Women's soccer sets out to defend SCIAC title
ORANGE, Calif. – No longer the newcomer in a strong conference, the Chapman University women's soccer team will enter the 2013 season with a target on their backs after securing the school's first-ever SCIAC tournament championship a season ago. The Panthers will begin their title defense on Saturday as they travel to Mills for an 11 a.m. showdown with the Cyclones.
Expectations are high for the Panthers following a 16-6-1 season that led to their second NCAA playoff appearance in three years. The 16 wins for head coach Courtney Calderon's squad marked the second most in school history (17 wins in 2000) and the third winning season in the last four years. Calderon, who is entering her 10th season at the helm of the women's soccer program, is just five wins shy of her 100th career victory.
The defending champs are not only steeped with talent, but their deep roster features a wealth of experience with 14 upper classmen. Despite the departure of All-Conference talent in Karina Cisneros and Carly Sanchez, Calderon's roster remained strong with several key players returning.
Leading the pack of returning Panthers is senior M Val Sobol, who is fresh off a career year that garnered her a NSCAA All-America selection. Sobol started all 23 contests in 2012, tallying 25 points (10 goals, five assists), including six game-winning goals while leading the team in nearly every offensive category.
Sobol's compliment, junior F Rebeccah Bortz, is expected to build off her successful 2012 campaign in which she compiled 24 points (10 goals, four assists) in 21 appearances, making just four starts.
Last year's top offensive performers will be joined by a trio of returning defenders who made a significant impact in the Panthers' championship season. Senior defenders Christie Hendel and Mandi Williams will lead a defense that tallied 12 team shutouts a season ago, playing in front of junior GK Marissa Fehrman, who led the SCIAC in saves percentage (.876) while recording eight shutouts and a 15-4-1 record in goal.
The Panthers will return to Orange to play their home-opener vs. St. Olaf (Minn.) on Sept. 6 at 7 p.m.
by Ryan Cavinder
Sports Information Assistant
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