BEREA, OHIO - The 2009 women's soccer season looks promising for the Baldwin-Wallace College Yellow Jackets as Head Coach Reid Ayers returns 17 letterwinners and eight starters from a squad that advanced to Ohio Athletic Conference Tournament play in 2008. Overall, the Yellow Jacket program has reached double-digits in wins in four of the past five seasons.
"We have a very experienced team with many strong players returning," said Ayers, who enters his eighth season at B-W and is second on the all-time wins list with 67 victories. I expect us to be more dynamic this year and build on what we did last season.
Headlining the group of returnees is senior two-time All-OAC defender/midfielder Stephanie Geiger (Berea). Geiger helped lead the defense to post five shutouts and a 1.07 goals-against-average last fall. She also scored two game-winners and added an assist en route to being tabbed as a third-team All-Great Lakes Region selection by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA).
"Stephanie (Geiger) has been a consistent performer her entire career," noted Ayers. "She had a big year for us last season and we're counting on her as a leader again this fall."
The defense as a whole looks to be a strong point in 2009 as B-W also returns two-year starters in ESPN THE MAGAZINE Academic All-District IV senior Tyler Fridley (Niles/McKinley) and junior Caitlin Sutter (Toledo/Sylvania Southview) as well as junior defender/midfielder and 2007 honorable mention All-OAC selection Linsey Clapacs (Willoughby Hills/South). Junior goalkeeper Becky Miner (Berea) is also back after starting all 19 contests a year ago with a 1.37 goals against average, five shutouts and 124 saves.
"We expect our defense to be the strength of our team," said Ayers. "With the talent and experience we have returning on our back line, we should be tough to score on."
The B-W midfield will be led by juniors Liz Rice (Wooster/Triway) and Vickie Dreiling (Boardman/Cardinal Mooney) as well as sophomore Brittany Thomas (Westerville/Central). Dreiling scored three goals and Thomas added two goals and two assists. Rice also chipped in an assist and was named an ESPN THE MAGAZINE Academic All-District IV selection last season.
At forward, senior Natalie Fox (Canfield) will be back to help lead the attack. She was the second-leading scorer a year ago with eight points on three goals and two assists.
The Yellow Jackets open the season on September 1 with a home game versus Adrian (Mich.) College on Tressel Field at The George Finnie Stadium in Berea at 5:00 p.m. in the first game of a men's and women's soccer doubleheader. B-W begins OAC play with an October 3 home match versus Mount Union at 7:00 p.m.
"We play a strong out-of-conference schedule which we feel should prepare us for the always tough OAC," noted Ayers. "We also filled some holes with our recruiting class and with our returning starters, we have the potential to be very competitive in the conference."
FOR MORE BW SPORTS INFORMATION, please contact Sports Information Director Kevin Ruple by telephone at 440-826-2327 and e-mail atkruple@bw.edu or Asst. SID Jeff Miller by phone at 440-826-2780 and email at jefmille@bw.edu Fans can access BW athletics information at www.BWyellowjackets.com and we invite you to join us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/bwyellowjackets and Twitter athttp://twitter.com/bwathletics.
