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In print | Published September 2, 2004

Women’s soccer

The 2004 women’s soccer team has no time to worry over lost players as they move forward with excitement for what they hope will be a historic year. While the group had three seniors graduate, including four-year starter in goal Catherine Salussolia ’04, they look to continue building on last year and make the playoffs for the first time.

The team has added six first-years to the mix, including goalkeepers Rachel Jordan ‘08 and Kristen Traband ’08, who have both been recognized as all-conference players in their respective high school leagues. With nine seniors, Jessica Zagory ’05 believes that this team is full of leaders with 16 returning players who will show the first-years the team’s intensity as they look to finish in the top of the Centennial Conference.

The team aims to continue the positive results of last season when they finished 9-9 with a 4-6 conference record.

The Garnet looks forward to key match ups against Johns Hopkins Richard Stockton and Tri-Co rival Haverford. Head coach Amy Brunner concurs that the overall objective is always to have fun, but also to be competitive in this year’s league.

By Tori Martello

Men’s soccer

The men’s soccer team is looking to break through in the 2004 season with a more experienced team than ever. The team has nine returning starters, including co-captains Nathan Shupe ’05 and Alex Elkins ’06, who look to lead this mature team to their first playoff appearance in over eight years. The team has also added nine first-years to the roster.

Shupe, an all-conference goal keeper, is confident that the team has remarkable core leadership to guide the nine talented first-years.

Head coach Eric Wagner agreed that the entire team is prepared for the season especially after an intense summer of training and bonding in Assatigue.

Beginning his third year as coach of the team, Wagner already guided the team to a seventh place finish in league last year, its best since 1995, including a huge win over Johns Hopkins as it finished 5-12-2 with a 3-6 conference record. He believed that their rigid training this summer was the hardest they have ever had and it now has made them a physically fit and prepared team.

While the team must avoid any major injuries, it is full of believers who have the confidence to take the team in a whole new direction. The team hopes to exhibit its strong defense, but will also have scorers emerging to light up the scoreboard.

By Tori Martello

Field hockey

Many coaches attempt to use the start of each new season as a blank slate, a new start. This year’s field hockey team typifies this concept. Coach Kelly Wilcox has installed a new formation, a new style of play, and a new attitude. The final product is a team that has its eyes firmly set on the conference playoffs.

The new, attack-minded formation has the game looking less like ping-pong and more like beer pong — that is, Swat’s opponents appear drunk and disorderly, eventually collapsing on themselves. A preseason backyard beat-down of area team Gettysburg blew away initial outside fears that the veteran team would not handle the new style well. With the loss of only one starter to graduation last year, coach Wilcox’s team is battle-tested. However, the ladies have also worked hard to make the most of their blank slate, arriving on campus in shape, and even fulfilling a coach’s list of 13 preseason expectations. This hard work has impressed coach Wilcox.

“I’m very proud of them as a unit,” she said. “This is the strongest team I have ever been a part of in terms of cohesiveness.” They travel to Goucher College to take on the Gophers on Saturday, Sept. 5 at 1 p.m.

By Tariq Fischer

Volleyball

“Expect more,” libero Patrice Berry ‘06 said, explaining the new attitude of the 2004 women’s volleyball team.

The squad is already off to a strong start with wins during the Swarthmore Spikefest last Sunday.

“On Sunday, we had an overall great effort by everyone,” head coach Harleigh Leach said. “It’s a good start to what should be a good year. Finishing fifth in the conference last year will really push us to be in the championship tournament this year.”

Leach enters her third year with enthusiasm. The team finished 14-18 with a 5-5 conference record in the 2003 season.

Leading this year’s squad are co-captains Natalie Dunphy ‘05, who has broken Swarthmore’s record in blocks (105), and Emily Conlon ’06, who was an all-conference setter last year.

The team anticipates a competitive season, including tough games versus Haverford, Dickinson and Gettysburg. However, this growing group is prepared, welcoming four first-years – Katie Gold, Alexis Deller, Vanessa Wells and Karen Berk – a talented group hoping to have an immediate impact.

The team goes on the road for the first time this Friday and Saturday to compete in the Moravian Tournament in Bethlehem, Penn., but will have its first conference game at Swarthmore against Franklin and Marshall on Tuesday, Sept. 14 at 7 p.m.

By Tori Martello

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