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University of New Hampshire Athletics
'Cats Set Sights on 2017 America East Title
8/11/2017 1:51:00 PM | Women's Soccer
Season Begins Aug. 18 at Home vs. LIU Brooklyn
DURHAM, N.H. – The University of New Hampshire women's soccer team, under the direction of fourth-year head coach Steve Welham, is poised to once again challenge for the America East title – and advance to the NCAA tourney – in 2017.
The road to the postseason begins with a three-game homestand in August. UNH kicks off the year against LIU Brooklyn at Bremner Field on Aug. 18 (7 p.m.). Bremner Field is also the site for the Aug. 20 (2 p.m.) battle against Sacred Heart University. The Wildcats move next door to Wildcat Stadium for the Aug. 25 (4:30 p.m.) matchup against Colgate University.
New Hampshire returns 20 letterwinners, including six of the top eight point producers, from last year's squad that was ousted in the league semifinals by a one-goal margin.
Headlining that group is senior Brooke Murphy (Monson, Mass.), the two-time reigning America East Striker of the Year who has led not only UNH but the conference in both goals and points each of the past two seasons. Murphy, who started all 17 games in which she played, led the 2016 'Cats in goals (11), game-winning goals (two), points (25), shots (69), shots on goal (39) and shooting percentage (.159).
Murphy is on the verge of becoming the program leader in both career goals and points. With 11 goals each of her first three seasons, she will tie the benchmark of 38 established by Diane McLoughlin that has stood since 1990. Murphy also enters her senior season with 75 career points, which is 13 short of Chiara Best's mark of 88 points established from 2001-04.
Liz Lane (Porter, Maine) was one of five Wildcats who started all 19 games a year ago and was named to the conference's All-Rookie Team. She topped UNH's leaderboard in assists (four) and also scored two goals to rank second in points (eight); she was also second in both shots (41) and shots on goal (20).
Megan Kikosicki (East Haven, Conn.), another sophomore, made the most of her playing time. In 19 games and 537 minutes – all off the bench – she tallied two goals and an assist for five points.
Sophomore Kaylan Williams (Marion, Ind.) possesses a combination of speed and physicality, and that makes her a versatile player who can be utilized either on the frontline or midfield. She recorded four points (one goal, two assists) in playing all 19 matches – with four starts – a year ago.
Senior Veronica Hardy (North Smithfield, R.I.) returns as a three-year starter and has tallied a goal and four assists; the former defender is now positioned on the frontline. Hardy played all 19 games with 15 starts a year ago and contributed offensively with a goal and two assists.
Senior Reilly Williams (Suffield, Conn.), who has 11 career caps, adds depth to the core of forwards, as does Belle Pesante (Wakefield, R.I.); she saw limited action in two matches last year as a freshman.
The return of starters Gaby Dorsey (Hubertus, Wis.) and Maddie Murdick (Burlington, Conn.) bolsters the midfield and backline. After appearing in 18 games with six starts as a freshman in 2015, Dorsey became a mainstay with 16 starts in 19 appearances in '16; she also contributed offensively with two goals for four points. Murdick had a solid rookie campaign a year ago with 16 starts in 17 matches played; she was credited with one assist.
Junior midfielder Madison MacLean (Amesbury, Mass.) was in the starting lineup in 5 of 9 games played last season while classmate Maggie Grigely (Simsbury, Conn.) made six appearances off the bench in '16 and will be part of the backline rotation. Sophomore middie Jill Conry (Bolton, Mass.) looks for increased playing time this season following a first year in which she appeared in three matches.
The defensive unit is anchored by senior Kendra Prince (Ajax, Ontario), the other Wildcat who garnered All-Conference First Team recognition in 2016. She has started every game the past two years (since transferring from Oakland University). Prince helped New Hampshire shut out five opponents last year and ranked third among field players in minutes played.
Senior captain Jackie Feraco (Holden, Mass.), whose contributions are measured beyond her stats of three career points – all on assists – and 42 games played with 36 starts, is a veteran leader on the backline. In the 2015 season, Feraco played 1788 of a possible 1806 minutes.
Caroline Wysocki (Agawam, Mass.) is another experienced player in the backfield. She started all 19 games a year ago – and led all players in minutes with 1796 – en route to being named to the America East All-Rookie Team.
Megan Rumbold (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) also saw plenty of time on the pitch last season as a freshman with 18 starts in 19 games played; she ranked fourth among field players in minutes at 1673.
Fallon Greene (Smithfield, R.I.) has seen limited action her first three years as a 'Cat with four games played. Another returning letterwinner looking to see more playing time in the rotation on the backline is junior Allison Boldis (Merrick, N.Y.), who has five career caps.
One of the six newcomers is sophomore back Caitlyn Keenan (Bow, N.H.), a transfer who played in 12 games with five starts at Boston College a year ago.
In goal, the Wildcats have to replace four-year starter and two-year captain Mimi Borkan, who earned a spot on the All-Conference Second Team in 2016. Senior Mia Neas (Old Saybrook, Conn.) and junior Morgan Baumgartner (Huntington Beach, Calif.) have a combined five years of collegiate experience, but neither has a start as a UNH Wildcat.
Neas made one appearance in '16 and stopped 4 of 6 shots on goal in the second half of a 2-1 loss at UMass Lowell. In three career games (61:53 of action), she has a 2.91 GAA and .667 save percentage.
Baumgartner also has three career appearances. In 30:10 of action, she has not faced a shot on goal to record a perfect 0.00 GAA. Baumgartner played the final 8:55 last September against UMBC to combine with Borkan for a shutout of the Retrievers.
The third goalkeeper on UNH's roster is freshman Cam Droste (Lone Tree, Colo.). Fellow newcomers Jianna Baroni (Auburn, Mass.), Sofia Borea (Oakville, Ontario) and Casey Peterson (Clifton, Va.) look to make an impact at midfield and Francesca Picicci (North Massapequa, N.Y.) could be another weapon on the frontline.
UNH was selected third in the 2017 America East Women's Soccer Preseason Coaches' Poll that was released Wednesday (Aug. 9).
The road to the postseason begins with a three-game homestand in August. UNH kicks off the year against LIU Brooklyn at Bremner Field on Aug. 18 (7 p.m.). Bremner Field is also the site for the Aug. 20 (2 p.m.) battle against Sacred Heart University. The Wildcats move next door to Wildcat Stadium for the Aug. 25 (4:30 p.m.) matchup against Colgate University.
New Hampshire returns 20 letterwinners, including six of the top eight point producers, from last year's squad that was ousted in the league semifinals by a one-goal margin.
Headlining that group is senior Brooke Murphy (Monson, Mass.), the two-time reigning America East Striker of the Year who has led not only UNH but the conference in both goals and points each of the past two seasons. Murphy, who started all 17 games in which she played, led the 2016 'Cats in goals (11), game-winning goals (two), points (25), shots (69), shots on goal (39) and shooting percentage (.159).
Murphy is on the verge of becoming the program leader in both career goals and points. With 11 goals each of her first three seasons, she will tie the benchmark of 38 established by Diane McLoughlin that has stood since 1990. Murphy also enters her senior season with 75 career points, which is 13 short of Chiara Best's mark of 88 points established from 2001-04.
Liz Lane (Porter, Maine) was one of five Wildcats who started all 19 games a year ago and was named to the conference's All-Rookie Team. She topped UNH's leaderboard in assists (four) and also scored two goals to rank second in points (eight); she was also second in both shots (41) and shots on goal (20).
Megan Kikosicki (East Haven, Conn.), another sophomore, made the most of her playing time. In 19 games and 537 minutes – all off the bench – she tallied two goals and an assist for five points.
Sophomore Kaylan Williams (Marion, Ind.) possesses a combination of speed and physicality, and that makes her a versatile player who can be utilized either on the frontline or midfield. She recorded four points (one goal, two assists) in playing all 19 matches – with four starts – a year ago.
Senior Veronica Hardy (North Smithfield, R.I.) returns as a three-year starter and has tallied a goal and four assists; the former defender is now positioned on the frontline. Hardy played all 19 games with 15 starts a year ago and contributed offensively with a goal and two assists.
Senior Reilly Williams (Suffield, Conn.), who has 11 career caps, adds depth to the core of forwards, as does Belle Pesante (Wakefield, R.I.); she saw limited action in two matches last year as a freshman.
The return of starters Gaby Dorsey (Hubertus, Wis.) and Maddie Murdick (Burlington, Conn.) bolsters the midfield and backline. After appearing in 18 games with six starts as a freshman in 2015, Dorsey became a mainstay with 16 starts in 19 appearances in '16; she also contributed offensively with two goals for four points. Murdick had a solid rookie campaign a year ago with 16 starts in 17 matches played; she was credited with one assist.
Junior midfielder Madison MacLean (Amesbury, Mass.) was in the starting lineup in 5 of 9 games played last season while classmate Maggie Grigely (Simsbury, Conn.) made six appearances off the bench in '16 and will be part of the backline rotation. Sophomore middie Jill Conry (Bolton, Mass.) looks for increased playing time this season following a first year in which she appeared in three matches.
The defensive unit is anchored by senior Kendra Prince (Ajax, Ontario), the other Wildcat who garnered All-Conference First Team recognition in 2016. She has started every game the past two years (since transferring from Oakland University). Prince helped New Hampshire shut out five opponents last year and ranked third among field players in minutes played.
Senior captain Jackie Feraco (Holden, Mass.), whose contributions are measured beyond her stats of three career points – all on assists – and 42 games played with 36 starts, is a veteran leader on the backline. In the 2015 season, Feraco played 1788 of a possible 1806 minutes.
Caroline Wysocki (Agawam, Mass.) is another experienced player in the backfield. She started all 19 games a year ago – and led all players in minutes with 1796 – en route to being named to the America East All-Rookie Team.
Megan Rumbold (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) also saw plenty of time on the pitch last season as a freshman with 18 starts in 19 games played; she ranked fourth among field players in minutes at 1673.
Fallon Greene (Smithfield, R.I.) has seen limited action her first three years as a 'Cat with four games played. Another returning letterwinner looking to see more playing time in the rotation on the backline is junior Allison Boldis (Merrick, N.Y.), who has five career caps.
One of the six newcomers is sophomore back Caitlyn Keenan (Bow, N.H.), a transfer who played in 12 games with five starts at Boston College a year ago.
In goal, the Wildcats have to replace four-year starter and two-year captain Mimi Borkan, who earned a spot on the All-Conference Second Team in 2016. Senior Mia Neas (Old Saybrook, Conn.) and junior Morgan Baumgartner (Huntington Beach, Calif.) have a combined five years of collegiate experience, but neither has a start as a UNH Wildcat.
Neas made one appearance in '16 and stopped 4 of 6 shots on goal in the second half of a 2-1 loss at UMass Lowell. In three career games (61:53 of action), she has a 2.91 GAA and .667 save percentage.
Baumgartner also has three career appearances. In 30:10 of action, she has not faced a shot on goal to record a perfect 0.00 GAA. Baumgartner played the final 8:55 last September against UMBC to combine with Borkan for a shutout of the Retrievers.
The third goalkeeper on UNH's roster is freshman Cam Droste (Lone Tree, Colo.). Fellow newcomers Jianna Baroni (Auburn, Mass.), Sofia Borea (Oakville, Ontario) and Casey Peterson (Clifton, Va.) look to make an impact at midfield and Francesca Picicci (North Massapequa, N.Y.) could be another weapon on the frontline.
UNH was selected third in the 2017 America East Women's Soccer Preseason Coaches' Poll that was released Wednesday (Aug. 9).
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