PHILADELPHIA - The Saint Joseph's women's soccer team enters the 2014 season looking to return to the Atlantic 10 Tournament after barely missing last season. With strong leadership from their upperclassmen and a talented group of newcomers added to the mix, the Hawks have high expectations as they begin their season Friday at Pacific at 10 p.m.
Picked to finish ninth in the A-10 Preseason Poll, Saint Joseph's head coach Jess Mannella feels that her team only has to prove to itself that they belong among the top teams in the conference.
"We only need to prove to ourselves that we belong are ourselves," said Mannella of the preseason ranking. "We are going to get our goals through hard work and playing the best soccer that we can."
Returning 19 letterwinners, including six starters, Saint Joseph's will look to its veterans to set the tone early.
At forward, juniors Olivia McEachern and Shannon Westhead will join sophomore Shannon Mulvey as starters.
An A-10 All-Rookie Team selection two seasons ago, McEachern was limited to just 12 games in 2013, including five starts. A speedy offensive forward, she finished fifth on the team in shots (13) last year and added an assist.
"Olivia is playing amazing right now," said Mannella. "She is a very dangerous player, especially with her speed."
Earning a larger role as a sophomore, Westhead will be looked to lead and contribute more this upcoming season. Appearing in all 18 games in 2013, she led the Hawks with three assists and added a career-best six shots and eight starts.
"Shannon is a work horse and never stops," said Mannella. "She is very good in one on one situations and able to get great crosses off."
Appearing in 15 games as a rookie, including a pair of starts, Mulvey has steadily improved, earning her coach's trust on the right wing.
"Shannon brings a lot of speed to our attack," Mannella said. "She adds a lot to our offense and has very dangerous services into the box."
Challenging for playing time at forward will be junior Ashley Volm, sophomore Maddi Todd and freshmen Lauren Dimes, Caroline Miller and Lindsay Walder.
Combining talent and leadership, the midfield of seniors Emily Irons and Jill Root and sophomore Emily Gingrich will give Saint Joseph's one of its most complete midfield in recent years.
Missing last year due to an injury, Irons returns to the field looking to help her team back to the conference postseason. Playing in 47 career games, the Doylestown, Pa., native has made 28 starts, including 17 in 2012.
"Emily brings great leadership on the field and that was something we missed last year," said Mannella. "She has great presence on the field and is one of the best in winning balls."
Starting 36 games over the last two seasons for SJU, Root has established herself as a tenacious player on both sides of the ball. Starting all 18 games a season ago, Root registered eight shots and has tallied 25 overall after coming to Hawk Hill after a season at Monmouth.
"Jill does all the dirty work in the midfield," Mannella said. "She sets up the attack by winning the ball. She is so dangerous off the dribble, so she will also see time out wide too."
The reigning A-10 Rookie of the Year and an A-10 All-Conference Second Team honoree, Gingrich made a name for herself in 2013 as she ranked among the conference leaders in goals (seven), assists (two), points (16) and shots (61). Starting all 18 games, Gingrich will look to continue to provide offensive fireworks for the Hawks this season.
"We have really high expectations for Emily," said Mannella. "She had a very good freshman year and a great spring and is playing at a very high level right now. She is a very good distributor and is a both a natural goal scorer and leader."
Adding depth and talent in the midfield for the Hawks will be junior Erica Graziosi, sophomores Meghan DiPippa, Ramsey McMenamin, Nicole Moonan and Paige Norris and freshmen Taylor Dillon and Shannon Walsh.
Playing four back on defense, Mannella will look to her upperclassmen to lead the way. Seniors McHale Perkins and Carly D'Esposito will join juniors Morgan Michon and Alysa Murphy in starting roles to begin the season.
Playing through injury for most of 2013, Perkins managed to appear in 15 games, and made 14 starts. Fully healthy, Mannella expects her co-captain to lead both verbally and by example.
"McHale is playing better than ever right now and came into preseason very fit after struggling last fall," said Mannella. "We are looking for her to be a leader and continue to be a tremendous defender."
A constant in the SJU backline the previous three years, D'Esposito's experience will help bolster the defense this season.
"Carly is playing the best soccer of her career right now," Mannella said. " She is another strong leader and her one on one defending has been great."
After playing in just five games mostly in the midfield last season, Michon's move to defense and impressive play in the preseason has made her a strong favorite to earn the start at the outside back.
"Morgan has been very open about taking on a new role and has taken to playing outside back," said Mannella. "She really helps in joining in our attacks, but has also become a tenacious defender."
Murphy comes to Hawk Hill after two seasons at Marist. A mainstay in the Red Foxes' lineup, she appeared in a combined 39 games.
"It's great to have a newcomer in Alysa with Division I experience," Mannella said. "She brings some grit to the defense and she and McHale have really worked well off of each other."
Seeing extended playing time in past seasons, senior Katie Beattie and junior Lindsay Horst will help bolster the SJU defense alongside newcomer Alexa Austin.
In goal, junior Allison Ebling looked sharp in a pair of appearances last season and is set to take over the role left by Lauren Jancuska. Freshman McKenna Mullin, who had a stellar high school career at Neshaminy, will compete for playing time.
"Allison is a very athletic keeper and good at both stopping shots and distributing the ball off of saves," said Mannella. "McKenna is a strong worker and she is going to push both herself and Allison and make our team better for it."
Coming off a season in which they barely missed the conference tournament, the Hawks enter this year with a strong focus. And despite the loss of five starters, including the best offensive player in team history in Mo Hawkins, Saint Joseph's knows what it'll take to accomplish its goals.
"We have a lot of great leadership and potential, but we need to execute on a consistent basis. We are going to need everyone to be working towards the same goal and so far our training habits and practices have reflected that," Mannella said. "This team has depth and a great team atmosphere. Most of them know what it felt like missing the postseason last year, and our focus and attitude is that it will not happen again."
