PRESIDENTS’ SEASON ENDS IN OPENING ROUND OF NCAA WOMEN’S SOCCER TOURNAMENT (11/13)

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- The Washington & Jefferson College women’s soccer team saw its 2009 season come to an end in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament after falling to host Calvin College 4-0 on Friday afternoon at Zuidema Field.

W&J made its second-straight appearance in the national tournament after once again earning the Presidents’ Athletic Conference’s automatic bid.

The Knights (14-4-1) got on the board in the seventh minute as junior Carly Prins headed a ball past W&J sophomore goalie Stephanie Saussol (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) on the game’s first corner kick opportunity.  CC junior defender Lauren Heyboer was credited with the assist after serving the corner kick into the box.

Calvin continued to apply the pressure for the remainder of the first half, but the Presidents staved off numerous CC scoring opportunities and the match entered intermission with the Knights leading 1-0.  The Knights outshot the Presidents 12-1 and attempted all five corner kicks in the opening period.

The Presidents hung tough throughout the early stages of the second half, but Calvin capitalized on three scoring opportunities during the last 20 minutes.

Freshman midfielder Francesca Smith scored the first goal of the second half off an assist from junior defender Mindy Capisciolto in the 70th minute.  Prins headed home her second goal of the game in the 74th minute off anther Heyboer assist, while freshman forward Liz Cancel closed out the scoring on a breakaway with eight minutes left. 

Saussol finished the contest with four saves, while senior Kayla Sulzer made three stops for CC. The Knights outshot the Presidents in the match by a 30-2 margin and held a 9-0 corner kick advantage.

The Presidents ended the season with an overall record of 12-7-2.  Seniors Spencer Ahrenholtz (Bridgeville, Pa./Chartiers Valley), Tiffany Sherred (Finleyville, Pa./Ringgold) and Jessica Swartz (Mifflintown, Pa./Juniata) finished their careers with the most victories in school history (46).

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W&J WOMEN’S SOCCER PREPARES FOR SECOND-STRAIGHT NCAA APPEARANCE (11/10)

WASHINGTON, Pa. — For the second consecutive season, the Washington & Jefferson College women’s soccer team has captured the Presidents’ Athletic Conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament.

The Presidents will travel to Grand Rapids, Mich., on Friday afternoon for a 1:30 pm opening-round match against Calvin College. Prior to the W&J/Calvin match, Wittenberg and Ohio Northern will play the other opening-round game at the Grand Rapids site. The winners will square off in a second-round match on Saturday afternoon (time TBA). Ticket prices for the matches are $6.00 for adults, $3.00 for senior citizens/students/military personnel and $2.00 for children ages 3-12.

The Presidents (12-6-2) upset top-seeded Grove City, 1-0, in the championship match to earn their second-straight trip to the national tournament.

Head Coach Pete Curtis, in his third-year with the program, has compiled a 36-22-7 overall record and has appeared in three-straight conference championships. In 2007, the Presidents were eliminated in the championship match by Westminster in penalty kicks before earning their first PAC title in history last season after defeating Thomas More 1-0 in last year’s overtime championship match. W&J went on to earn the first women’s NCAA Tournament victory in any sport, defeating Marywood in penalty kicks (5-4). Washington & Jefferson dropped a 6-0 decision to eventual national champion Messiah in the second round.

Defense has been the calling card for the Presidents over the past two seasons as they have given up only 41 goals (0.95 goals-per-contest) in their last 43 matches. W&J has collected 27 wins during that span, including 22 shutout performances. Sophomore goalie Stephanie Saussol (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin), who took over for four-year graduated starter Jackie Foltz this season, has been in goal for six of the shutouts.

The Presidents’ offense hasn’t produced gaudy numbers, but has delivered key goals in crunch time. A total of 11 of W&J’s last 27 victories have come by a goal or less.

Defensively, the Presidents are second in the PAC in goals allowed (17), goals-against-average (0.82) and team shutouts (9), while the offense W&J ranks second in shots (383), points (105), goals (39) and assists (27).

Senior midfielder Spencer Ahrenholtz (Bridgeville, Pa./Chartiers Valley), who has amassed 59 points (24g, 11a) during her four-year career, leads W&J in points this season with 18 (5g, 8a), while sophomore midfielder Elizabeth Bendick (Yonkers, N.Y./Hackley) is the squad’s leading goal scorer with eight.

Saussol, who has turned back 75 shots, has started 18 games for the Red & Black this season and holds a 0.93 goals-against-average, allowing 17 goals in 1646 minutes of action.

Calvin College (13-4-1) received an at-large bid into the NCAA Tournament after being eliminated in the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) Tournament Semifinals by Kalamazoo College on penalty kicks (3-1). The match ended in a scoreless tie before penalty kicks eliminated the Knights.

The Knights, who rank sixth in the final Central Region poll, have played one of the toughest schedules in the country this season as four of the teams on their schedule appeared in the latest D3Soccer.com Top 25 poll, including Otterbein (6th), Washington University (Mo.) (12th), Chicago (14th) and Denison (23rd). Two other opponents, Wheaton (Ill.) and Ohio Northern, were both among the others receiving votes portion of the poll.

CC defeated Otterbein (3-0), Ohio Northern (3-0) and Denison (3-1), while dropping matches against Chicago (3-0), Washington Univ. (1-0) and Wheaton (1-0).

The Knights have tallied 40 goals (2.20 gpg) and have allowed their opponents to score just nine times in 18 games. All but one of their victories have come in shutout fashion.

Junior Carly Prins leads Calvin in scoring with 16 points (5g, 6a), while senior Emily Ottenhoff and junior Elaine Schnabel each have netted a team-high six goals. Senior goalie Kayla Sulzer has allowed nine goals in 1640 minutes for a GAA of 0.49. Calvin’s defensive unit has limited opponents’ shots on goal all season, forcing Sulzer to only make 41 saves this year, an average of 2.3 per match.

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PRESIDENTS WIN SECOND-STRAIGHT PAC WOMEN'S SOCCER CROWN (11/7)

GROVE CITY, Pa. –  Freshman midfielder Chrissy Marcius (North Huntingdon, Pa./Norwin) scored the game's only goal as the Washington & Jefferson College women’s soccer team successfully defended its Presidents' Athletic Conference Championship after defeating host Grove City, 1-0, in the tournament championship match Saturday at College Field.

The Presidents (12-6-2) earned their first win at Grove City since the 2005 season and receive the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive season.  For the second-straight year, W&J won both its semifinal and championship matches on the road. 

Third-seeded W&J and top-seeded GCC (11-6-3) played a scoreless first half with the Wolverines holding a 7-3 advantage in shots, while W&J held the slight edge in corner kicks, 2-1.

The Wolverines continued to hold an edge in the stat sheet in the second half, but the Presidents Marcius converted on a scoring opportunity in the 60th minute to put the Presidents in front for good. 

W&J sophomore goalie Stephanie Saussol (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) held the Wolverines off the scoreboard the rest of the way and finished the contest with 10 saves.  Saussol recorded her sixth shutout of the season.  GCC goalie Bethany Preston collected five stops. 

The NCAA will release the official 2009 tournament bracket on Monday morning at 10:00 am (www.ncaasports.com).  The Presidents received a home game in the opening round of the 2008 tournament and defeated Marywood on penalty kicks.  The victory was the first NCAA tournament victory for a women’s athletic program in school history.

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PRESIDENTS KNOCK OFF THOMAS MORE 2-1 IN 2OT IN PAC SEMIFINALS (11/3)

CRESTVIEW HILLS, Ky. -- Senior midfielder Molly Macioce (Dubois, Pa./Laurel Highlands) {right} netted the game-winning goal for the Washington & Jefferson college women’s soccer team in the 105th minute of double overtime to give the Presidents a 2-1 victory at Thomas More in Presidents’ Athletic Conference Tournament Semifinals on Tuesday afternoon at Bank of Kentucky Field. 

W&J has won eight of its last nine matches and advanced to its third-straight PAC Championship match.  W&J faces the top-seeded Grove City College Wolverines on Saturday afternoon.  The game is tentatively set to begin at 1:00 pm at Grove City's College Field. 

The Presidents defeated Thomas More in last year’s championship game and made its first appearance in the NCAA Division III Tournament.  Washington & Jefferson has eliminated the Saints in each of the last three PAC Tournaments. 

The Presidents (11-6-2) wasted little time getting on the scoreboard as sophomore midfielder Elizabeth Bendick (Yonkers, N.Y./Hackley) took a pass from freshman defender Hannah Shaner (Elizabeth, Pa./Elizabeth-Forward) in the ninth minute and beat TMC goalie Stephanie Hufford for a 1-0 lead.

Following the Bendick goal, the squads played 70 minutes of scoreless soccer before the Saints connected on the game-tying goal in the 81st minute.  Kaitlyn Cohen connected on a 24-yard free kick after W&J junior defender Cency Middleton (Mattapoisett, Mass./Williston-Northampton) was whistled for a yellow card.

Neither team was able to convert a goal over the final nine minutes of regulation, sending the match into overtime tied 1-1.  The Saints outshot the Presidents in the first overtime period, 5-0, but weren’t able to convert a goal, sending the match into a final 10 minutes.  Macioce sent the Presidents home a winner with her fifth goal of the season off a pass from classmate Spencer Ahrenholtz (Bridgeville, Pa./Chartiers Valley). 

The Presidents and Saints (15-3-1) each attempted 15 shots, while TMC held a slight edge in corner kicks by a 5-4 margin.  Sophomore goalie Stephanie Saussol (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) finished the match with two saves for W&J, while Hufford hauled in six for the Saints.

Grove City defeated W&J 3-2 on Sept. 26th in the teams' regular-season meeting.  The Wolverines broke a 2-2 tie with 7:59 remaining to earn the win. 

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 PRESIDENTS DEFEAT BETHANY, 3-0, IN REGULAR SEASON FINALE (10/31)

BETHANY, W.Va. -- The Washington & Jefferson College women’s soccer team collected a 3-0 victory against Presidents’ Athletic Conference rival Bethany College on Saturday afternoon in the regular-season finale for both squads.

With the win, the Presidents (10-6-2, 5-2 PAC) have clinched the No. 3 seed in the upcoming PAC Tournament and will travel to Thomas More on Tuesday, November 3rd for a 2:00 pm semifinal contest, while Grove City earned the No. 1 seed in the tournament and will play host to Westminster on the same day.

W&J scored the match's first goal in the 28th minute as senior midfielder Tiffany Sherred (Finleyville, Pa./Ringgold) took a pass from classmate Spencer Ahrenholtz (Bridgeville, Pa./Chartiers Valley) {top right} and found the back of the net to put the Presidents up 1-0.  Sherred, who has accumulated 13 total points this season, has now scored a goal in three consecutive games.

Neither W&J or Bethany (9-8-2, 3-4 PAC) were able to convert another goal in the first half and the game entered halftime with W&J leading 1-0.  The match was evenly played in the first 45 minutes as W&J held a narrow edge in shots, 4-3, and both teams attempted one corner kick.

The Presidents expanded the lead in the 59th minute as Ahrenholtz, who is the W&J points leader with 17 (5g, 7a), took a pass from sophomore Elizabeth Bendick (Yonkers, N.Y./Hackley) and beat Bison goalie Brittany Sadler to make the score 2-0.

The Red & Black closed out the scoring in the 79th minute as freshman Chrissy Marcius (North Huntingdon, Pa./Norwin) connected on her sixth goal of the season.

Sophomore goalie Stephanie Saussol (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) ended the match with two saves for W&J, while Sadler also hauled in two for BC.  W&J held a 14-5 shot advantage and a slight edge in corner kicks, 2-1.

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W&J PLACES FOUR ON ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT TEAMS (10/30)

WASHINGTON, Pa. – Washington & Jefferson College landed four soccer players on the 2009 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District men’s and women’s soccer teams selected by The College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).

Senior Spencer Ahrenholtz (Bridgeville, Pa./Chartiers Valley) {right} and junior Sean Maddock (Olathe, Kan./Blue Valley West) were first team selections in the District II College Division, while Senior Molly Macioce (DuBois, Pa./Laurel Highlands) {bottom left} was named to the second team and junior Stephen Bosak (Westerville, Ohio/Thomas Worthington) earned third team laurels.  As first team selections, Ahrenholtz and Maddock now move on to the Academic All-America ballots.

The District II region includes all NCAA Division II, Division III and NAIA colleges and universities in Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

The Presidents’ Athletic Conference landed a record-high 23 soccer players (13 women, 10 men) on the All-District squads.

Ahrenholtz, who holds a 3.80 grade-point average, is tied for the team lead in points with 14 (4g, 6a).  She has netted 23 goals and dished out nine assists for 55 total points in her four-year career at W&J.  She was also a first team Academic All-District honoree last season.

Macioce, a business major with a 3.55 grade-point average, has scored four goals and dished out five assists this season for 13 total points. 

Maddock, a physics major with a 3.96 grade-point average, has been a key contributor on the Presidents defensive line this season.  Maddock, who was a second team All-District selection last season, has dished out two assists in 2009. 

Bosak, who earned second team All-District laurels a year ago, is third on the team in goals this season with five, including two game winning goals.

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W&J CRUISES PAST THIEL, 3-0, IN FINAL HOME GAME OF 2009 (10/28)

WASHINGTON, PA. - The Washington & Jefferson College women's soccer team rolled past the Thiel College Tomcats by a score of 3-0 on Wednesday evening in Presidents' Athletic Conference action at Alexandre Stadium.

The Presidents (9-6-2, 4-2 PAC) scored their first goal in the 11th minute as senior midfielder Tiffany Sherred (Finleyville, Pa./Rinngold) {top right} found a loose ball in front of the net and knocked it past the Tomcat goalie Jill Harry. 

Senior midfielder Spencer Ahrenholtz (Bridgeville, Pa./Chartiers Valley) found the back of the net in the 23rd minute to give W&J a 2-0 advantage at intermission.

W&J closed out the scoring two minutes into the second half as sophomore Elizabeth Bendick (Yonkers, N.Y./Hackley) took a pass from senior Molly Macioce (Dubois, Pa./Laurel Highlands) and slipped it by Harry. 

Sophomore Stephanie Saussol (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) and freshman Hope Sedunov (West Newton, Pa./Yough) split time in goal, but neither faced a shot on goal, while Harry made 10 saves for TC.

The Presidents shutout the Tomcats (2-14-2, 0-7 PAC) in both shots and corner kicks, collecting 31 and six, respectively.

The Presidents will conclude their regular-season schedule on Saturday afternoon in West Virginia, taking on Bethany College at 3:00 pm

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W&J KNOCKS OFF WESTMINSTER, 3-1, IN PAC WOMEN’S SOCCER

WASHINGTON, Pa. – Senior midfielder Tiffany Sherred (Finleyville, Pa./Ringgold) {left} scored a pair of second-half goals four minutes apart to lift Washington & Jefferson past Westminster 3-1 in PAC women’s soccer action on Saturday at Alexandre Stadium. 

The Presidents (8-6-2, 3-2) defeated Westminster for only the third time in 22 all-time meetings.  W&J has defeated the Lady Titans in back-to-back years for the first time in history and holds down third place in the conference standings. 

Following a scoreless first half, senior midfielder Spencer Ahrenholtz (Bridgeville, Pa./Chartiers Valley) fired home a free kick for a 1-0 W&J lead. 

The Titans (12-5-1, 3-2) answered with a Sarah Nee goal just under four minutes later to tie the match. 

Sherred scored off another W&J free kick in the 58th minute.  Freshman defender Hannah Shaner (Elizabeth, Pa./Elizabeth-Forward) assisted on the go-ahead goal. 

Sherred then knocked in a crossing pass from senior forward Molly Macioce (DuBois, Pa./Laurel Highlands) at the 61:38 mark.  Sophomore forward Kristen Popovich (Carnegie, Pa./Carlynton) also assisted on the goal. 

Sophomore goalie Stephanie Saussol (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) earned the win after making five saves, while Jenn Cantella stopped 11 shots in the loss.

W&J owned a 19-12 shot advantage and both teams attempted two corner kicks.
The Presidents continue their conference schedule on Wednesday when hosting Thiel at 5:00 pm at Alexandre Stadium. 

-- PRESIDENTS --

THOMAS MORE NIPS W&J IN OVERTIME, 1-0 (10/21)

WASHINGTON, Pa. -- Deanna Goshdigian curled home a shot with 2:54 remaining in overtime to give Thomas More a 1-0 victory over Washington & Jefferson in PAC women's soccer action on Wednesday evening at Alexandre Stadium.

Sara Harrison assisted on the goal for the Saints (14-1, 5-0 PAC), who remain in first place in the conference standings.  The Saints' lone loss this year came at the hands of Denison. 

The Presidents (7-6-2, 2-2 PAC), who defeated the Saints in last year's PAC title match, dominated the first half as they held a 9-3 shot advantage. 

Thomas More collected four of the five shots in the second half and earned the win on Goshdigian's game-winning goal from 25 yards out. 

Jenna Kramer made three saves for the Saints, while sophomore Stephanie Saussol (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) notched four saves for the Presidents. 

W&J looks to get back on track Saturday when hosting Westminster for a 1:00 pm PAC match. 

-- PRESIDENTS -- 

SAUSSOL EARNS PAC WEEKLY HONOR (10/19)

WASHINGTON, Pa. — Washington & Jefferson College sophomore goalie Stephanie Saussol (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) has been named the Presidents’ Athletic Conference Goalie/Defensive Player of the Week on Monday afternoon by the conference office.

Saussol earns the award after posting back-to-back shutouts against Geneva (3-0) and Saint Vincent (1-0) last week. She collected five saves in the victory over the Golden Tornadoes and did not face a shot on goal in the triumph over the Bearcats.

On the season, Saussol holds an overall record of 5-5-2 and has amassed four shutouts. She has allowed just 14 goals in 1129:43 minutes of action for a GAA of 1.12 and has collected 54 total saves.

The Presidents (7-5-2, 2-1 PAC), who currently sit in a tie for third place in the conference standings with Westminster, have two key conference matches this week, battling Thomas More on Wednesday evening (5:00 pm) and hosting the Lady Titans on Saturday (1:00 pm). Grove City and Thomas More are atop the conference standings with identical 4-0 marks.

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BENDICK LEADS PRESIDENTS TO VICTORY OVER BEARCATS (10/18)

LATROBE, Pa. --  Sophomore midfielder Elizabeth Bendick (Yonkers, N.Y./Hackley) {right} scored the game's only goal in the 68th minute to lift the Washington & Jefferson College women’s soccer team to a 1-0 victory over Saint Vincent College on Sunday afternoon in Latrobe.

The victory will not count towards W&J’s Presidents’ Athletic Conference record due to Saint Vincent’s provisional status in the NCAA Division III.

After W&J dominated the pace of play in the first half, outshooting the Bearcats (3-12) by a 10-0 margin, Bendick connected on the game’s only score with 22 minutes to help the Presidents (7-5-2) earn their seventh victory of the season.

Sophomore goalie Stephanie Saussol (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) picked up her fifth victory of the season in goal, but did not have to make a save, while Kirstie Mills made 11 for SVC.

The Red & Black dominated the offensive side of the ball in the contest as they outshot the Bearcats 21-4 and held a 3-1 advantage in corner kicks.

The Presidents return to Alexandre Stadium on Wednesday evening for a key PAC match with Thomas More.  Kickoff is set for 5:00 pm.

-- PRESIDENTS --

W&J COLLECTS 3-0 VICTORY OVER GENEVA (10/13)

BEAVER FALLS, Pa. -- The Washington & Jefferson College women's soccer team earned a 3-0 decision against Geneva College on Tuesday evening in Beaver Falls, Pa. The victory does not count towards the Presidents' conference record due to the Golden Tornadoes (7-5) provisional status in NCAA Division III.

The Presidents (6-5-2) got on the scoreboard first in the 22nd minute as senior midfielder Tiffany Sherred (Finleyville, Pa./Ringgold) {right} fired in the eventual game-winning goal off a rebound to give W&J the early 1-0 advantage.

W&J dominated the offensive side of the ball in the first half, outshooting the Golden Tornadoes 13-3 and holding a 5-1 edge in corner kicks.

The Red & Black added another goal early in the second period as sophomore midfielder Elizabeth Bendick (Yonkers, N.Y./Hackley) took a pass from freshman midfielder Chrissy Marcius (North Huntingdon, Pa./Norwin) and fired a shot past Geneva goalie Lauren Londino to put W&J up 2-0.

Marcius closed out the scoring with a goal in the 75th minute. With the goal, Marcius has now taken over the team lead in points with 12 on the year (5g, 2a).

Sophomore goalie Stephanie Saussol (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) finished the contest with five saves, while Londino grabbed nine for GC. The Presidents outshot the Golden Tornadoes 20-8 and won the battle in corner kicks, 7-1.

W&J is back in action on Sunday, traveling to Saint Vincent for a 1:00 pm showdown with the Bearcats. The outcome of the match will also be omitted from W&J's conference record because SVC is in its final year of provisional status within NCAA Division III.

-- PRESIDENTS --

MARCIUS EARNS PAC AND ECAC WEEKLY SOCCER AWARDS (10/12)

WASHINGTON, Pa. – Washington & Jefferson College freshman Chrissy Marcius (North Huntingdon, Pa./Norwin) has collected a pair of player of the week awards.  On Monday, she was honored as the Presidents’ Athletic Conference Women’s Soccer Offensive Player of the Week. 

The ECAC then named Marcius Tuesday as its Division III South Player of the Week. 

Marcius earned the award after netting her first collegiate hat trick last week during a 6-0 victory at Chatham on October 5th.

She kept the momentum going into Saturday’s contest against Waynesburg as she assisted on the game-winning goal, scored by freshman midfielder Dawn Murphy (Wexford, Pa./North Allegheny), in the 79th minute of the contest.

On the season, Marcius, who has started eight games, is tied for the team lead with four goals. She has nine total points and has attempted 35 shots in 12 contests.

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W&J EARNS 2-1 VICTORY OVER WAYNESBURG ON SENIOR DAY (10/10)

WASHINGTON, Pa. -- Freshman midfielder Dawn Murphy (Wexford, Pa./North Allegheny) {right} connected on a goal in the 79th minute to break a 1-1 tie and lift the Washington & Jefferson College women's soccer team to 2-1 victory against Waynesburg University on Senior Day Saturday afternoon.

The Yellow Jackets (4-8, 0-2 PAC) scored the game's first goal in the fourth minute as Sarah Spicuzza lined up a free kick after a W&J foul and knocked it through the hands of sophomore goalie Stephanie Saussol (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) to put WU up 1-0.

The Presidents (5-5-2, 2-1 PAC) answered with a goal of their own in the eighth minute on a scoring connection from the senior duo of Molly Macioce (Dubois, Pa./Laurel Highlands) and Spencer Ahrenholtz (Bridgeville, Pa./Chartiers Valley). Ahrenholtz lofted a corner kick into the box that was corralled by Macioce and sent past Waynesburg goalie Katrina Kelly.

With the score still tied at 1-1 in the 79th minute, Murphy received a pass from freshman Chrissy Marcius (North Huntingdon, Pa./Norwin) for the game-winning goal.

The Presidents dominated the game offensively, leading the Yellow Jackets 30-2 in shots and 9-2 in corner kicks. Saussol finished the game with one save, while Kelly amassed eight on the afternoon.

W&J returns to action on Wednesday evening, traveling to Beaver Falls, Pa., for a 5:00 pm contest against Geneva College.

-- PRESIDENTS --

PRESIDENTS DOWN CHATHAM, 6-0 (10/5)

PITTSBURGH, Pa. --� Freshman midfielder Chrissy Marcius (North Huntingdon, Pa./Norwin) {right} netted her first collegiate hat trick for the Washington & Jefferson College women's soccer team during a 6-0 victory against Chatham University on Monday evening.

Marcius, who leads the team in goals with four, scored late in the first half and added two more in the second period to help lift the Presidents (4-5-2, 1-1 PAC) to the six-goal victory against the Cougars (4-5, 1-1 PAC).

Sophomore Elizabeth Bendick (Yonkers, N.Y./Hackley) scored the game's first goal in the 19th minute off an assist from senior midfielder Molly Macioce (DuBois, Pa./Laurel Highlands). Marcius added her first goal in the 42nd minute to put W&J up 2-0 at intermission. Senior midfielder Spencer Ahrenholtz (Bridgeville, Pa./Chartiers Valley) dished out her team-best fourth assist on the score.

Ahrenholtz connected on a goal of her own in the 56th minute, while Marcius added back-to-back goals in the 75th and 81st minutes to put the Red & Black up 5-0 with just under nine minutes left.  Freshman midfielder Dawn Murphy (Wexford, Pa./North Allegheny) assisted on Marcius first goal of the second half.

Freshman midfielder Emma Donahey (Hilton, N.Y./Hilton Central) closed out the scoring in the 85th minute, taking a pass from senior defender Jessica Swartz (Mifflintown, Pa./Juniata) and beating Chatham goalie Kristie Brannon.

Freshman goalie Hope Sedunov (West Newton, Pa./Yough), who made her first appearance of the season after missing the first 10 games due to illness, made seven saves in goal for the Presidents, while Brannon ended the contest with 21 for the Cougars.

W&J outshot CU by a margin of 36-14 and held a 5-2 advantage in corner kicks.

W&J continues conference play on Saturday afternoon at 3:00 pm on Senior Day at Alexandre Stadium against Waynesburg University.

-- PRESIDENTS --

W&J BATTLES FRANCISCAN TO 0-0 TIE (9/30)

STEUBENVILLE, Ohio-- The Washington & Jefferson College women's soccer team held a 30-15 shot advantage over Franciscan University on Wednesday evening, but couldn�t convert a goal as the two squads played to a 0-0 double-overtime tie.

Senior midfielder Spencer Ahrenholtz (Bridgeville, Pa./Chartiers Valley) recorded a game-high nine shots for the Presidents (3-5-2), while Kelly O'Brien attempted five for the Barons (3-5-1).

Sophomore goalie Stephanie Saussol (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) played all 120 minutes in goal for W&J and made six saves, while Nikki Traylor stopped 15 shots for Franciscan.

The Presidents return to Presidents� Athletic Conference play on Monday afternoon, traveling to Chatham University for a 3:30 pm contest with the Cougars.

-- PRESIDENTS --

LATE GOAL LIFTS GCC OVER W&J, 3-2, IN PAC OPENER (9/26)

GROVE CITY, Pa. -- Grove City Junior midfielder Emily Ostlund scored a game-high four points, including the game-winning goal in the 83rd minute to help GCC earn a 3-2 victory over Washington & Jefferson College in women's soccer action on Saturday afternoon at College Field.� The match was the Presidents' Athletic Conference opener for both squads.

The Wolverines (2-3-3, 1-0 PAC) got on the board first in the second minute of action as Emily Hurley took a pass from Ostlund and knocked it past sophomore goalie Stephanie Saussol (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) to give the Wolverines the early lead.

GCC added�a�Grace Riemen goal in the 20th minute, giving the Wolverines the 2-0 advantage. Otslund added her second assist of the game on the score.

The Presidents (3-5-1, 0-1 PAC) cut into the Wolverines lead in the 57th minute as sophomore midfielder Elizabeth Bendick (Yonkers, N.Y./Hackley) headed a ball home for her team-leading third goal of the season. Senior midfielder Tiffany Sherred (Finleyville, Pa./Ringgold) dished out her first assist of the year on the goal.

The Red & Black evened the score up at 2-2 in the 71st minute as senior forward Molly Macioce (Dubois, Pa./Laurel Highlands) beat goalie Bethany Preston on a breakaway opportunity.

With the scored tied at 2-2 in the 83rd minute, Ostlund rebounded a shot that deflected off Saussol and found the back of the net for the game winner.

The Wolverines outshot the Presidents, 24-9, and also held a 6-2 advantage in corner kicks. Saussol finished the game with 10 saves for W&J, while Preston stopped just one for GCC.

The Presidents will be back in action on Wednesday, September 30th, traveling to Steubenville, Ohio for a 4:00 pm contest with Franciscan University.

-- PRESIDENTS --

MARIETTA SCORES TWICE EARLY TO TOP W&J, 2-0

MARIETTA, Ohio -- Marietta scored goals 12 minutes apart in the first half and held Washington & Jefferson off the scoreboard during the Pioneers' 2-0 women's soccer victory on Wednesday afternoon.

Corryn Muench headed home MC's first goal at the 19:29 mark and Chelsean Hennen directed home a cross at the 31:10 mark for the only goals of the match.

Washington & Jefferson (3-4-1) doubled up Marietta (3-4) in shots, 16-8, but Pioneer goalie Jennifer Wilder stopped all six shots on goal. Sophomore Stephanie Saussol (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) turned back six shots in the loss.

The Presidents, who held a 6-5 corner kick advantage, open Presidents' Athletic Conference play on Saturday when traveling to Grove City for a 2:00 pm match. W&J is the defending conference champion.

-- PRESIDENTS --

W&J CRUISES PAST MUSKINGUM, 5-0 (9/18)

WASHINGTON, Pa. -- Freshman forward Kelsey Kraus (Sewickley, Pa./Quaker Valley) {right} posted a team-high four points (1g, 2a) on Friday evening to help the Washington & Jefferson College women's soccer team grab its third-straight victory, a 5-0 decision over Muskingum College at Alexandre Stadium.

The Presidents (3-3-1) got on the scoreboard early as senior midfielder Molly Macioce (DuBois, Pa./Laurel Highlands) found the back of the net with her second goal of the season, putting W&J up 1-0 in the 12th minute.

The score remained the same for the majority of the first half, but W&J was able to put another goal up on the board in the 44th minute. Senior midfielder Spencer Ahrenholtz (Bridgeville, Pa./Chartiers Valley) took a pass from Kraus and served it over the head of the Muskies goalie, Andrea Larkin, to put the Red & Black�ahead 2-0 at halftime.

Kraus scored her first career goal in the 47th minute, taking a pass from freshman defender Lauren Reynolds (Irwin, Pa./Norwin) and beating Larkin. She kept the momentum going as she assisted on the Presidents' next goal, which occurred just five minutes later.� Kraus found senior midfielder Karly Hresko (McKeesport, Pa./South Allegheny) open for her first goal of the season.

The Presidents added a late goal off the foot of senior defender Jessica Swartz (Mifflintown, Pa./Juniata). Sophomore midfielder Vicki Kowalewski (Bethlehem, Pa./Notre Dame) sent a pass into the box that Swartz was able to knock home for the game's final score.

W&J held a 29-3 advantage in shots, while blanking the Muskies in corner kicks, 4-0. Sophomore goalie Stephanie Saussol (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) ended the match with two saves, while Larkin and freshman Carrie Puckett finished with seven and four saves, respectively.

The Presidents will begin a four-game road swing on Wednesday, September 23rd, traveling to Marietta College for a 4:30 pm contest with the Pioneers.

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W&J BLANKS PITT-GREENSBURG, 3-0 (9/15)

WASHINGTON, Pa. -- The Washington & Jefferson women�s soccer team outshot Pitt-Greensburg by a margin of 33-3 on Tuesday evening and secured a 3-0 victory at Alexandre Stadium.

The Presidents (2-3-1) struck first in the 20th minute as freshman defender Hannah Shaner (Elizabeth, Pa./Elizabeth Forward) took a corner kick pass from senior midfielder Spencer Ahrenholtz (Bridgeville, Pa./Chartiers Valley) and knocked it past UPG (1-5) goalie Michelle Love.

W&J converted its second goal of the contest in the 49th minute when senior midfielder Karly Hresko (McKeesport, Pa./South Allegheny) sent a pass into the box that was directed into the back of the net by freshman midfielder Dawn Murphy (Wexford, Pa./North Allegheny).

The Red & Black scored the final goal of the match in the 65th minute as the senior duo of Molly Macioce (DuBois, Pa./Laurel Highlands) and Tiffany Sherred (Finleyville, Pa./Ringgold) {top right}teamed up for the score. Macioce crossed a pass in front of the net and Sherred was able to get a foot on it for the game's final goal.

With sophomore goalie Stephanie Saussol (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) sidelined due to an injury, Murphy and sophomore midfielder Elizabeth Bendick (Yonkers, N.Y./Hackley) split time in goal for W&J. Murphy, who picked up the win, recorded the only save of the match for the Presidents, while Love finished the game with 19.

The Presidents will conclude their current five-game homestand Friday evening when hosting Ohio Athletic Conference member Muskingum College at 7:00 pm.

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PRESIDENTS COLLECT FIRST VICTORY OF THE 2009 SEASON (9/13)

WASHINGTON, Pa. -- The Washington & Jefferson College women�s soccer team earned its first victory of the 2009 season on Sunday afternoon after defeating Medaille College (N.Y.) by a score of 3-1 at Alexandre Stadium.

Senior midfielder Molly Macioce (DuBois, Pa./Laurel Highlands) {right}connected on the first goal of the game in the 13th minute. Macioce took a corner kicked served in by classmate Spencer Ahrenholtz (Bridgeville, Pa./Chartiers Valley) and knocked it passed Medaille goalie Brittany DeBole to put W&J up 1-0.

The Presidents (1-3-1) struck again in the 27th minute as freshman midfielder Chrissy Marcius (North Huntingdon, Pa./Norwin) corralled a loose ball in front of the net and slipped it by DeBole for the eventual game-winning goal.

The Red & Black dominated the offensive side of the ball in the first half, outshooting the Mavericks 13-0, while also blanking MC in corner kicks, 7-0.

Medaille (2-4) finally got on the scoreboard in the 68th minute as Laura Freeman was able to beat W&J sophomore goalie Stephanie Saussol (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin), narrowing the Presidents lead to 2-1.

W&J put the contest out of reach in the 83rd minute on a goal off the foot of sophomore midfielder Elizabeth Bendick (Yonkers, N.Y./Hackley). Ahrenholtz collected her second assist of the game on the score.

The Presidents ended the match holding a 20-6 advantage in shots and a 9-1 edge in corner kicks.� Saussol finished with two saves in goal, while DeBole hauled in seven.

W&J returns to Alexandre Stadium on Tuesday evening when hosting Pitt-Greensburg. The match is scheduled to begin at 7:00 pm.

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W&J AND SHENANDOAH PLAY TO 1-1 TIE (9/12)

WASHINGTON, Pa. --� Washington & Jefferson College and Shenandoah University played to a 1-1 double overtime tie on Saturday afternoon in women's soccer action at Alexandre Stadium.

Sophomore midfielder Elizabeth Bendick (Yonkers, N.Y./Hackley) {right}scored her first goal of the season in the 19th minute of the contest. Bendick took a pass from senior midfielder Spencer Ahrenholtz (Bridgeville, Pa./Chartiers Valley) and found the back of the net to give the Presidents (0-3-1) the early 1-0 lead.

The Hornets (1-3-1) answered the W&J goal just minutes later as Nicole Gilbertson lined up a free kick after a W&J foul and drilled it passed sophomore goalie Stephanie Saussol (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) to tie the match up at 1-1.

The defensive units took over for both teams from that point on as neither offense was able to convert another goal.

Shenandoah had the best look at a possible goal in the 109th minute of the second overtime as Jessi Dennis fired a shot at the net, which deflected off the top bar and into the hands of Saussol.

W&J outshot SU by a margin of 26-12 and also held the advantage in corner kicks, 7-5. Saussol finished the contest with five saves, while Brooke Stricker tallied 16 for the Hornets.

The Presidents are back in action tomorrow afternoon at 2:00 pm when they host the Medaille College Mavericks at Alexandre Stadium.

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LATE GOAL LIFTS WOOSTER OVER W&J (9/9)

WASHINGTON, Pa. -- The Washington & Jefferson College women's soccer team dropped its third consecutive game of the 2009 season on Wednesday night, falling to The College of Wooster by a score of 1-0. Paige Parker connected on the game-winning goal for the Fighting Scots (3-0-1) in the 77th minute.

The Presidents (0-3) and Fighting Scots were stuck in a defensive battle for the first 45 minutes.� Wooster's defense held W&J without a shot in the first frame, while the Fighting Scots were able to attempts five first-half shots.

The defensive struggle continued into the second half as the match appeared to be heading to overtime, but Wooster's Mary Riney found Parker open on the left side of the box for the game's only score.

Sophomore goalie Stephanie Saussol (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) finished the game with eight saves, while Michele Ring stopped one shot for the Fighting Scots. Wooster outshot W&J 13-3, but the Red & Black did hold the slight 3-2 edge in corner kicks.

The Presidents will return to action on Saturday afternoon for a 4:00 pm home contest against Shenandoah.

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W&J DROPS 3-1 DECISION AGAINST PENN STATE ALTOONA (9/6)

ALTOONA, Pa. -- Niki Supsic scored one goal and dished out two assists to help lead Penn State Altoona to a 3-1 victory over Washington & Jefferson College in women's soccer action on Sunday evening.

The Lions (2-0) got on the board first in the 17th minute when Emily Reimold took a pass from Supsic and found the back of the net to put PSU-Altoona up 1-0.

Supsic scored the eventual game-winning goal for the Lions in the 69th minute after taking a pass from Reimold and beating W&J (0-2) sophomore goalie Stephanie Saussol (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin).

Chelsea Miller added an insurance goal for the Lions just two minutes later off a pass from Supsic.

The Presidents were able to convert a goal late in the contest as sophomore Vicki Kowalewski (Bethlehem, Pa./Notre Dame) netted her first career goal for the Red & Black. Senior midfielder Molly Macioce (DuBois, Pa./Laurel Highlands) assisted on the goal.

The Lions outshot the Presidents by a 13-6 margin and held a slight 3-2 edge in corner kicks. Both Saussol and PSU goalie Lindsay Raspanti finished the game with three saves for their respective squads.

W&J opens the home portion of its schedule on Wednesday evening when hosting The College of Wooster at 7:00 pm at Alexandre Stadium.

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PRESIDENTS OPEN SEASON WITH SHUTOUT LOSS IN ERIE (9/2)

ERIE, Pa. -- Erin McCreary netted a pair of goals within the first four minutes of the match and Penn State-Behrend hung on for a 2-0 victory in the season opener for both squads on Wednesday afternoon at Behrend Field.

McCreary headed home a cross from Heather Klimuszka 68 seconds into the game and then fired in her second goal just two minutes later. Kayla Frost made the lead hold up from that point by stopping all four W&J shots on goal.

Penn State-Behrend held an 11-5 shot advantage. Sophomore goalie Stephanie Saussol (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) made her second career start in goal for the Presidents and collected four saves, two in each half.

W&J looks to avoid its first 0-2 start since 2004 on Sunday when traveling to Penn State-Altoona for a 7:00 pm contest. The Presidents hope to avenge last year's 5-0 loss to the Lions in the second game of the season in Washington.�

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2009 WOMEN'S SOCCER PREVIEW (8/19)

WASHINGTON, Pa. -- Following a 2008 season that brought the Washington and Jefferson College women's soccer team to new heights, the 2009 squad, led by third-year head coach Pete Curtis, looks to keep the program's momentum on an upward swing.

The 2008 season proved to be truly historic for not only the women's soccer program, but for all women's teams at W&J. After eliminating Marywood in the opening round of the 2008 NCAA Division III Tournament in an overtime penalty shoot-out, the Presidents became the first women's team in school history to win a NCAA Tournament game.

The third-seeded Presidents (15-6-2, 5-1-1) defeated the top-seeded Thomas More Saints in the PAC Tournament championship match by a margin of 1-0, and earned the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

The 2009 Presidents will feature many of the same faces from last season, including six returning starters. Four seniors will anchor that group, including Spencer Ahrenholtz, Karly Hresko (top right), Molly Macioce and Tiffany Sherred.

Ahrenholtz (left), a three-year starter, returns as the Presidents' leading scorer from a year ago. She finished the 2008 campaign with 30 points (14g, 2a). Her most important point of the season came in the PAC championship match with an assist to classmate Jessica Swartz for the game-winning goal.

Hresko and Sherred were both key components to W&J's success in 2008.� Hresko finished the season with five points (1g, 3a), while Sherred added four (1g, 2a). Sherred's only goal of the season came during the NCAA Tournament victory, while Hresko polished off the opening-round win after converting the deciding penalty kick in the overtime shoot-out session. The duo combined for 36 total shot attempts (Hresko-20, Sherred-16).

Macioce returned to the Presidents in 2008 after a one-year absence from the program. She provided a much-needed spark to the offense and finished the season with four points (1g, 2a) on 39 shot attempts.

Swartz battled injuries throughout the 2008 season, but still managed to play in 17 games, including six starts. Swartz headed home one of the most important goals of the season for the Presidents, the game-winning goal in overtime of the PAC Championship match.

Sophomores Elizabeth Bendick and Alex Findley will also return to their starting roles in 2009.� Bendick ended last season hampered by an injury, but returns as the team's second-leading scorer with nine points (4g, 1a). Findley played in 21 games, starting 19 times. She scored her only goal of the season in the season opener, a 3-1 victory against Pitt-Greensburg at Alexandre Stadium.

The sophomore tandem of Vicki Kowalewski and Kristen Popovich will look to increase their offensive production. Kowalewski played in 20 games (nine starts), while Popovich appeared in 15 games and made two starts. Popovich finished the season with two assists.

The biggest challenge facing the 2009 squad will be replacing last season's PAC Player of the Year, goalie Jackie Foltz. Sophomore Stephanie Saussol and freshman Hope Sedunov will compete for the job in preseason camp. Saussol appeared in just four games last season, including making her first collegiate start in a 3-0 victory against Thiel.

The Presidents will open the season on September 2nd, when traveling to Penn State-Behrend for a 4:00 pm contest, and will begin their PAC title defense at Grove City on September 26th.

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