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Women's Soccer

Women's Soccer 2010 Preview: Something to Prove

Team captains Jessica Murphy (#3), Paige Peel (#10) and Melissa Livergood (#13) feel strongly about their chances in 2010 after returning all 11 starters from last season's NCAA runner-up squad
CARSON -- The 2010 NCAA National Championship.

Although Cal State Dominguez Hills women's soccer head coach Joe Flanangan has a reputation for not looking past his team's next game, it's hard to argue with the excitement around the Carson campus after the Toros made it to the final Saturday of the year before falling in the 2009 NCAA Title game.  Not only do the 2010 Toros return all 11 starters from last year's NCAA runner-up squad, they bring to the new season nine seniors led by two-time All-CCAA selection Alyssa Congdon as one of four 4-year players enjoying their last hurrah, and both junior All-Americans in Jessica Murphy and Paige Peel.

Add to that an accomplished recruiting class that features swift and talented strikers to give the head coach the multi-dimensional attack he's always wanted, and Flanagan tries to mask the excitement that this year is poised to bring, albeit unsuccessfully.

“We're much deeper in the attack, and we have more players who can win games for us this year,” he begins.  “Right away, we're going to be a multi-dimensional team on the attack, which is what I've always wanted.

“We're also better defensively.  Last year we gave up some silly goals, whether it's 1-0 or against Pomona when we were up 3-0 and gave up 4 goals to lose in double overtime, and so we've changed some things and are deeper on the backline as well.”

The 2009 campaign saw CSUDH suffer just 2 losses in their final 13 games leading up to the NCAA Final Four, with both setbacks coming at the hands of teams ranked in the top 11, a 2-1 loss to #11 UC San Diego on October 16, and a 4-0 loss to #6 Cal State L.A. in the title game of the league championship tournament. 

Showing the resilience that emerged during the course of the year en route to a deep NCAA run, however, the Toros bested the Golden Eagles when it counted most after taking a 2-1 decision in the West sub-regional final before advancing past the Tritons in the West Final, both on the road, and then winning decisively against #13 West Texas A&M to punch their ticket to the Final Four.

Here's an in-depth look at the squad favored to make a return ascension up the soccer mountaintop:
RETURNERS

Junior second-team All-American and four-time All-Region selection Jessica Murphy again headlines the offensive threat for the Toros.  The Torrance native lived up to her billing as a sophomore last season, earning NSCAA 2nd-team All-America honors and multiple All-Region selections after leading the CCAA in goals, finishing 2nd in points, 4th in game-winners and 8th in assists. 

This season, Flanagan knows she's capable of more, and is looking forward to the results.

“A player like Jessica, I want more from her because I know she's got more to give,” he says bluntly.  “She has the ability to take over a game almost every time she touches the ball.  She can really do it all and I want her to embrace the fact that she can make things happen anytime and really expect that of herself by playing every minute of every game.  She's got to be involved all the time.”

Murphy's All-America counterpart, Paige Peel is the backbone of the Toros team, earning Daktronics Honorable Mention All-America honors en route to helping lead the defense to 10 shutouts and 10 games with just one goal allowed, while connecting for two goals as the anchor of CSUDH's backline.

“Paige is obviously the leader of our team, more than anybody,” says Flanagan of his Bakersfield native and inaugural female recipient of the JT Minami Scholarship, given last season.  “She's always the first one at training and the last one to leave.  Paige brings it every day, and that's what you want in your leaders.  And with her experience and soccer intelligence, she should have an even better year this year.”

Senior Makenzie Pedrotti is another returner Flanagan will count on heavily for her leadership and experience, especially in crunch time.  Named both an NSCAA and Daktronics 2nd-team All-Region selection, she tied for 8th in the CCAA in both goals and points, with two goals coming in the NCAA postseason.  A gamer,

“I look at the national final, and Makenzie was one of our best players, if not our best player, which is a great sign to play that good in a big game,” Flanagan begins.  “She really became that defensive center midfielder that all good teams need, by keeping it simple through connecting passes, spreading the ball around and getting people involved.  The coaches and I talk about it all the time about how she's got a great soccer brain, and she gets what we're trying to tell her the first time we say it.”

Fellow senior Alyssa Congdon concludes her fourth and final year in Cardinal and Gold, looking to make that one final step towards the immortality that comes with an NCAA Title.  The Torrance native enters her final season needing four wins and 12 shutouts to become CSUDH's all-time career leader in those two categories after leading the CCAA in saves and shutouts in her junior season.

A two-time All-CCAA selection who played all 2630:45 minutes in net, she posted 10 shutouts on the year and came up huge in the postseason, allowing eight goals in six games, including four against ranked opponents, and three in the top 6.

“She probably was our MVP in the playoff run and really showed what she was all about, playing her best in the biggest moments,” begins Flanagan.  “You'd want every player to be that way, but you definitely want your goalkeeper to be that way, and, with our keepers coach Mike Littman, you knew she really wanted to be there and knew she was the one to do it.

“Last year was a big jump for her in that maturity sense, and this year it's going to be even better as a senior.”

A trio of sophomores in two forwards and a defender makes their return to Carson after impactful freshman campaigns.

On the attack, Lexi Ford and Yadira Gomez look to make more of an impact after providing respective consistency and a spark.  Ford started 23 of 28 games played as a true freshman and notched 2 goals on the year including one in the NCAA first round win over Dixie State, with 8 of her 15 shots coming on goal while Gomez turned a Murphy red card in the playoffs into a proverbial blessing in disguise after taking on the role of attacker, and thus giving CSUDH a glimpse of this year's multi-dimensional attack.  For her efforts the rest of the year, Gomez earned NCAA Final Four All-Tournament team honors after contributing two assists in the playoff run.

“Lexi looks more comfortable this year thus far in the forward spot, while Yadira became a force in the playoffs, bringing that dangerous attacking ability,” says Flanagan.  “When Jess got red-carded, Yadi totally embraced it and we became better because we had another girl who could take on responsibility and attack.”

Allyssia Vasquez also made her contribution felt on the backline after making 16 starts in 27 games played and helping the defense post 10 shutouts while allowing just 1 goal in 10 other contests.  Notching her first-career goal in a 1-0 win over Sonoma State (Oct 9), Flanagan noticed her quick growth.

“Allyssia played like a junior or senior at the end of her freshman year last year, and we expect her to continually improve.”
NEWCOMERS

Returning all 11 starters from last year's NCAA Finalist team, the Toros had all the pieces to make another title run.  However, like all good teams do, they filled their arsenal with quality and quantity with the intent on winning that one final game.

Kacie Licata, who was a highly-touted D-I recruited midfielder from Upland and Kayley Evans, who is “very competitive and athletic,” will give the backline depth, with San Diego State transfer Taylor Canatsey looking to “do some really good things for us.”

A freshman duo in Natalie Barbosa and Natalee Simon will also look to bolster the Toro attack and put opposing defenses on their heels, with Barbosa reminding Flanagan of former Toro Kristen Boskovich, who “kind of gets into things and just finishes, sometimes scoring goals out of nothing.”
SENIORS

In addition to Congdon, three other Toros will complete their fourth and final year in Cardinal and Gold, continuing a pattern that has made Carson such a welcoming place at which to compete on the national level.

Team co-captain Melissa Livergood emerged as a shoot-out specialist en route to an All-CCAA honorable mention nod, knocking out UC San Diego in the NCAA West Region final before deja vu struck again against top-ranked West Florida in the NCAA semifinal.  The Torrance native made 27 starts in 28 games played, with lone goal coming in a 2-1 win at Cal State L.A. in the NCAA West Region sub-regional final.

“Melissa's just a gamer and has a great instinct for the game,” says Flanagan.  “She was the one who took huge PKs for us, and she was very composed and showed maturity and experience and got it done.  She gets the importance of little moments, and she brings it during those times.

Long Beach native Kristan Boyle started all 23 games played after missing the start of the season due to injury, helping lead the defense to 10 shutouts and 10 games with just 1 goal allowed.  Named the "Jennifer Winkelspecht" recipient at the 2009-10 student-athlete banquet, Boyle has demonstrated consistency on the backline in her four years, a trait numbers can't come close to measuring.

“Boyle has always been consistent, which is what we want, and has always been a strong player for us,” Flanagan begins.  “She plays good hard defense, wins the ball and passes it to start the attack, and plays a simple game.  As a coach, those are the players you appreciate.”

Karina Jahn completes the four-year quartet, and started 22 of 26 games played as a junior.  Known for opportune scores, none was more important than the overtime game winner at No. 14 CSULA in late September, giving the Toros payback from an earlier 3-0 loss to the same Golden Eagle squad 15 days earlier.

“Karina kind of came in out of nowhere but has played some pivotal games and done some really good things,” concludes Flanagan.  “She scored the game-winner against CSULA in OT and almost did the same thing against West Florida in the semifinal, hitting the post in overtime.

“Senior leadership is huge and we're going to have that more than last year.”
THE CHIP

Coming within one goal of the NCAA Title, returning 11 starters to this year's team and beginning 2010 with an NSCAA No. 4 preseason ranking, the Toros were picked to finish third in this year's CCAA Championship Tournament, a designation that surprised many of the players.

“The poll is what it is and I don't read into it too much,” begins Flanagan.  “Our girls have been there every year, and last year we broke down a couple doors and got through some tight games.   We've always been there, though, and we just go about doing our business, and that's all we can control.  Even if we were ranked No. 1 and expected to go undefeated or something ridiculous like that, you gotta look at what you can control, and that's all you can do.

“But the girls are just taking it as a way to say, 'I'm going to prove it all over again. Let's put the boots on and let's prove it.'

“The girls got a taste of being there in the finals last year, so even without that poll, there's their motivation entering the season.  But I think with us being picked to finish third in our own conference serves as a little motivation there, too.

“It's going to be another competitive year, and though I think nothing's going to come easy, I do think we're better than last year, and I know we're ready."

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