Four locals begin season with NCAA's St. Joseph College

NEWS RELEASE

SAINT JOSEPH COLLEGE ATHLETICS

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The Saint Joseph's College women's soccer team enters the 2006 season having never failed to qualify for a Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament.

However, the Lady Pumas found themselves rated just 10th in the GLVC preseason coaches' poll, and will start head coach Eric Rue's first season with the goal of proving themselves once again, as well as improving on the 7-11-1 overall record and 6-7 conference finish of a year ago.

Eight of last season's starters return to spearhead the effort, including the team's second-leading scorer, forward Rachel Cobean (So., Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario/St. Basil). Cobean found the net seven times last season, scoring a pair of game-winners. Also among SJC's top returning scorers are forward Ashley Van Slooten (So., Grand Rapids, MI/Northview) and midfielder Trisha Mazzotta (Jr., Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario/St. Mary's).

Also among the returning starters are midfielder Maddy Starin (Jr., Chesterton, IN), defenders Jenna Mullins (Sr., Crown Point, IN/Lake Central), Nicole Little (So., Springfield, OH/Greenon), and Aniela Pulice (Jr., Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario/St. Basil), and goalkeeper Katie Awerkamp (Sr., Quincy, IL/Notre Dame).

Also at Coach Rue's disposal are returning letter winners Kristin Dolmetsch (Sr., Northville, MI/Schoolcraft Coll.), Meghan O'Neill (So., Chicago Heights, IL/Andrean), and Nicole Carleton (So., Schererville, IN/Lake Central).

The lineup is bolstered this season by newcomers Cathleen Klausing (Fr., Monterey, IN/Culver Community), Kaelah Zeppa (Fr., Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario/St. Basil), Sara Ritter (Fr., Lafayette, IN/McCutcheon), Sara Cortez (So., Indianapolis, IN/Ben Davis), and Veronica Terkhorn (Fr., Columbus, IN/East).

SJC opens the season Friday, hosting Gannon University at Joseph L. Minielli Memorial Field.

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