2008 Woodie Awards
Soccer playing for NCAA playoff bid
Kate Ambrose
Issue date: 10/31/04 Section: Sports
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"We have 20 odd women all on the same page," commented head coach of the AC Women's Soccer Team Neil Stafford.
Stafford has been coaching here since the Fall of 2001 and knows that the success of the team has been due to these women coming together and playing as one. As of Friday October 22, 2004 the team holds a record of 10-3-0 with just three games left facing Saint Anselm, Queens NY, and Stonehill in the regular season. As of now, the team holds the second place spot, falling just under Franklin Pierce, in the Northeast-10 for Division II.
As the season comes to a close the team is really preparing to take on their next three challengers with all they have.
"If we let down a little and we get a tie, then that doesn't do very well for us," said Stafford. "We want to end the season as well as we've started and maintain that."
If the Hounds reach their goal and finish on a strong note they have the potential to receive a bid to the NCAA playoffs. The Hounds would be looked at for a bid if they finish in the top two or three within the NE-10 Div. II. Although the teams they have yet to still face in the regular season facing are ranked below them, there should still be a high level of competition.
Not only is the team currently looking at a national ranking overall, but several individuals on the team hold records within the division. Namely, Freshman Lauren Matysiak holds a record for shutouts per game and Junior Andrea Marcoccio is tied for third in the game-winning goals category.
Stafford doesn't want to look to far into the future, but he feels as though this team definitely has more than a shot to finish the season strong and in turn, hopefully receive a bid. The bids will be announced on November 8, 2004 after a NCAA committee uses a specific formula along with the teams' statistics to determine who will reach the NCAA playoffs.
This would be the first season that the women's soccer team has made it to the NCAA playoffs in the schools history.
Stafford has been coaching here since the Fall of 2001 and knows that the success of the team has been due to these women coming together and playing as one. As of Friday October 22, 2004 the team holds a record of 10-3-0 with just three games left facing Saint Anselm, Queens NY, and Stonehill in the regular season. As of now, the team holds the second place spot, falling just under Franklin Pierce, in the Northeast-10 for Division II.
As the season comes to a close the team is really preparing to take on their next three challengers with all they have.
"If we let down a little and we get a tie, then that doesn't do very well for us," said Stafford. "We want to end the season as well as we've started and maintain that."
If the Hounds reach their goal and finish on a strong note they have the potential to receive a bid to the NCAA playoffs. The Hounds would be looked at for a bid if they finish in the top two or three within the NE-10 Div. II. Although the teams they have yet to still face in the regular season facing are ranked below them, there should still be a high level of competition.
Not only is the team currently looking at a national ranking overall, but several individuals on the team hold records within the division. Namely, Freshman Lauren Matysiak holds a record for shutouts per game and Junior Andrea Marcoccio is tied for third in the game-winning goals category.
Stafford doesn't want to look to far into the future, but he feels as though this team definitely has more than a shot to finish the season strong and in turn, hopefully receive a bid. The bids will be announced on November 8, 2004 after a NCAA committee uses a specific formula along with the teams' statistics to determine who will reach the NCAA playoffs.
This would be the first season that the women's soccer team has made it to the NCAA playoffs in the schools history.