The Dons are Climbing the Ladder

2004 Regular Season Wrap in PDF Format
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Nov. 7, 2004

With their regular season coming to an impressive conclusion this past Saturday, the time has come to take a step back and take an in depth look at the USF women's soccer team in order to get a broader perspective of their accomplishments both individually and as a team.

Overall, the Dons have posted their best statistical season in 7 years and their ability to hold their own in the ultra-competitive West Coast Conference (WCC), gives Dons supporters plenty of reason to be optimistic heading into Monday's NCAA selection show.

USF finished their season with a large exclamation point as they won three of their last four games, and two of their last three WCC matches. Furthermore, their last two WCC victories came against teams ahead of them in the standings. In fact, the Dons 2-1 victory in late October came against the number 20th ranked team in the nation, Pepperdine. From a team perspective, to comeback after trailing mid-way through the second half 1-0, and win on the road is an accomplishment that gave the Dons the momentum to finish their season strong.

This past Saturday, the Dons faced a must-win game, in the form of conference rivals Gonzaga. The Bulldogs were three points ahead of USF in the WCC standings heading into the game. However, San Francisco bested the Bulldogs by a 4-2 score, in a game that was thoroughly dominated by the Hilltops. This game represented a microcosm of the USF season, as the team's best and most talented players made the biggest impact in the crucial victory.

They key to the Dons success this season has been their ability to play with excellent balance on all sides of the ball. Much of their success this season has come as a result of Stephanie Beall, the dominant Dons goalkeeper. Beall, or "Kramer" as she is known by her teammates, is the emotional heart and soul of the team. This season, Beall played in all 20 games, making 82 saves and recording six shutouts. Her self-assurance and presence in goal gave her team the necessary confidence to push forward and to be aggressive.

On the backline, the Dons were a mix of senior savvy and freshman exuberance. In their final season on the hilltop, seniors Laura Ott and Alana Heally played heavy minutes and were relied upon for their experience and knowledge about getting the job done. Rounding out the defense were freshmen's Kara Breithaupt and Katie Hoban along with junior Cameron Hernandez. The ability of Breithaupt, and Hoban to step in and play major minutes for USF, is a luxury Dons Head Coach Pamela Kalinoski never had before. Moreover, Hernandez's ability to play intelligent, mistake-free soccer won Kalinoski over as Hernandez's minutes substantially increased as the season wore on.

Amongst the midfielders, Kalinoski was blessed with three of the most talented players in the WCC. Senior Annika Schmidt, junior Stephanie Gray and sophomore Kate Nelson each played major roles for the Dons. Schmidt, a member of the 2003 All-West Coast Conference second team, chipped in with 15 total points (5G, 4A), but her talents went far beyond the scoreboard. Her ability to dribble with the ball, and kick the long volleys was a crucial component in the Kalinoski offense.

Stephanie Gray, perhaps the teams most improved player from last season became an offensive weapon in her third year at USF. Gray, finished the season tied for third in team scoring with 14 points, while leading the team in assists with six. A highlight of the season for Gray was her three-assist hat trick that came against Weber State early in September, and her game-wining goal two weeks ago against Hawaii.

Kate Nelson, who recorded her first collegiate goal in the teams final game of the regular season, is a relentless worker, who out-played and out-hustled many of her opponents.

For all the balance that Kalinoski enjoys, it is obvious that two of the team's strongest players play on the forward line. Sophomore's Chelsea Hunt and Shuree Hyatt both had excellent seasons for the Dons, finishing in first and second place respectively in team scoring. Hunt, an exceptional athlete with impressive physical skills led the team with nine goals and 21 total points. Hunt, recorded her second hat trick of her USF career on September 4, against Weber State. Moreover, Hunt recorded five game winning goals for the Dons this season, which is a testament to the absolutely commanding season that she had.

Many of the same adjectives to describe Hunt, can easily be used to describe her best friend, Shuree Hyatt also a 2003 All-West Coast Conference second team member. Hyatt, finished the season with eight goals and three assists, for 19 total point. Her ability to put constant pressure on opposing defenders led to numerous scoring chances for the second year player. Hyatt and Hunt will be a monster duo for the Dons in future years.

Of course, the Dons success this season could not have been possible without the contributions of some very valuable role players. Sophomores Hilary Fisher and Sidra Showalter, along with freshmen's Lauren Tweet, Fiona O'Sullivan, and Lindsey Swisher all mightily contributed to the Dons best season in seven years. Their error free soccer allowed Kalinoski to have increased offensive and defensive options as well as providing some quality depth during a long regular season. Tweet's clutch performance against Pepperdine was absolutely crucial in the Dons second-half turnaround.

On Monday, November 8, at approximately 1:30 pm, the USF Dons will find out if their successful regular season was good enough to warrant a bid in the NCAA women's soccer post season. If the Dons do get an invitation, it would represent the team's first post-season appearance in school history. Regardless of what transpires on Monday afternoon, the 2004 season for USF was a break out one for the Dons, as several players demonstrated their exceptional skills and as team displayed the confidence and poise befitting a quality NCAA\ soccer program.