Candace Chapman returns to the fold this season after missing the 2003 campaign with an injury.

2004 Women's Soccer Season Preview

Aug. 13, 2004

Notre Dame sixth-year women’s soccer coach Randy Waldrum never has been one to make bold predictions and he readily admits that each season is unique unto itself. But if his 2004 team follows the lead of the 2000 Irish squad and uses its preseason training trip to Brazil as a springboard to another season of domination … he certainly will take it. “For any team to approach the level of performance shown by our team in 2000 would be a great accomplishment, particularly four years later with the competition continuing to play at even higher levels,” says Waldrum, whose first five Notre Dame teams combined for nearly 100 wins (94-18-4). “There’s no question we have some tremendous talent on this current squad and, like the 2000 group, they have the benefit of this preseason trip to Brazil. We feel this is a great opportunity for our program as a whole and for the players on an individual level. “Culturally, it’s a great experience for the players. In addition, the competition from the soccer teams there is tremendous. Finally, I’m a big believer that team chemistry is a big part of success. A foreign tour forces your kids to be together away from their comfort level. So it’s a great bonding and team-building function.” Notre Dame – which was slated to spend Aug. 10-19 stationed near Campinas, roughly an hour outside of Sao Paulo – returns many of the leading members from a 2003 squad that didn’t do too shabby in writing its own legacy during a 20-3-1 season that featured an 18-0-1 start, a 10-game shutout streak (fifth-longest in NCAA history and longest since `99), and a balanced overall squad that finished third nationally in scoring (3.04 goals per game) and fifth in goals-against average (0.49). Despite many record-setting moments by the 2003 team, the season still was filled with plenty of “What If’s?” Much of that speculation sprung from the season-long absence of two injured starters – All-America right back Candace Chapman and all-BIG EAST midfielder Randi Scheller – and additional late-season injuries to All-Americans Melissa Tancredi and Amy Warner that contributed greatly to the disappointing finish. “We have a lot of seasoned players on this year’s team who are driven to do everything it takes to win a national championship,” says Waldrum, whose 2004 squad includes 23 former letterwinners and a freshman class rated as high as No. 2 nationally “They practice hard. They play hard. They care about one another and they also are having the time of their life playing a game that they love. It’s a special group who could do some great things for us this season.” Here’s a preseason look at the 2004 Notre Dame women’s soccer team, by position: DEFENDERS The team’s greatest depth lies in the defensive third, with three of four starters returning – plus Chapman, several capable backline reserves and both goalkeepers from the stingy 2003 unit. The overall talent present on the 2004 roster could result in one of the defenders shifting to more of an attacking role. Waldrum’s squads always have been known for their versatile utility players and two such standouts – Chapman and sophomore Kim Lorenzen – are leading candidates for a shift to midfield or forward (where each has played for much of her career outside of Notre Dame). Chapman – a standout flank midfielder with the Canadian National Team – rewrote the position of right back during her first two seasons with the Irish (`01 and `02) while periodically being shifted to an attacking role when the situation warranted (such a move nearly always resulted in an offensive spark for the Irish and often a goal or two for Chapman). The Ajax, Ontario, native then missed all of the 2003 college season and the Women’s World Cup after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament knee injury, while scrimmaging with Team Canada versus a men’s team just as the Irish were embarking on their `03 season. “The Brazil trip is going to be great for Candace and for us as coaches to look at her in a number of different roles,” says Waldrum. “If ever a player had the whole package, it would have to be Candace Chapman. She has athleticism and speed but adds that intangible of having a great `soccer brain.’ She can lure opponents into thinking that they’ve got her and then all of a sudden she has that little explosion and she’s past them. “She can beat people off the dribble or she can just outrun them to a loose ball. If we can get her into an attacking position, she could do very well because she’s so good running at people with the ball and is very deceptive at it. Even as a right back, she made that position into a key spot where we originated a lot of our attacking during her first two seasons. She’s a playmaker and a gamebreaker – which is a great combination.” Kim Lorenzen (Naperville, Ill.) settled into Chapman’s vacant spot at right back in 2003 and responded with an impressive freshman season. An accomplished forward during her club days, the athletically-gifted Lorenzen also has shown the skills to handle the rigors of play as a central defender with several teams during her soccer career. “Kim also could move back to an offensive role this spring but she is great at outside back with her attacking spark and ability to provide quality service from a wide position. She’s one kid who has the ability to play anywhere and do it at a high level,” says Waldrum. The possible shift of Chapman and/or Lorenzen would not be done if it seriously weakens the defense – but the resulting impact on the offense could be hard to counteract. “Soccer is a game about scoring goals and often the best defense is a good offense,” says Waldrum, long a proponent of developing an attractive style of soccer. “The longer we keep the ball, the longer the opponent can’t attack us and we can control the tempo. It’s a lot more attractive to go out and attack, yet we all know you’ve also got be good defensively to win championships … but I’d love to see us scoring four-to-five goals a game.” Two players who certainly will form the core of Notre Dame’s 2004 defense are the returning starters in the central roles, Tancredi and sophomore Christie Shaner. Senior Gudrun Gunnarsdottir – an equal but less-heralded talent whose first three years were slowed by injuries – also is well-suited to a central position, with Shaner having the flexibility to fill the left back spot patrolled by fifth-year workhorse Vanessa Pruzinsky in 2003.

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Sophomore Christie Shaner is penciled in as one of Notre Dame’s central defenders, but also has the ability to play at left back.

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“It’s a great problem to have three quality options to fill those central back spots,” says Waldrum. “Whatever lineup we go with, it will be a strong pairing.” Tancredi (Ancaster, Ont.) burst onto the scene as an All-American performer in 2003, combining her bruising 5-9 frame and quick closing speed with a domination in the air that is rarely seen in the women’s college game (she won 93 percent of her heading duels in the `03 season, in addition to being an unstoppable presence on set pieces). The spirited senior then rode that momentum into becoming a regular with the Canadian National Team, starting all of its 2004 Olympic qualifying games at central defender. Back for her fifth year of eligibility in 2004 (she missed 2000 to an ACL injury), Tancredi promises to be on the short list of any discussion for national player-of-the-year honors. “It’s a common theme with a lot of our players that Melissa came here as a forward but since has developed into a tremendous defensive player,” says Waldrum of Tancredi, one of eight returning players (Tennessee’s Keely Dowling is the only other defender) from the final 15 candidates for the 2003 Hermann Trophy player-or-the-year award. “Melissa is such a physical presence . There are not many players in the country who can beat her 1-on-1 and nobody is going to beat her in the air. And when she takes the ball and heads into the attack, it’s hard for teams to defend that – she really has blossomed into such a unique weapon on both sides of the field.” Christie Shaner (Ambler, Pa.) opened her rookie season in 2003 as the starter at left back but ultimately settled alongside Tancredi, after Gunnarsdottir suffered an early-season broken wrist. She went on to earn BIG EAST Conference rookie-of-the-year honors and also was named second team all-BIG EAST before receiving invites to training camps with the U.S. Under-21 National Team during the spring and summer of 2004. “Christie is one of the hardest tacklers that you’ll ever find, reads the game very well and rarely is caught out of position,” says Waldrum. “She has progressed well in adjusting to the speed of the college game and has a great career ahead of her.” Gudrun Gunnarsdottir (Seltjarnames, Iceland) – commonly known as “Gunna” – fittingly exhibits the calm associated with her homeland’s name. “Gunna never gets rattled and has that calm demeanor that you see so often from European players,” says Waldrum of Gunnarsdottir, a member of Iceland’s full national team. “Some injuries have led to Gunna being not as well-known as some other players but she has tremendous skills for that central defender spot. She is not a vocal player but her teammates elected her as a tri-captain and that shows how much respect they have for her work ethic and for her focus on the team goals.” Yet another senior among the defensive unit could emerge as a key contributor in 2004, as outside back Kate Tulisiak (Medina, Ohio) will be looking to build off a tremendous 2004 spring season after missing most of the 2003 fall campaign due to a back injury. “Kate was so consistent last spring and really has developed the mental side of her game. She’s always been a good athlete and tough 1-on-1 defender but now that consistency could put her in the regular mix – and that in turn could allow some other players to shift their roles,” says Waldrum. Juniors Jenny Walz, Miranda Ford and Amber McMillin combine with sophomore Kari Kennedy to provide even greater depth to the talented Irish defense.

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Jenny Walz came back from an injury to star for the Fort Wayne Fever of the W-League this past spring.

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Walz (Bloomfield, Ill.), a top reserve midfielder with the Irish as a freshman in 2002, missed the ’03 season due to an ACL injury but she had an impressive return as an outside back during the 2004 spring and summer (when she was a W-League all-star with the Fort Wayne Fever). Ford (Palo Alto, Calif.) also has played in the midfield with the Irish and is coming off a solid spring season of her own. Kennedy (Plan, Texas) – who helped the Dallas Texans win the 2003 national title – is another option at outside back and was impressive in 2003 preseason drills with the Irish before an ankle injury limited her to a handful of games played. McMillin (West Harrington, Ind.), an athletic competitor who is in her third season with the Irish, also can be plugged into the forward line if needed. GOALKEEPERS Junior Erika Bohn (Brookfield, Conn.) returns as the incumbent in the nets after compiling a 0.84 goals-against average in her first two seasons with the Irish. An imposing presence due to her six-foot frame and quickness off her line, the Academic All-American (3.63 cumulative GPA; design major) will be looking forward to another strong season after battling through a nagging knee problem for most of the 2003 season. “Erika is very well thought of on a national scale, as she recently was called into the U.S. under-21 camp, but many people don’t realize that she never trained during the week last season because of that knee injury and it caught up with her at the end of the year,” says Waldrum of Bohn, whose 967-minute shutout streak in `03 ranks fifth in the NCAA record book. “Now Erika is back and is playing very well. She is very tough in the air and we really look for her to emerge as a great leader of the defense this season.”

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Erika Bohn posted a 967-minute shutout streak during the 2003 season, a mark which ranks fifth in NCAA history.

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Sophomore Nikki Westfall (Waterville, Ohio) logged just 162 minutes in the 2003 fall season but then gained valuable experience in the spring of `04, playing every minute while Bohn was busy rehabbing. Westfall then turned in a strong summer with the W-League’s Cleveland Internationals and will look to extend her surge into the 2004 fall season. “Nikki always had been good in her reactions but really has improved on her footwork and ballhandling. She has to rate as one of our most improved players over the past 12 months,” says Waldrum. Freshman Lauren Karas (Flower Mound, Texas) is one of four Dallas Texans products on the 2004 Irish roster and provides another proven commodity in the nets. She picked up the Golden Glove Award at the 2004 ODP nationals after saving nearly ever shot she faced from two of the nation’s top Olympic Development state programs. The 5-9 Karas is known for her tough play in the air and strong vocal leadership – setting the stage for an intriguing three-player option at the goalkeeper position in 2004. MIDFIELDERS Notre Dame was prepared to tackle the 2004 season minus several top players due to the Under-19 World Championship (Nov. 10-27, in Thailand) but the Irish received a surprise announcement at the 2004 spring banquet when ace midfielder Jen Buczkowski announced that she had decided to play for Notre Dame in the 2004 fall season, passing up her role in Thailand as a starting defender with the U.S. Under-19s. Buczkowski – who earned Freshman All-America honors in 2003 – is the consummate field general, with a rare in-game presence that results in her head being up more often than it is staring down at the ball and an even rarer ball control that sees her maintain possession as if keeping the ball on a very short leash. “Jen had a great freshman season but then came back last spring and simply was our best player on the field,” says Waldrum. “She is on the verge of having a breakout year, playing at a very quick pace and with great confidence. You always want your central midfielder to be a player who can `pull all the strings’ and that’s the role Jen fills. “She can speed the game up, she can slow it down. She can change the point of attack, play people in or hold the ball for a better option. She can do it herself, she can get other people involved. … We just expect to see a great year from Jen this season.” Notre Dame’s only departure from the midfield unit is graduated sparkplug Kimberly Carpenter, who chipped in six goals and five assists while seemingly always playing a role in the 2003 season’s big goals. Junior Annie Schefter (Yakima, Wash.), a former starter with the U.S. Under-19 National Team who filled several midfield roles as a 19-game starter in 2003, is among the top candidates to fill Carpenter’s attacking role. “Annie missed her freshman season with a summer ACL injury but she really jumped back into the flow that next spring and again last fall,” says Waldrum of Schefter, who collected most of her four goals and five assists in `03 via well-struck corners and free kicks. “She probably is our best player in terms of pure soccer sense and understanding of tactics. Annie can read the play two or three passes ahead and knows where next ball is going even before she gets it. No question that she will be a key part of that midfield this season.” Sophomore Jill Krivacek (Geneva, Ill.) could bring her menacing 5-foot-10 presence to the defensive midfielder role, after appearing in 23 games and making six starts as a rookie. “Jill is perfect for that position where she can sit in behind the other midfielders. She’s the type of player who can pace herself out over the full 90 minutes and the impact of her presence in that role can’t be undervalued. She also has some strong all-around skills and can affect the game in many ways,” says Waldrum. Krivacek’s classmate Lizzie Reed (Franklin Lakes, N.J.) is the true utility player of the Irish squad, after seeing quality time at outside back, midfield and forward in 2003. “Lizzie has all sorts of unique dribbles and is very tough going at players 1-on-1. We’ve loved her at outside back but she can be very dangerous in an attacking role. Once she can settle in at one position, I think you will see her take off,” says Waldrum of Reed, whose All-America prep career at Ramapo Regional High School included 128 career goals. Another sophomore could emerge in a defensive midfielder role, as Claire Gallerano (Dallas, Texas) impressed the Irish coaches with her tenacious play and tough tackling in the 2004 spring season. Newcomer Ashley Jones (Westlake Village, Calif.) also holds promise in the midfield, after completing the rare double of leading her state ODP and club teams to 2004 national titles. “Ashley has great attacking skills but she also can play in that holding spot as a great ballwinner,” says Waldrum. Senior Sarah Halpenny (Glendale, Calif.) and freshman Kelly Simon (Columbia, Mo.) provide further options in the midfield but Simon’s impact will have to wait until 2005, after undergoing summer shoulder surgery (she has starred in several roles for the powerhouse Busch Soccer Club in St. Louis). Halpenny, who transferred from California Irvine prior to the 2002 season, also has played at outside back with the Irish and is known for her skill on the ball and strong work ethic. Scheller (Kutztown, Pa.) has endured a frustrating hip condition that will force her to miss a second straight season in 2004. The spunky midfielder is hopeful of returning to the Irish squad in 2005, after applying to the NCAA for a “hardship” sixth year of eligibility. “Randi loves Notre Dame and she loves this team,” says Waldrum. “She is what we refer to as a `soccer junkie’ and she’s had a tough time dealing with another season of not playing. But she’s a tough kid and will get through it.” FORWARDS Notre Dame’s biggest losses from 2003 come at the forward position, as Warner (37) and fellow graduate Amanda Guertin (48) have moved on after combining for 85 goals in their Notre Dame careers. Senior Mary Boland (Hudson, Ohio) – who joins Tancredi and Gunnarsdottir as the 2004 tri-captains – returns to lead the Irish offense after a strong junior season (12 goals, 4 assists) in which she was named first team all-BIG EAST and second team Academic All-American (with a 3.90 cumulative GPA, as a psychology major). “Mary could be one of the best players in the country is she can put together a fully healthy season. She has more than shown her ability as a scorer in spurts during the past few seasons,” says Waldrum of Boland, who scored in the 2001, `02 and `03 season openers (with a hat trick versus Hartford in `03).

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Mary Boland will be counted on to put goals on the scoreboard during her final season with the Irish in 2004.

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“Mary has the whole collection of moves and simply knows how to put the ball in the net. She has that go-for-the-goal mindset and also is very tough in the air. There’s no doubt that Mary will set the tone for our offense this season.” Junior Katie Thorlakson (Langley, B.C.) also returns after surging for a 10-goal season in 2003. The 5-3 fireplug brings an emotional dimension to the Notre Dame forward line and is on the verge of cracking the Canadian National Team. “Katie is an enforcer for us and usually you don’t find that amongst the forwards. But it’s very important to her to compete and win,” says Waldrum of Thorlakson, who will play with the Irish for most of the `04 season before leaving for three weeks (Nov. 10-27) when the Under-19 World Championship rolls around. “Katie is strong enough to play with her back to the goal but she also is good running at people and can cause a lot of havoc for the opposing defense,” says Waldrum. “She can beat you with her brain or her ability.” Junior Maggie Manning (Lake Oswego, Ore.) – a versatile player who also could shift into the midfield – could fill a larger role after scoring four goals in ’03. Sophomores Becky Tweneboah (North Lauderdale, Fla.) and Molly Iarocci (Carefree, ariz.) also could see more regular time in ’04. Tweneboah was a high-scoring forward with the Boca Blaze while Iarocci has tremendous upside after not picking up soccer until high school. Four freshmen round out the 2004 Notre Dame roster but two of them – Kerri Hanks and Susan Pinnick (South Bend, Ind.) – will not play in 2004 due to different circumstances. Hanks (Allen, Texas) – rated the nation’s No. 4 signee for 2004, per Soccer America – has emerged as the leading scorer for the U.S. Under-19 National Team and will spend the fall training alongside her U.S. teammates in preparation for the World Championships in Thailand (she then will enroll at Notre Dame for the 2005 spring semester and start her college career the following fall). “Kerri is a pure goalscorer who should make plenty of news over the next few years. She also is a true student of the game and has a great passion for competition. She’s a very special player and we’re more than happy to wait a year before she joins the program,” says Waldrum. Pinnick (South Bend, Ind.) joined Hanks in receiving high school All-America honors, was a top player with the U.S. Under-17 National Team and was included on the Soccer Buzz top-50 recruit list. The local product saw her career delayed by a van accident while traveling with her summer club team but she still will enroll at Notre Dame in the fall of 2004, with plans to join the Irish squad in the spring of `05. “It’s been a difficult time for Susan but she and her family have handled it with tremendous grace,” says Waldrum. “We’re very hopeful for Susan’s recovery and look forward to her joining the program. She is very tough taking opponents off the dribble and will be a dynamic addition to the attack. Amanda Cinalli (Maple Heights, Ohio), who joined Hanks on the Soccer Buzz top-25 recruits list, has played alongside Pinnick with the U.S. Under-17s and likewise was a prep All-American. “Amanda is so good with the ball at her feet but she also is big and strong and plays with great intensity at both ends of the field. She could be a big surprise this fall,” says Waldrum. Cinalli also can fill the attacking midfielder role, as can yet another freshman forward in Jannica Tjeder (Espoo, Finland). “Jannica has great technical skills and is very effective in her possession,” says Waldrum of Tjeder, who was rated by Soccer America as the nation’s 24th-best recruit. “She also is a pure goalscorer and could develop into a big weapon around the goal area.”