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With 18 returnees, coach believes SUNY Potsdam women's soccer team can aim for historic season

Posted 8/29/15

POTSDAM -- The SUNY Potsdam women's soccer team has steadily improved under fifth-year head coach Mark Misiak. 2014 was no different as the Bears' defense kept them in every game, allowing just 26 …

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With 18 returnees, coach believes SUNY Potsdam women's soccer team can aim for historic season

Posted

POTSDAM -- The SUNY Potsdam women's soccer team has steadily improved under fifth-year head coach Mark Misiak. 2014 was no different as the Bears' defense kept them in every game, allowing just 26 goals in 18 contests.

The 1.41 goals-against-average was the fourth-best in program history. The offense continued to be a work in progress, but Potsdam found the back of the net more frequently than it had since 2010.

With 18 returnees and 11 newcomers, Misiak feels his 2015 squad can aim for a historic season.

"We've never really talked about a specific team goal," Misiak said. "We've just tried to improve the program, but I think this year we have to be brave and say that our goal is to make the conference tournament for the first time in school history. We have the leadership, the talent and enough quality players to make that a very realistic goal. We have to come out and say that if we don't make the conference tournament we'll be disappointed with the way the season panned out."

The Bears played in 14 games decided by two goals or less last year and that experience will be an important factor in reaching the postseason.

"This team just has a bit more belief in itself than ever before," said Misiak. "They know that there's lots of good quality players in the program. And to be honest, last year if we went down a goal, our response wasn't always great. I think with this year's leadership group, meaning our captains and all of our upperclassmen, we're much better equipped to be in tight games. I think we have more firepower this year too. We have a lot of great attacking threats, whether they're returning or incoming players."

A trio of seniors will captain the Bears this season. Midfielder Jess Sterns (Henrietta, N.Y./Rush-Henrietta), forward Erin McClusky (Watertown, N.Y./Immaculate Heart) and two-time All-SUNYAC defender Chloe Hay (Burnt Hills, N.Y./Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake) will don the armbands this year.

"I'm just thrilled with the leadership group we have," Misiak said. "It's certainly the best we've had since I've been here. All of them are just model student-athletes and they are good representations of the kinds of people and players we want in our program."

Misiak and first-year assistant Bobby Kane '11 will miss the leadership of graduated captains Kate Clauss and Kristin Webster. The Bears will also look to make up the missing offense of All-SUNYAC forward Jaci Morr, who will miss some time, but Misiak believes his newcomers can make an immediate impact.

"I think that every single incoming player can contribute this year," said Misiak. "From top to bottom it's a very talented class of incoming players."

Potsdam will also be a lot quicker when the team takes the field in September.

"We've improved our speed so much this year and we're a way, way faster team," Misiak said. "I think that will help us in every phase of the game and that teams will have to change the way they defend when they see how quick we are."

The Bears have five forwards to battle for time this season, including three veterans returning. McClusky leads the group after starting all 18 games in 2014, while contributing a goal and an assist. She will be counted on more even this year and could even see some time at midfield as well.

"Erin is such as a smart player and she understands the game so well," said Misiak. "She knows the right places to be. She has the ability to score more goals for us so hopefully she can really break out in her senior year."

Junior Alex Guidarelli (Cortlandt Manor, N.Y./Walter Panes) and sophomore Morgan Robbins (Cape Vincent, N.Y./Thousand Islands) are also back. Guidarelli played 15 games last season with two starts, while Robbins played in two contests.

Two new faces join the offense, freshmen Olivia Seamans (Bolton Landing, N.Y./Bolton) and Amber Hyatt (Jamesville, N.Y./Jamesville-DeWitt).

"Olivia is a Class D all-state player," Misiak said. "I know a lot of schools were going after Olivia and I'm so happy she chose to be a Bear. She's a fantastic striker with all the attributes. She's got good size and great speed. She's a great ball striker and she knows how to score goals. Olivia is going to be a really important player for us."

Misiak is just as high on Hyatt.

"One of Amber's biggest strengths is that she played for a winning program at J-D," Misiak said. "She's been to the state final four. She's been in tight games and knows what it takes to win them. Amber is blazing fast and can really threaten defensive lines with her pace."

Sterns, junior Kaylen Van Wagner (Red Hook, N.Y./Hotchkiss) and sophomores Becca DeRubertis (Brunswick, N.Y./Tamarac) and Lexi Barnes (Williamsville, N.Y./Williamsville South) are the veterans back at midfield. Senior Brenna Vukelic (Buffalo, N.Y./Amherst) moves to midfield this season after spending time at forward last year. Senior Bri McClusky (Watertown, N.Y./Immaculate Heart) returns to the soccer pitch this season after a year away.

Sterns is the returning high scorer from last season with three goals and two assists for eight points, while starting all 18 games.

"Jess is going to be a great central midfielder for us," said Misiak. "Even though she's probably going to start there, she's very versatile and we can bounce her around a lot and put her in different positions. Whether it's out wide or up top, she can play a different role for us at any given time."

Van Wagner played in every game with four starts and contributed a goal and an assist.

"Kaylen is going to be a really important part of our attacking set pieces this year," Misiak said. "She's such a good crosser and striker of the ball. We're hoping we can translate our set pieces into goals through Kaylen this season."

Injury limited DeRubertis to just eight games last year.

"Becca comes back healthy after sustaining a pretty serious injury just 15 minutes into last season," said Misiak. "She then was fighting to get back to full fitness near the end of the season and just never got back to tip-top shape. Becca's a quality player. We're looking for her to be that number 10 player and be the fulcrum of our attack. We expect big things from Becca for sure."

Barnes recorded an assist in eight contests in 2014 and Vukelic played in nine games with a start. McClusky played in 25 games over the course of her freshman and sophomore seasons.

Freshmen Brooke Falsion (Brockport, N.Y./Brockport), Sarah Erno (Mechanicville, N.Y./Mechanicville) and Rylie Murray (Berkley, Mich./Berkley) as well as transfers Amanda Lingenfelter (Alexandria Bay, N.Y./Alexandria) and Sami Hubinsky (South Glens Fall, N.Y./South Glens Falls) are the key new additions to the midfield corps.

"I'm really pleased to add Brooke to the roster. She is a Class A all-state selection. She's a player with a very good pedigree. Brooke has great pace, is very dynamic and has shown herself to be a very intelligent player so far."

"Sarah's got a lot of technical ability and she's extremely quick. She's going to be a player that can either jump in at outside midfield our even outside back for us."

"Amanda's probably the fastest player we have on the roster. You can teach technique, but you can't teach speed. Amanda's pace is going to be a huge threat to our opposition this year."

"Rylie has shown herself to be a very intelligent and crafty midfielder in pre-season. Couple that with the fact that she works extremely hard defensively, she is a player who I think can make an immediate impact."

"Sami is just the type of wide player we have been looking for. She is very quick and is excellent in one-v-one attacking situations. She's always looking to go at defenders and put them on the back foot."

Freshman Rachael Venne (Ellenburg, N.Y./Northern Adirondack) and junior North Country Community College transfer Abbey LaPage (North Bangor, N.Y./Franklin Academy) are also new to the team this season and will provide the Bears with even greater depth.

Six experienced defenders are back this season. Seniors Hay and Sara Sinnigen (Dryden, N.Y./Dryden) join juniors Amanda Peterson (West Chazy, N.Y./Beekmantown), Sara Livecchi (Red Hook, N.Y./Red Hook) and Kaleigh Zappia (Massena, N.Y./Massena) and sophomore Madison Mahar (Stillwater, N.Y./Stillwater).

"Amanda and Sarah return as two of our top center backs," Misiak said. "They did a good job last year, making our defense one of the strongest in team history. They do a great job of controlling the back line and reading the game. So I think those two are going to help our team massively."

The trio of Hay, Peterson and Sinnigen started every game for the Bears in 2014.

"Chloe is an incredible left back," said Misiak. "It's hard to find left-footed left backs so that makes Chloe a huge plus for us."

Mahar played in all but one game last season, while making seven starts.

"Madison has looked great in the preseason," Misiak said. "She's come back in great shape and she's worked hard on improving her technical ability. So I'm really pleased with Maddie's progress."

The Bears have two new defenders this year. Freshman Lauren Vedete (New Hartford, N.Y./New Hartford) travels north from the Utica area and Massena native Courtney Hart (Massena, N.Y./Massena) bolster Potsdam's back line.

"Lauren was a very highly sought after player," said Misiak. "She's been very well coached and has played for one of the best club teams in New York State for a long time. Lauren comes in with a great understanding of the game. She's got two great mentors to learn from in Petey and Sarah."

Three familiar faces return at goalkeeper to vie for the starting job. Sophomore Val Driscoll (Yorktown, N.Y./Yorktown) was 2-1 in three starts with two shutouts last season. Senior Bri Thibeau (Salem, N.Y./Salem) returns for her second season with the Bears after a 1-3-1 mark and a shutout in 2014. Junior Michaela Cole (Parishville, N.Y./Parishville) moves back between the pipes after playing up last season and scoring a goal. As a freshman, Cole stepped into the role as goalie and excelled, posting a 4-5-1 record with a shutout and a 1.21 goals-against-average.

"At this point, all three are going to get their shot and see which is the best one," Misiak said. "All three are very capable. I have confidence in each of them. They all have different strengths and different things to work on. It remains to be seen who wins the staring job."

Potsdam will fight its way through the always difficult SUNYAC schedule, which begins at home against Plattsburgh on Sept. 26. The Bears will face familiar nonconference foes New England College, Canton, Utica, Sage, Clarkson and St. Lawrence and mix in some old rivals.

Potsdam will host Keuka College in the first round of the Potsdam College Cup on Sept. 5, and travel to Johnson State four days later. The Bears haven't faced the Huskies since 2001 and the Badgers since 1996. The Bears open the season with a home game against Clarkson at 7 p.m. on Sept. 1.