Women's Soccer Looks to Compete for Another ACAA Title
The Alfred State women's soccer team will look to make another run towards the ACAA title as they open up the 2018 season this weekend. The Pioneers rosters features nine returners from last year's squad that finished 12-4 and won the ACAA crown.
Michayla Salatel (Geneseo), Dannielle O'Buckley (Jamaica/Ansbach), Brooke Scianna (Poughkeepsie/Spackenkill), Allison VanScoter (Arkport), and Melissa Mineti (Livonia) return and will be counted on to lead the team.
- Salatel enters her senior season after scoring 13 goals and passing out five assists to lead the Pioneers last year. She was named the ACAA Co-Player of the Year. For her career she has netted 27 goals and passed out 10 assists.
- O'Buckley, a junior, will be asked again to be solid in the midfield. She scored eight goals and was credited with three assists last season. For her career she has 13 goals.
- Scianna and VanScoter both return for their sophomore seasons and will be key cogs of the Pioneer defense.
- Mineti, a junior forward, has netted 17 goals and passed out 12 assists in the first two years of her career.
Newcomers Maggie Meyer (Red Creek), Sarah Blumberg (Williamsville), Olivia Welton (Orchard Park), and Mackenzie Congdon (Hornell) are four of a large group of newcomers that head coach Anne Holmok expects to be key contributors.
In net, the duo of returner Kathryn Parsons (York) and freshmen Madison Papaj (Holley) will battle for time as they team looks to find a replacement for four-year starter Allison Danielak.
Holmok is excited to see what the season will bring. "This year's team is a hard working group, that has grown close quickly. There are a lot of new faces out there and we will need to improve daily and learn from each contest we play."
The season opens up with a home contest vs. Elmira on Friday evening and the team is slated to play opponents from the AMCC, the Empire 8, and the NEAC. The team hopes to earn a spot in the ACAA Championships (4-team tournament) that will be held the first weekend of November at Finlandia University.
