Women's Soccer
2009 Preview/Recap

Tiger head coach Lance Key will have the services of nine returning starters for the 2009 campaign.

Trinity, which recorded a 12-5-1 record last year, opens the season Sept. 1 at home against Texas Lutheran University. The Tigers continue their home schedule Sept. 5 by hosting longtime rival Hardin-Simmons University.

“The returning starters give us a great base to build on,” said coach Key, in his sixth year at the Tigers’ helm. “They’ve played a significant role for us. What you will see is a team with a strong desire and the ability to play.”

The Tigers, who have added assistant coach Laura Koontz to the staff, will have something extra to shoot for, at the end of the season. The NCAA Division III Men’s and Women’s Soccer Final Four will be held Dec. 4-5 at San Antonio’s Blossom Soccer Stadium. Trinity is the host institution, and the San Antonio Sports Association is the organizing group.

The 2008 Tigers missed the playoffs, breaking a four-year streak.

Trinity tied for third place in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) standings with a 6-3-0 mark.  During the course of the season, the Tigers were ranked as high as No. 21 in the NCAA Division III, by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) poll. Trinity started the season with a 4-2 home victory over 20th-ranked Wisconsin-Stevens Point.

The Tigers led the SCAC in a number of offensive categories. Trinity scored 53 goals and averaged 2.94 per game. The Tiger team racked up 41 assists, an average of 2.28. A total of 147 points were amassed during the season, averaging out to 8.17 per contest.

Four seniors completed their collegiate careers in 2008 - forward/midfielder Chelsea Wilson, midfielder Grace Rizza, and defenders Robyn Brooks and Rachel Johansen. Former All-SCAC performer Michelle Grambeau, a junior midfielder last year, sustained a career-ending injury.

The NSCAA honored two returning players with All-South Region honors.

Junior defender/midfielder Danika Wright of Alpine, Utah (Lone Peak), made the All-South Region Second Team. Wright started all 18 games and scored seven goals (one game-winner) and had two assists for 16 points. She also was elected to the All-SCAC First Team and was selected for the SCAC Sportsmanship Team.

Senior defender Brianna Young of Rockville Centre, N.Y. (South Side), was named to the All-South Region Third Team and All-SCAC First Team. Young led the Tigers in points with 18 (seven goals, two game-winners, and four assists).

In addition to Wright and Young, three other Tigers earned All-SCAC honors.

Sophomore forward Abigail Loar of Littleton, Colo. (Heritage), was elected the SCAC Women’s Soccer Newcomer of the Year, as a first-year standout. She became the fourth Tiger player to receive the recognition. Loar was named to the All-SCAC First Team. She was second in points with 17 (six goals, two game-winners and five assists).

Junior forward Jordan Azar of Albuquerque (St. Pius X), an All-SCAC First Team honoree, scored four goals (one game-winner) and had three assists for 11 points.

Sophomore defender Allyson Thrall of Scottsdale, Ariz. (Chaparral), made the All-SCAC Second Team. Thrall scored a game-winning goal and had one assist, for three points.

Senior midfielder Alex Leamy of Loveland, Ohio (Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy), received special recognition from the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). Leamy, an engineering science major with a 3.98 grade point average, was elected to CoSIDA’s ESPN/The Magazine Academic All-America Third Team. On the field, Leamy scored four goals – two game-winners - and dished out five assists for 13 points.

Bekah Gabay, a senior forward from Albuquerque (El Dorado), contributed one goal and one assist. Sophomore midfielder Allyson Hunter of Southlake, Texas (Carroll), had a goal and two assists. Lauren Folkman, a junior midfielder from Albuquerque (La Cueva), scored one goal. 

“Our players have the ability to understand the game and execute,” coach Key added. “A lot of success comes down to mentality. My priority is to reward players who display that mentality day in and day out.”

Joining the Tigers are six first-year players, with five hailing from Texas.

Defender Brianna Tammaro of San Antonio (Clark) was named to the San Antonio Express-News Super Team and the Texas Association of Soccer Coaches Region IV-5A team.

Forward/Defender Katy Lipscomb of Edinburg (Edinburg North) made the All-Valley Girls Soccer Team.

Two newcomers are from Austin, midfielder Samantha Atkins (McNeil) and midfielder/defender Lindsay Euer (Bowie). Both were members of the '91 Lone Star Red team which reached the regional semifinals, and also won the Premier League.

Goalkeeper Katie Garrett, of Cleburne, was a standout at Joshua High School. Garrett was the area shutout leader and District 9-4A Goalkeeper of the Year. She set school records in shutouts and goals- against.

Forward Lauren Henderson is from Fullerton, Calif. (Troy). Henderson was co-captain of the Troy High School team which captured the California Interscholastic Federation Division III Southern Section title.

“I am going to enjoy working with players who are self-disciplined,” coach Koontz said. “If they have high expectations in the classroom, it will carry over to the field.”

Trinity returns nine starters from last year's team and Coach Lance Key will be in his sixth season

Two-time All-SCAC player Michelle Grambeau
is one of the team's key losses from last year

Danika Wright anchored the Tiger defense last season, earning All-SCAC and All-Region recognition in 2008

Brianna Young led the team in goals and points in 2008, securing All-SCAC and All-Region honors

Abigail Loar was named the SCAC Newcomer of the Year in 2008, tying for third on the team with six goals as a first-year

All-SCAC performer Jordan Azar has tallied eight goals and 10 assists in her first two seasons with the Tigers

Allison Thrall was one of just five players to start every game last season, and was voted Second Team All-SCAC