July 15, 2008
PHILADELPHIA - With the loss of four seniors from the 2007 La Salle University Women’s Soccer team, the Explorers will welcome 11 newcomers to the squad in 2008. These players could challenge for a starting role or will play significant minutes for the team, which will be looking to earn a berth in the Atlantic 10 Championships for the third time in five seasons.
La Salle has also announced its 2008 schedule, which features a season-opening home contest versus Delaware State, Friday, August 29 at 7 PM. They will also take part in the Villanova Tournament the weekend of September 5 and 7, and will travel to the West Coast to face nationally ranked University of San Diego (9/12) and UC-Riverside (9/14).
La Salle will host nine games at McCarthy Stadium, including six Atlantic 10 Conference matches. Also, on the Explorers schedule for the 2008 season are four teams which earned berths in the 2007 NCAA Tournament. Click here to see the entire 2008 schedule.
Below is information regarding the newest members of the La Salle program.
Dani Allizzo - Forward
Laurel Springs, NJ – Highland Regional HS – TBAA Comets
Allizzo is a four-time varsity letter winner in soccer and finished her career with 63 goals and 36 assists. She was a First Team All-Conference selection three years and was Second Team All-Group 3 South Jersey in 2007. She comes from the Club Team TBAA/YSA Comets, who last year were National Soccer Ranking East Coast Cup Finalists and the Discovery Cup Champions. She was also a member of the New Jersey ODP in 2004.
Coach Royal: Dani’s physical build and presence should give her the needed confidence to come right in and compete. We are looking at Dani’s versatility as being a strong point for her to earn some valuable playing time.
Erin Brennan – Midfielder
Mission Viejo, CA – JSerra Catholic High School – West Coast FC
Brennan is a four-year varsity starter and has led her high school in scoring two of the four years. She has played for the highly competitive club team West Coast FC for the last four years.
Coach Royal: With Erin’s excellent club experience with West Coast FC’s Platini Soaf, we are anticipating some very good things from her this fall. Her outstanding work ethic should give her the ability to play some wide midfield within our system.
Lindsay Garbowski - Defender
Voorhees, NJ – Eastern Regional – South Jersey Banshees
Garbowski attended the Super Y League ODP National Camp in both 2007 and 2008, and was in the Super Y League National Pool in 2007 and 2006. Her club team – the South Jersey Banshees – made the Super Y League North American Finals in 2007, while also making the Score at the Shore quarterfinals, the US Club Soccer Regional Championship semifinals, and were the Match Fit Academy Tournament Champions. She was an All-Conference Second Team selection last year in high school, while helping them to the NJ Group IV and SJ Group IV State Championships in 2005 and 2006.
Coach Royal: Lindsay will be able to add some quality depth at the center back position. Her outstanding ability to win flighted balls should impact our team’s backline.
Amy Giordano - Defender
Cinnaminson, NJ – Cinnaminson – FC Delco Fury
Out of Cinnaminson, Giordano scored 40 career goals and added 57 assists in her time in high school, while earning numerous accolades, including NSCAA Adidas All-Region and SJSCA Scholar Athlete in 2007. She was also an All-State Player and a three-time NJ State Top 20. She has played for one of the top 10 club teams in the country, FC Delco Fury which was a 2008 Region 1 Champion, a 2007 Regional Finalist, EPYSA State Championship four times, the Jefferson Cup Champions and the Bethesda Tournament Champions in 2007 and a Disney Finalist in 2006.
Coach Royal: Amy’s ability to play several positions very well should give her the opportunity to compete for a starting position this fall. We feel that Amy will give us a lot of heart, desire and intelligence that should help impact our team.
Leigh Gray - Forward
Newark, DE – Middletown HS – FC Delco Fury
Gray helped her team to the State semifinals for three seasons, while also going undefeated – 18-0 – during conference play during her junior year. She was a three-time All-Conference selection and a two-time First Team All-State, as she led her team in scoring twice and in assists once. She has played for one of the top 10 club teams in the country, FC Delco Fury which was a 2008 Region 1 Champion, a 2007 Regional Finalist, EPYSA State Championship four times, the Jefferson Cup Champions and the Bethesda Tournament Champions in 2007 and a Disney Finalist in 2006.
Coach Royal: We are extremely excited to have landed such an awesome target player as Leigh. With her outstanding ability to hold balls up and create dangerous scoring chances, she will be looked upon to help lead our teams’ dangerous attack.
Jess Hopton - Defender
West Chester, PA – B. Reed Henderson – FC Delco Fury
Out of B. Reed Henderson High School, Hopton was a three-year varsity starter and was named captain her senior year in high school. She has played for one of the top 10 club teams in the country, FC Delco Fury which was a 2008 Region 1 Champion, a 2007 Regional Finalist, EPYSA State Championship four times, the Jefferson Cup Champions and the Bethesda Tournament Champions in 2007 and a Disney Finalist in 2006. She was also a Super Y National Pool and a member of the Super Y Regional Team in 2004.
Coach Royal: Jess’s exceptional athletic ability and overall talent on the ball should give her the opportunity to become one of the premier defenders in the A-10. She should immediately be able to compete for a starting spot. We are very excited about her potential and we will be looking to her to help lead our defense this fall.
Eva Khalili – Midfielder
Irvine, CA – University High – MK Soccer Club
Khalili is a four-year starter at University High in Irvine CA and has played central midfield for MK Soccer Club in Newport Beach, CA along side current Explorer Alex Conley.
Coach Royal: Eva’s raw speed and technical ability should give her a great opportunity to play along side of two of the A-10’s premier central midfielders in Traci DePasquale and Melanie Gamble. Having played for Omid Namazi’s team’s she should be well positioned to compete for a spot on the field.
Amanda Komarnicki – Midfield
Parkesburg, PA – Octorara HS – FC Delco Fury
Komarnicki has been a member of the Eastern PA ODP for the last five years, was a Regional Team member in 2003 and 2004, and was selected into the National pool in 2004. At Octorara, she finished as the all-time leader in goals scored and assists, while earning a number of postseason accolades. In just her senior year, she was a First Team All-Chesmont League selection, a Second Team All-Area member, and a Second Team All-State player. She has played for one of the top 10 club teams in the country, FC Delco Fury which was a 2008 Region 1 Champion, a 2007 Regional Finalist, EPYSA State Championship four times, the Jefferson Cup Champions and the Bethesda Tournament Champions in 2007 and a Disney Finalist in 2006.
Coach Royal: Amanda’s high level experience both with ODP and Delco should give her the confidence to compete right away for a starting spot. Her versatility as a wide and central midfielder as well as an attacking outside back should give us quality depth if needed.
Kierstyn Mabey - Midfielder
Jackson, NJ – Jackson Memorial – Manalapan Shooting Stars
Mabey was a New Jersey ODP Team member in 2004, 2005, and 2006, while making the Region 1 Pool Member in 2006. Playing for her club team the Manalapan Shooting Stars, they were State Cup semifinalists and SAC College Showcase Co-Champions in 2007, while also making the semifinals in the Score at the Shore and the State Cup quarterfinals in 2006. The four-time First Team All-County selection helped her high school win the 2007 Class A South Championships and the 2008 Shore Conference Championship for the first time in school history.
Coach Royal: After being recruited by a few top 25 schools, we are very excited to have such an exceptional midfielder in Kierstyn. She has the ability to absolutely dominate the flow of the game with her outstanding ability to read the game as well as her ability to score long range goals. We’re expecting a lot of great things for Kierstyn’s future.
Dana O'Brien - Forward
Warminster, PA – William Tennent – FC Delco Fury
Another member of one of the top 10 club teams in the country FC Delco Fury, O'Brien was part of the team which was the 2008 Region 1 Champions, a 2007 Regional Finalist, EPYSA State Championship four times, the Jefferson Cup Champions and Bethesda Tournament Champions in 2007, and was a Disney Finalist in 2006. She also helped her high school to the playoffs the last three seasons, while earning Offensive MVP honors as a freshman, sophomore and junior. The team’s MVP as a senior after leading the team in goals also earned First Team All-League in 2007 & 2008, while garnering Second Team All-League in 2005 and 2006.
Coach Royal: We are looking for Dana to fill a big void at forward left by Kristin Hextall. She has some great qualities that every coach looks for in a pure goal scorer. Her exceptional strength, courage and toughness should make her one of the elite forwards in the A-10 for years to come.
Paige Troutman - Midfielder
Toms River, NJ – Toms River South - Manalapan Shooting Stars
Troutman scored 14 career goals and had 17 career assists for her high school and was the team’s captain her senior season. In 2007, she was a Second Team All-County, the team’s MVP, and played in the Senior All-Star Game. A member of the Manalapan Shooting Stars, she helped the team to the 2007 State Cup semifinals and quarterfinals in 2006. Her ODP experience includes the NJ State Pool in 2002, 2003 and 2005.
Coach Royal: Paige’s outstanding work rate and courage should give her an excellent opportunity to compete for playing time this fall. Having played club ball with current Explorer, Morgan Golden and other incoming freshman, Kierstyn Mabey should give her the comfort and confidence to succeed in our system.
