Assumption Women’s Soccer

By Owen Podolec, Staff Writer

After a year of anticipation, the Assumption Women’s Soccer team is back in action for their fall season in 2021. Due to a cancelation of a season from the COVID-19 outbreak, the AWS team has not only been greeted with a new freshman recruiting class, but a new head coach Chip Warner.

After serving as the assistant coach for three years, Coach Warner has now been promoted to the head coaching position. Before Assumption, Coach Warner was an assistant coach at Cazenovia College and Le Moyne College, as well as Division I schools, Colgate University and Cornell University.

So far this season the Greyhounds record is 4-1-4. This includes wins against: Holy Family, American International, Georgian Court, and Saint Anslem. Along with a loss from Saint Anselm, and double overtime ties against Southern Connecticut State University, Pace, Bentley, and Le Moyne College.

Assumptions starting 11 include Julia Sferlazza, Haley Faulkner, Annie Irwin, Diana Bruggeman, Katherine Laboissonniere, Carly Sevigny, Maya Demello, Jordan Adduci, Morgan Paquin, Addison Davis, and Julia Walsh in net.

When talking to Coach Warner about adjustments that need to be made in order to turn ties into wins, he explains, “we’re doing a good job getting the ball into our attacking third we just gotta be a bit more creative… we’re taking shots from 25-30 yards out that are routine saves for the keeper.” The Greyhounds average 15.7 shots a game, have 1.44 goals per game, and have 13 goals total in nine games played.

Along with offense, the Greyhounds take pride in their freshman keeper from San Diego, California, Julia Walsh. Walsh has played in all nine games in the net for the Greyhounds and has a saving percentage of .849%. Walsh also has 45 saves on the season. In regards to Walsh’s playing ability, Coach Warner says, “She’s not playing like a freshman by any means, she’s really come up and saved us a few times, she’s been a tremendous addition to the team.” Walsh has been a big impact on the Greyhound team as a true freshman and will continue to play in goal in the games to come.

Another key player for the AWS team is forward Diana Bruggeman. Bruggeman has four goals so far for the Greyhounds, three assists, and is one-for-one when shooting penalty kicks. When interviewing Bruggeman after her game against Bentley she told me that, “we know how to string together possession really well on the two thirds of the field, but we lack creativity in the final third making it hard for us to creatively break down the back lines.” Coach Warner and Bruggeman have similar thoughts in the final attacking third of the field and see that the team needs to start taking risks to shoot within the penalty area.

Starting in all nine games for the Greyhounds, #30 Addison Davis is also a lockdown defender and also has two assists on the season. Davis says, “defensively we have a couple things to work on like communication, execution, and playing quickly when suitable. The only goals that have been scored on us are a direct result of defensive errors which could have been easily fixed.” The AWS team has only allowed eight goals so far this season and will continue to work on the little things in practice, to then lead to the bigger aspects of the game.

The AWS team will take note of the adjustments that need to be made, and enforce what is going well as they go into their next game which is out of conference against Mercy at home on Tuesday, October 12th, at 3pm.