more than 50 goals. Thomas was part of Marietta High School's final four team in 2011 and Georgia State tournament round of 16 in 2012.
The Red Storm midfield boasts an experienced squad. Along with Marron, St. John's also returns Jen Gibbons and Morgan Ritter, who, like Marron have played in every game in their last two years. Gibbons started all 19 games in 2011 and added five points on two goals and an assist. Ritter started seven games in 2011, sometimes varying positions from midfield to forward depending on the line up. Ritter also specialized as one of Stone's corner kickers. Classmate Rachel Hoffman, who played in 13 games as a sophomore after sitting out 2010 due to injury, also returns; as well as sophomore Deanna Murino, who recorded four points in 2011, with a goal and two assists. Murino played in 18 games and started four as a rookie last season.
Rookie Emily Cubbage will hope to earn time in the midfield for the Red Storm this season after a highly successful career at Cleveland High School in Rio Rancho, N.M., where she recorded 60 goals to go along with 45 assists.
The Red Storm backfield will be led by the core group of senior Megan Klement and juniors Michelle Iannacchino, Kristina Quan and Sarah Ashmore. Klement has had three seasons of playing experience under her belt. She will help anchor Red Storm defense that had seven shutouts in 2011. Iannacchino, Quan and Ashmore have been consistent starters for St. John's since their rookie season. Ashmore started games in 2011, Iannacchino with 13 and Quan with seven. Ashmore has also played midfield. Sophomore Georgia Kearney-Perry will make her triumphant return to the turf after she was sidelined with an injury in 2011 in the first few weeks of play. Also returning to the defense are junior Hailey Hemmer and senior Kathy Gualotuna.
Mixing it up at defense as well as forward will also be juniors Michelle Murino, Casey Marks and Sandra Osborn. Murino played in 14 contests in 2011 and started six. She tallied her first-career assist against Syracuse in the final game of the 2011 regular season. Marks will be making her first appearance on the pitch since her rookie season, where she injured her knee five games in. Osborn sat out her entire rookie season due to injury but returned in 2011 where she played in 12 games. So far in 2012, she scored a goal in the Red Storm's exhibition victory over Rider.
Anchoring the Red Storm will be junior goalkeeper Lauren Ferris. Ferris got a chance to prove her worth as a sophomore, as starting keeper Kristin Russell was sidelined with a season-ending injury halfway through her senior season. Ferris stepped in easily, playing nine games and finishing with a 3-6-0 record. She tallied 44 saves and recorded a 1.86 goals against average.
"Over the course of last fall and last spring, Lauren really stepped up and became a great keeper and a great leader," remarked Stone. "She had a fantastic summer. She is ready to go and we're looking forward to great things from Lauren this year."
Ferris will be aided by senior Meredith Kenyon and rookie Ellen Conway. Conway was part of the FC Stars of Massachusetts' two-time state championship team and regional semifinalists. She was also a Boston Globe "Player to Watch" in 2011.
Stone once again put together a competitive schedule which kicks off on Friday, Aug. 17 under the lights of the newly-resurfaced Belson Stadium. The Red Storm will host George Mason at 7 p.m. in the season opener. The 2012 schedule also features eight additional home games, three first time opponents and three teams from the 2011 NCAA Tournament.
After the season-opener vs. George Mason, St. John's will travel to Penn State to play its first-ever contest against the Nittany Lions. The Red Storm will finish out August with three home contests which include Air Force (Aug. 24), which will feature ROTC Appreciation Day, Stony Brook (Aug. 26), Kid's Club Day, and Brown (Aug. 31).
The Red Storm will open September on the road at Fordham (Sept. 7) then at Columbia (Sept. 9). For the BIG EAST opener against Providence on Sept. 13, the Red Storm will host its second Kid's Club Night of the season. The Sept. 16 game against Connecticut is the featured Fraternity and Sorority Spirit Night along with Camper Reunion Night.
The following weekend, St. John's will play the first of four cross-divisional league rivals starting with a road trip to Cincinnati on Sept. 21. On Sunday, St. John's will travel to Louisville, Ky. to play the BIG EAST National Division Regular Season Champions and defending BIG EAST Tournament title holders at Cardinal Park on Sunday, Sept. 23 at 1 p.m.
On Friday, Sept. 28, St. John's hosts Rutgers in the first of a three-game home set that includes the Scarlet Knights, Seton Hall (Sunday, Sept. 30) and Pittsburgh (Sunday, Oct. 7).
The 7 p.m. contest vs. Rutgers will be Women's Soccer's annual Alumnae Night with more information to come closer to the date. Both the Rutgers game and Seton Hall contest will be played as part of Senior Weekend, with Senior Day for Klement, Kenyon and Gualotuna being celebrated on Sunday prior to kick off against the Pirates.
The Sunday, Oct. 7 game vs. Pittsburgh is also a featured contest as it is designated the annual Score For A Cure contest to benefit continued Breast Cancer Research and Awareness. Since April 2011, the Red Storm women's soccer program has raised more than $7,500 for the American Cancer Society.
The following Friday, St. John's will travel to Milwaukee, Wis., to play the league's American Division Co-Regular Season Champion Marquette in an 8 p.m. (ET) contest on Valley Fields on Oct. 12.
The Red Storm will close out the 2012 regular season on the road, first in Tampa, Fla. for a Sunday afternoon match against the Bulls on Oct. 14. Six days later, on Saturday, Oct. 20, St. John's will travel to Western New York to play its 2012 regular-season finale against in-state rival Syracuse.
The BIG EAST Women's Soccer Championship First Round and Quarterfinals will be played Oct. 25 and Oct. 28 at respective campus sites. The BIG EAST Semifinals and Championship game will be held at Joseph J. Morrone Stadium at University of Connecticut.
"For the season, our goal is to continue to see development. We have all the pieces in place now for a highly successful season; it's just a question of putting it all together. One of the goals the girls have set for this season is to go farther than we did last year," said Stone.
Keep up to date on all St. John's women's soccer news by following the Red Storm on Facebook and Twitter: @stj_wsoccer #stjwsoc. To be added to the St. John's women's soccer fans e-mail list send a message to duffyk@stjohns.edu with the subject: "St. John's women's soccer e-mail."
