2009 CCIW Women's Soccer Preview

2009 Team Capsules

Augustana (15-4-0, 5-2-0)
Augustana head coach Scott Mejia has one of the most experienced teams coming back in 2009. The Vikings graduated just one senior and return all 11 starters from last season’s 15-4-0 squad. In the last three seasons, Augustana has gone 43-11-4 (.776) and looks to continue that winning trend. Sophomore goalkeeper Kayla Radloff (West Chicago, Ill./H.S.) is back after logging nearly 1,300 minutes and 50 saves while going 13-4 in 2008. Radloff will once again have the services of senior Anna Carey (Warrenville, Ill./Wheaton-Warrenville South) who was named the team’s defensive MVP last season en route to earning first-team all-conference honors. Senior forward Katie Oakes (Wheaton, Ill./North) was a first team all-conference pick a year ago with five goals and two assists. Sophomore Jessica Dodds (Marion, Iowa/Linn-Mar) led her team with 11 goals and two assists for 24 points while senior Lauren Polock (Wheaton, Ill./North) returns to the midfield (six goals and seven assists in 2008).

Carthage (17-4-0, 5-2-0)
Three starters return to a Lady Reds squad that finished 17-4-0 last season, which earned them a berth in the NCAA Division III Women’s Soccer Championship. All six Carthage players who earned all-conference status last season have graduated, so head coach Susie Foster (55-20-6 in four seasons) will look to others to step into the fold in 2009. Junior forward/midfielder Maria Korosis (Lindenhurst, Ill./Lakes Community) started 16 games last season and totaled four goals and two assists. Junior forward Debbie Kozlowski (Forest Park, Ill./St. Joseph) started 12 games and had four goals and one assist. Both Korosis and Kozlowski played in all 19 games in 2008. 2008 regulars Jackie Krug (Lockport, Ill./H.S.), a junior forward, and senior midfielder Shannon Chesna (Fond du Lac, Wis./H.S.) also return to the Lady Reds. Chesna scored three goals and two assists last season while Krug finished with two assists.

Elmhurst (8-7-1, 3-4-0)
The Bluejays will look to clinch their first CCIW Women’s Soccer Tournament berth since 2003 behind 10 returning starters from a team that finished 8-7-1 last season. Elmhurst will have a pair of goalkeepers returning this season in senior Jessica Eberle (Bloomington, Ind./North) and junior Allison Korbel (Schaumburg, Ill./H.S.). Eberle had a 1.74 goals-against-average while Korbel was 3-0-1 behind the net in 2008. Senior midfielder Courtney Constantino (Strongsville, Ohio/H.S.) netted six goals and five assists last season while sophomore forward Valerie Wesley (Chula Vista, Calif./Our Lady of Peace) had a breakout freshman campaign in 2008 with six goals and a team-leading seven assists. Senior Jessica Webster (Sarasota, Fla./H.S.) will anchor the Elmhurst defense.

Illinois Wesleyan (15-6-2, 6-1-0)
Illinois Wesleyan comes into the 2009 season as the defending conference champion for the first time in program history. The Titans ended Wheaton’s 13-year run in 2008 by going 6-1-0 against the CCIW including a 2-1 win over the Thunder on October 25. Four of the six Titans who earned all-conference status last season are back including second-team goalkeeper Alli Novak (Naperville, Ill./North). Novak totaled 84 shutouts along with 10 saves while in goal. Sophomore forward Molly O’Brien (Valparaiso, Ind./H.S.) was an all-conference performer last season after she finished with 10 goals and five assists. Two all-conference midfielders return in junior Tori Samson (Chesterfield, Mo./Parkway Central) and sophomore Lauren Knaack (McHenry, Ill./H.S.) while junior midfielder/forward Carlie Hoekstra (Wheaton, Ill./Wheaton-Warrenville South) is back after scoring two goals and seven assists last season.

Millikin (12-8-0, 1-6-0)
Millikin will turn to six returning starters this season to help the Big Blue improve on their 12-8-0 record from a year ago. A pair of high-scoring junior forwards/midfielders returns in Allison Horne (Downers Grove, Ill./South) and Brittany Belrichard (Sycamore, Ill./H.S.). Horne scored 16 goals and nine assists in 2008 and holds the school record for goals and assists in a season and career. Belrichard had 16 goals and three assists last season. Junior Tanya Romano (Palatine, Ill./Fremd) is back to anchor the defense after she was named her team’s defensive MVP in 2008. Junior defender/midfielder Meghan Schroeder (Naperville, Ill./Neuqua Valley) returns after scoring six goals and five assists last season.

North Central (6-8-4, 0-6-1)
North Central returns nine starters in 2009 including senior goalie Elise Manzie (Naperville, Ill./Central). Manzie started 15 of the Cardinals’ 18 games last season with a goals-against-average of 1.08 and 78 saves. Manzie will have all of the defense back this season including senior Brittany Jones (Crystal Lake, Ill./Prairie Ridge). Jones started all 18 games a year ago and netted two goals and three assists. Senior Shannon Finucane (DeKalb, Ill./H.S.) also started all 18 games last season and finished with three goals and three assists from her midfield position. She’ll be joined in the midfield by sophomore Stefani Masterton (Morton Grove, Ill./Niles West).

North Park (4-13-1, 2-4-1)
The Vikings placed sixth in the CCIW standings last season under head coach Troy Edwards. Edwards begins his fourth season at North Park with nine starters back in 2009. Sophomore team captain and second team all-conference performer Sarah Wilson (Monrovia, Calif./Maranatha) returns after she started all 18 games in 2008. Junior team captain Katie Jesurun (South Euclid, Ohio/Charles F. Bush) will anchor the Viking defense. Junior midfielder Emily McWilliams (Crystal Lake, Ill./Prairie Ridge) returns after scoring four goals last season while sophomore forward Sarah Hansen (Kensington, Conn./Berlin) is also back after she finished with two goals and five assists in 2008.

Wheaton (22-4-2, 5-2-0)
For the first time in program history, Wheaton will not enter a season as the defending CCIW champions. The Thunder did, however, advance to the national title game in 2008, losing to Messiah. The runner-up finish came on the heels of national championships in 2004, 2006 and 2007 for head coach Pete Felske and his Thunder program. Wheaton comes into this season ranked second in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Preseason Poll as five all-conference performers return in 2009 including CCIW Player of the Year and all-American Taryne Lee (St. Charles, Ill./Wheaton Academy).  Lee scored a single-season school record 30 goals and a record 72 points in 2008. Sophomore forward Ali Kopelman (Rockford, Ill./Rockford Lutheran) earned second-team all-conference recognition last season as she scored 14 goals and totaled 12 assists. Sophomore Jamie Orewiler (Wheaton, Ill./North) was named to the all-conference team last season and will likely see time at both forward and midfield. Joining Orewiler at midfield will be senior Maria Della Torre (Naperville, Ill./Wheaton Academy), who earned all-region and all-conference honors last season. Senior co-captain Lauren (Lindner) Anderson (Wheaton, Ill./Wheaton Academy) returns to anchor the Thunder defense.