Farmingdale State Selected as Skyline Conference Preseason Favorite in Women's Soccer
LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J. – A year after earning the first
postseason bid in the history of the program, the Farmingdale State
College women’s soccer team has been selected as the
preseason favorite to capture the Skyline Conference championship
as voted upon by the conference’s head coaches.
In his first season as head coach, Chris Roche guided Farmingdale
State to a 10-8-2 record, the most victories for the program since
joining NCAA Division III six years ago. The Rams finished fourth
in the Skyline Conference and earned the No. 2 seed in the
four-team ECAC Metro Tournament. Farmingdale State picked up its
first-ever postseason victory, defeating Rutgers-Camden in the
semifinals before falling to Manhattanville in the
championship.
The Rams lost only one senior from last season and return a strong
group of players from Roche’s first season. Three sophomores
played prominent roles as rookies last season and look to carry
Farmingdale State to new heights this year. Christina Cascio was
voted the Skyline Conference Rookie of the Year after recording 16
goals and two assists. Midfielder Amanda Biondi was also an
All-Skyline First-Team selection while goalkeeper Kimberly Sontag
earned Second Team All-Skyline honors as a freshman.
Two conference newcomers, Bard College and Purchase College, were
tied for second in a close vote. Both schools, which were members
of the North Eastern Athletic Conference last year, have new
coaches in Susan Scheer and Bill Kelly respectively. Purchase
captured the NEAC tournament championship last season after
finishing fourth during the regular season. Senior Rachael
Sokolowski was a First Team All-NEAC selection on defense for the
Panthers last fall. Bard returns both the NEAC Offensive and
Defensive Players of the Year from last season in junior forward
Mozhdeh Zahedi and senior goalkeeper Elizabeth Herber.
St. Joseph’s College, under the direction of veteran head
coach Joe Lee, was picked fourth. The Golden Eagles have
perennially been a strong team in conference play. St.
Joseph’s has qualified for the Skyline Tournament each of the
four years that the tournament has been in existence.
SKYLINE CONFERENCE WOMEN’S SOCCER
2007 PRESEASON COACHES’ POLL
1. Farmingdale State (4) 69
2t.
Purchase
(3) 67
2t.
Bard
67
4. St. Joseph’s-L.I. (1) 62
5. Russell Sage
(1) 54
6. Mount Saint Vincent 44
7. Mount Saint
Mary 35
8.
Maritime
24
9.
Polytechnic
19
10.
Yeshiva
9
(first-place votes in parentheses)