Aug. 20, 2007

VILLANOVA, Pa. - It is one of the best situations a coach can hope for entering a new season. Villanova enters the season riding the momentum of its record-breaking campaign from a year ago, when the Wildcats won 16 games and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Even more promising is that nearly the entire team returns in 2007, putting the current group of players in position to take the program to new heights once again.

This latest edition of the Wildcats knows that building on their success will not be easy. Villanova has had a winning record with at least 10 victories eight seasons in a row now, including five trips to the NCAA Tournament in the last six years. The program's single-season win record has been broken three times in the last eight seasons and the 2006 squad set a total of eight new marks during the year. All of that success has Villanova on the map in the national soccer scene, but what lies ahead for a group that desires to leave its own mark on the record books?

The formula for 2007 will begin and end with the senior class, which is the largest 11th-year head coach Ann Clifton has had since her first season with the team. The seven Wildcat seniors all have been integral parts of the team in each of their first three collegiate seasons.

"We are going to rely on our seniors this season and there will be a lot of expectations placed on their shoulders," Clifton said. "This is their year to shine and our job as a coaching staff is to keep them focused on the day-to-day things. They have set very lofty goals for themselves and want so badly to reach those goals. That is an attitude which we hope carries over to the entire team."

The Wildcats will go as far in 2007 as the seniors take them, but that isn't to say that the rest of the squad won't also be relied on to make significant contributions. Clifton recalls the drastic improvement that the seniors have shown during their careers and thinks the team's emerging group of six sophomores and five juniors has what it takes to progress in the same manner. The team also adds six talented freshmen who will vie for playing time immediately.

"What sets this team apart is that each player on the roster, regardless of their class, knows what it takes to be successful and how to prepare to achieve that success," Clifton noted. "During our preseason and first few games the task is going to be to learn how to pull each other together and battle together. If we get from the sophomores and juniors what we got from this senior class the last two years we are in for a very good ride. Our commitment is to play hard for 91 minutes every game and do that for 29 games through the entire season."

GOALKEEPERS

To understand the success that Villanova has had the last six years, look no further than the individuals who have been in goal. Since 2001 the team has allowed a total of just 88 goals. That's in 131 games played, with 69 shutouts tossed in along the way. The list of great goalkeepers the team has had in this span is an impressive one, but the current occupant of the net has arguably set a new standard.

Thanks to taking a redshirt her true freshman season, senior Jillian Loyden (Vineland, N.J.) is the lone remaining piece of the 2003 BIG EAST championship team. She became the first player in team history to earn first team All-America honors last season and is the two-time reigning BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Year. Loyden set the team's single-season record for goals-against average in 2006 and already ranks near the top of every career statistical category.

"Jillian is coming off a magnificent year and the challenge is for her to stay focused and rise to the occasion," Clifton said. "The expectations are incredibly high, from the coaching staff to the pressure she puts on herself because of what her abilities are and her incredible work ethic. Jillian's strengths as a goalkeeper are managing services from the flank very well. She is a dominant force with outstanding shot-stopping ability. She is continuing to work on her command of the back four defenders and her organization in pressure situations."

Behind Loyden is a cast that includes sophomore Molly Williams (Hinsdale, Ill.), freshman Chante Sandiford (Owings Mills, Md.) and junior Leann Kania (Pittsburgh, Pa.). Each of the three represent worthy backups when the need arises.

"Molly is as great a player as you can have on a team," Clifton said. "She just gets the game and wants to succeed. She is very sharp as a goalkeeper with good footwork and great technical skills. Chante comes into the program with a tremendous amount of experience and ability. She will be one of these players that rise to the occasion in our conference very quickly. Leann got her first taste of game experience last year and did a great job for us."

DEFENSE

The defense took on a different look in 2006 and the season started with questions about how the unit would come together. The result was that Villanova allowed an average of fewer than five shots on goal per game and the 11 goals allowed all season long were the fewest ever in a single-season in the team's 24 years as a varsity sport. The faces will be the same this season and Clifton looks to see adjustments made after playing together for one year.

"On the defensive end we need to find the focus to improve on last year; that is what we are expecting," Clifton said. "For that to happen the entire team needs to be committed to defense when we don't have the ball. In the spring we worked on the forwards defending by forcing more pressure off the ball and that helped the midfield win the ball in higher areas of the field. We know what our system is and need to stick to it. Opposing teams will try to pull you apart and break you down but the clarity, vision and focus of this group is going to help us see that ahead of time and stay on the same page."

Sophomore Kelly Eagan (St. James, N.Y.) and junior Laura Sylvester (Broomall, Pa.) will be prominent figures in the middle of the back line. Eagan was one of 14 Soccer Buzz Magazine finalists for Freshman of the Year accolades last season and is a potential All-America candidate. In addition to her defensive responsibilities, she found a role in set pieces on the offensive end as well. Her two goals last season were both game-winners in 1-0 victories. Sylvester flourished during her sophomore season and keeps the back four organized in pressure situations.

"Our defense is our mainstay and we are excited about the pieces we have there," Clifton said. "Kelly is vying for a spot on the national U-20 team and is becoming a dominant player in the BIG EAST. Laura is such a steady presence for us and allows Kelly to do the things she wants to do. Laura controls the back four defenders very well."

Freshman Amy Greco (Media, Pa.) will be asked to learn the team's system and provide an option as a central defender.

"Amy is a player that will be the pulse of the team in the future. She has outstanding long ball service and I think she is going to become one of those players that you just have to have on the field because of all the things she can do."

Senior Kayce Blandford (Columbia, Md.) has not received the national attention that some of the other Wildcats have drawn but is just as vital a part of the team's success. She has developed into one of the top right-side players in the country and serves an important role offensively as well. Blandford led the team with eight assists last season and was a key part of the team's set pieces offensively.

"Kayce is a four-year starter and is very composed on the ball," Clifton said. "She did a great job preparing in the spring and summer. Her ability to serve the back post from deep flank areas is exceptional. We are excited about her ability to get into the attack. Defensively she is a very smart player and uses her intelligence as a great asset. It is very difficult for opposing players to get by her."

Sophomore Samantha Moskal (Chantilly, Va.) saw action in nine games as a freshman and adds another option to the defensive makeup.

"Sam gives us depth on the right side and we look forward to the services she can provide," Clifton said. "She was formerly a forward and she has the tenacity to get up and down the flank, which will be important for us."

On the left side, senior Jenna Gordon (White Plains, N.Y.) will be in her second season in a starting role at the position. One of the quickest players on the team, she has made great strides since earning a spot on the team as a walk-on her freshman year.

"Jenna is incredibly athletic and gives us the ability to get up and down the flank," Clifton said. "She covers a massive amount of ground in a very quick time and has really developed her left foot. Jenna is as tenacious a defender as there is."

Freshman Patty Tierney (Churchville, Pa.) is a local product along the lines of Sylvester who will quickly become one of the team's rising stars. She will have the opportunity to grow within the Villanova system while battling for playing time defensively and in the midfield.

"Patty is a natural left-side player," Clifton said. "It is a huge asset to her that she can develop under Jenna this year and in time will be a player to be counted on. Having Patty as an option on the left side gives us more depth than we have had in the past in that spot."

MIDFIELD

Look for the Wildcats to keep to their traditional 4-4-2 look during the season, although a 4-3-3 pattern will be a secondary option. The midfielders were counted on last season to jumpstart the attack and the potential is there in 2007 for Villanova to be very dangerous in the middle.

Junior Erin Hardiman (Galloway, N.J) and senior Stacia Hartung (Rochester, N.Y.) will play important roles because of their playmaking skills and ability to drive into the attacking third.

"We went out and tried to develop our attacking midfielders so that the last pass into the final third would be incredibly dangerous," Clifton said. "Erin and Stacia have incredible vision and creativity that are huge assets to us. They have the knack for finding that last pass that puts our forwards in dangerous positions and also have very athletic shots. It is exciting for us that our offense in the midfield has picked up to where it is now."

Senior Melissa Murowski (Warren, N.J.) is a four-year starter in the holding position and has contributed to the Wildcats on both the front and back lines. Her ability to link the back line to the forwards is paramount to the team's attack philosophy. Freshman Justine Wollner (Downingtown, Pa.) can also be used in this role while fellow newcomers Rachel Schuyler (Cheshire, Conn.) and Lindsey Haroutunian (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.) provide additional options.

"Melissa is the heart and soul of the team," Clifton said. "She has developed the holding connection from our defense to the midfield. Justine will do the same in time and can keep Melissa active in games this season. Rachel and Lindsey are crafty and dynamic players that are going to help us on the flank in a 4-4-2 formation."

Three other returnees who are critical pieces to the midfield are senior Kaley Guthrie (Ogdensburg, N.J.), junior Kristen Verbit (Newtown, Pa.) and sophomore Jessica Carnevale (Princeton, N.J.). Guthrie showed an improved ability last season to jumpstart the team's attack, while Verbit and Carnevale showed outstanding potential in their first seasons with the team.

"Kaley contributes to the team in so many different ways offensively that you have to have her in the game," Clifton said. "Kristen is an outstanding holding player and controls the tempo of the game better than anyone on the roster. She is finally healthy and is going to contribute this season. Coming off a strong freshman season, Jessica is ready to go as a sophomore and can add to our services in the middle of the field or on the flank. We are excited to watch her continue to develop within our program."

FORWARDS

Despite its reputation as a dominant defensive team, Villanova put a great deal of focus on its offensive firepower last season. Senior Nikki Mabery (Phoenix, Ariz.) and sophomore Erin Byrnes (Sayville, N.Y.) formed a strong 1-2 scoring punch last season and are likely to land starting roles up top. Mabery had one of the top offensive seasons in recent memory by a Wildcat player, scoring 13 goals and registering 29 points in 2006. The goal output matched the most for a Villanova forward in 13 years. Mabery notched five game-winners and Byrnes two among her five goals on the season.

"The forwards on the current roster give us the most dynamic look we have ever had up top," Clifton said. "Nikki is a seasoned veteran who did an excellent job training in the spring and summer. We are excited about her leadership up top and her understanding of what we need from a holding forward. Erin is an incredibly technical 1-v-1 artist who can beat anyone off the dribble. Nikki and Erin are great compliments to each other on the field."

Additional contributions on the front line will come from junior Nicole Coia (Simpsonville, S.C.), sophomore Grace Hawkins (Northport, N.Y.) and freshmen Lindsey Haroutunian (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.) and Rachel Schuyler (Cheshire, Conn.). Coia scored three goals last season and was one of the team's most valuable players off the bench, while Hawkins showed explosive scoring potential in her first season of collegiate soccer.

"The exciting thing for us is that we have become much more athletic up top and will be able to get behind players off the dribble," Clifton said. "We are going to throw a very difficult combination at other teams. Nicole is coming off a strong season and will be that much more adept at finding the back of the net with another year of experience. Rachel and Lindsey remind me a lot of Erin because of their athleticism and technical skills."

SCHEDULE

The Wildcats are hosting a home tournament for the second straight season and have 11 home games on the docket. Local rivals Penn and Temple visit campus and a tournament game against Virginia Commonwealth are some of the non-conference competition that make up the home portion of the schedule. Once the focus turns to conference play, Villanova will have its hands full at home with the likes of Rutgers, Pittsburgh, West Virginia, Louisville and Cincinnati.

On the road, the Wildcats visit Princeton and Lehigh early on before traveling to six conference road games. The BIG EAST opponents on the road include Georgetown, Seton Hall, Marquette, University of South Florida, Notre Dame and DePaul. Looming on the schedule are five straight road games against conference opponents between September 30 and October 14.

"The BIG EAST continues to be one of the premier soccer conferences in the nation and it is getting stronger every day," Clifton said. "Recruiting is a daily war and it is exciting to see where some programs are going in their development. This is anyone's league and anyone can be beaten on a given day. It is our job to take care of games at home and try to compete away. We are traveling to some venues that are very tough to win at."

THE BIG PICTURE

Adding up all the parts, Villanova has 18 letterwinners returning from last season, including 10 of its 11 starters. The talent is there on paper to make the Wildcats the strongest they have ever been and the team has improved its depth at every spot on the field. Finding the right combinations and balancing the players at each position will be an early focus of the coaching staff.

"With more depth the challenge is there for us as a coaching staff to make sure we prepare people to be in the right situations in games," Clifton said. "We need to be competitive every single moment and fight for every moment on the field and that will happen in practice. With better practices will come better preparation and development for a very difficult schedule this year. We present a very competitive training environment and I think we will see our players rise to the top and find out quickly who the top 11 are. It is nice to know that you can sub out during games and not drop off at all. That is our expectation because we will rely on our depth to remain competitive throughout the entire season."