Fall Preview: Yellowjackets Gear Up for 2007
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Women’s Cross Country |
Field Hockey |
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| Setting the pace for a seasoned Yellowjackets squad that came in third overall at the state championships and sixth at UAAs in 2006 will be Mark Stevens ’08, the defending UAA individual champion. Stevens placed second at the state meet and earned a berth in the NCAA championships. Unfortunately, an injury prevented Stevens from competing in the national meet, but teammate Patrick Hughes ’08 filled in after placing 14th at UAAs. The harrier squad will also include returnees Dan Mueller ’08, Tom Brekke ’09, and Dan Chebot ’09. |
In 2007, the women harriers finished seventh overall at UAAs and 13th at the state championships. This year’s squad will be led by Kellie Hasselwander ’08, who was hampered by injury much of last season but had strong indoor and outdoor track seasons leading up to the ’07 cross-country campaign. Returning, too, is Sarah Gollub ’10, who was 41st at UAAs and ran well in the middle-distance events during the track seasons. The squad also features returnees Hilary Haefner ’10, Rachel Given ’10, Laura Richenderfer ’08, and Allie McComb ’10. |
The team starts the season with a new face: Wendy Andreatta, who was hired as the squad’s head coach in July. In her first season, Andreatta takes over a team that finished at 13–7, setting a school single-season record for wins. But perhaps the most important Yellowjacket returns for 2007: goalie Rachel Cahan ’08, who earned multiple accolades on and off the field as a junior last season. Forward Kari Plewniak ’08, the top returning scorer, will be joined by forward Christi Bottcher ’10, midfielders Katie Moll ’09 and Lara Bucarey’10, and defenders Alicia Citro ’08 and Erica Gelb ’09. |
| Men’s Soccer |
Women’s Soccer |
Volleyball |
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| The Yellowjackets are nearing a milestone: Their first win will be the program’s 500th all-time. Last year Rochester went 9–6–3 overall and 2–3–2 in UAA play. That’s despite having one of the nation’s toughest schedules as they advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament. One of the most important cogs of last year’s team, leading scorer Tyler Green ’07, has graduated, but Rochester returns five all–UAA picks in goalkeeper Paco Corbalan ’08, defenders Nick Mikolenko ’08 and Bobby Milenovici ’08, midfielder/defenderEric Meister ’08, and midfielder/forward Patrick Ripp ’08. |
As always, Rochester will be guided by its defense, which posted 15 shutouts in 2006, resulting in a 16–2–3 record and a trip to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament for the second straight season. Anchoring the defense will be two-time first-team All-American Ashley VanVechten ’08, who’ll be joined by returning starters Kelsey Turley ’09 and Amy Thompson ’08. Also returning is goalkeeper Molly Leitch ’08, who posted 10 solo shutouts in 2006. Midfielders Laura Bojko ’09 and Laura Morrison ’08 will also be key factors. |
The team must cope with the graduation of one of the greatest players in program history, outside hitter Susan Johnson ’07, a two-time All-American and Academic All-American who holds the school records for career kills and digs. Also departing was setter Samantha Carr ’07, who earned first-team All-State honors. If the ’Jackets want to match and improve on last year’s second straight ECAC Upstate New York championship, they will need the guidance of Dana Hilfinger ’10, who posted 178 kills and a team-high 114 blocks last year. Other key returnees include Ariel Edelson ’08, Kaitlyn Gorczynski ’08, and Jessica Rasmussen ’09. |
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