2012 Schedule

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – Fresh off the most successful season in program history, head coach Paul Royal continued to add depth and talent to his roster with eight freshman set to join the team for 2012.
 
“We're extremely excited about our next crop of top level players to join our La Salle family,” Royal said. “With this past season's success, we have been able to attract some of the best talent in the country as well as being able to identify our future positional needs. 
 
“Ally [Kenney] and I both feel very confident that this incoming group possesses the high academic standards as well as the character that will immediately mesh with our outstanding chemistry and culture.”
 
The class features one forward, three midfielders, three defenders and one goalkeeper. All eight of the recruits hail from the Mid-Atlantic region.
 
The eight freshmen will be on hand when La Salle opens the 2012 season on Friday, August 17 with a trip to Morgantown for a game against West Virginia, the defending Big East champs. West Virginia is one of two NCAA Tournament teams on the non-conference schedule, joining Portland.
 
This is by far our most competitive schedule since joining the Atlantic 10 Conference in 1995,” Royal said. “By adding such quality opponents, we believe that it will prepare us for our next journey towards an Atlantic 10 title and another NCAA Tournament appearance.”
 
Overall, La Salle has 19 scheduled games for 2012 with eight matches at home, nine on the road and two on a neutral pitch.
 
The home opener is on Saturday, August 25 against Iona.
 
For the first time in program history, La Salle will play a game in the state of Washington and will take on Washington and Portland in the Husky/Nike Invitational on during the weekend of August 31 through September 1.
 
La Salle will start its Atlantic 10 title defense on September 28 on the road in Virginia against Richmond. The Spiders finished just behind La Salle in the regular season conference standings last year. 
 
The conference home opener will be held the following weekend on Friday, October 5 against Saint Louis.
 
The 2012 Atlantic 10 Championship will be held November 1-4 at a site to be determined.
 
Last year, La Salle recorded the first undefeated regular season (15-0-3) in program history and in addition to clinching La Salle's first ever NCAA Tournament berth. The Explorers also won the regular season Atlantic 10 championship.
 
Below is a detailed list of La Salle's 2012 incoming freshman class.
 
Kelsey Celline, F
Warminster, Pa. / Archbishop Wood
FC Bucks Xtreme
Celline was named to the NSCAA All-Region Team and was the Catholic League MVP in 2011 for Archbishop Wood. In 2010, she was a PA State AAA Finalist as Wood was ranked No. 3 in the nation according to ESPN. A first team all-state selection, she helped her team to three straight Catholic League and PIAA District 12 Championships from 2009-11. Celline scored 34 goals as a senior and 89 during her career.
 
Coach Royal: “We are very excited to have one of the most dangerous left-sided attacking players in the region joining our La Salle family this fall.  Kelsey's dynamic 1v1 ability along with a great knack to get behind defenders will make her an immediate impact player in the Atlantic 10.”

Hunter Filippo, D
Warminster, Pa. / Archbishop Wood
FC Bucks Xtreme
Filippo has high-level experience and was a starter on the Philadelphia Independence of the WPSL in 2010. Along with Celline, she was also a PA State AAA Finalist as Archbishop Wood was ranked No. 3 in the nation according to ESPN. A three-time All Catholic League pick, she helped her team to three straight Catholic League and PIAA District 12 Championships from 2009-11
 
Coach Royal: “After seeing Hunter over the last couple of years, we're incredibly confident that she will flourish into one of the more dynamic center backs in the A-10.  Her strength, athleticism and ability to dominate opposing forwards is comparable to arguably La Salle's all-time best defender, Jess Hopton.”

Jessika Kagan, MF/F,
Dix Hills, N.Y. / Half Hollow Hills East
Albertson Fury 93's
Kagan played her club soccer for the top-ranked Albertson Fury 93 and also spent two years playing for the Eastern New York ODP. She was also a four-year starter and a two-year captain at Half Hollow Hills East. Kagan earned all-league honors twice and was an all-conference selection once despite missing her junior year due to injury.
 
Coach Royal: “Having played under Paul Riley with the Fury, Jess will come right in and know what it takes to play at the highest level of D-I soccer.  Jess's game changing speed and quickness along with her confidence off the dribble will make her an immediate threat for opposing defenses. We can see Jess becoming a major attacking threat come during her freshman campaign.”

Megan Leonard, D
Wayne, N.J. / Wayne Valley
Jersey United Spartans
Leonard was a standout on the Super Y National Select Team in 2008 and 2011.  She scored 32 goals during her career and dished 64 assists to earn all-conference recognition four times. Leonard was also a two-time all-county pick and a team captain as a senior.
 
Coach Royal: “After having Meg attend our College Prep Camp here at La Salle last summer, we quickly noticed her on field confidence and command on the back line. Her physical presence matched with her understanding of the game will give her the opportunity to compete for a significant spot within our system.”

Najla Muhammad, MF
Bethesda, Md. / St. John's College HS
Bethesda Freedom
Muhammad attended the National Team Camp in 2010 and was also a member of the Region 1 Team.  Her club team, the Bethesda Freedom, advanced to the finals of the Discovery Cup in 2011. A second team all-state selection, while her high school team was ranked as high as 15^th nationally.

Coach Royal: “Najla's high-level club and national pool experience will give her the confidence, poise and experience to achieve a lot of great moments here at La Salle.  Having lost one of the best central midfielders ever to play at La Salle in Kierstyn Mabey, we feel confident that Naj will earn some valuable impact time this fall.”

Kari Nickels, D
Robbinsville, N.J. / Robbinsville
FC Bucks Xtreme
Nickels was a member of the NJGSCA All-State team in 2010 and 2011 and was also ranked as one of the top 20 players in the state of New Jersey both years.  She also helped lead Robbinsville to the Group I state title in 2008 and 2009. Nickels scored 25 goals and dished 30 assists to earn first team all-county honors twice.
 
Coach Royal: “We have been very fortunate to have landed another one of coach, Eddie Leigh's outstanding players.  Early in the process, Kari fell a bit under the radar having played for such a deep FC Bucks team; however, we firmly believe that Kari's ability and potential will make her a very high level division I player.”

Chrissy Vollrath, MF/D
Holland, Pa. / Council Rock South
FC Bucks Xtreme
Vollrath helped lead Council Rock South to the District I title in 2010 and 2011 and was also named to the all-state team last season. She helped Council Rock South to three league championships and was a two-time team captain. Vollrath was a four-sport athlete at South, adding basketball, track and field hockey to her soccer accolades.

Coach Royal: “Chrissy's excellent vision and field awareness along with her outstanding technical speed will immediately fit into the pace of the college game. From her experience in the WPSL as well as with her FC Bucks team, she has shown that she has the tenacity, soccer IQ and positional sense to be very successful at the D1 level.”

Kelsey Yaiser, GK
Manahawkin, N.J. / Southern Regional
NJSA 04 Storm
Yaiser was invited to the Super Y League National Select Pool in 2011.  She also was a four-year starter and captain her senior year at Southern Regional.
 
Coach Royal: “With Kelsey's outstanding shot-blocking abilities and high self-confidence, we feel that she will fit right in with our squad and flourish very well in our culture here at La Salle. Her spirit, passion and enthusiasm for the game and her teammates will also fit in well with our outstanding team chemistry.”
 
La Salle Women's Soccer Class of 2016
Kelsey Celline            F                      Warminster, Pa.         Archbishop Wood
Hunter Filippo           D                     Warminster, Pa.         Archbishop Wood
Jessika Kagan             M/F                 Dix Hills, N.Y.              Half Hollow Hills East
Megan Leonard         D                     Wayne, N.J.                 Wayne Valley
Najla Muhammad      M                     Bethesda, Md.                        St. John's College
Kari Nickels                D                     Robbinsville, N.J.        Robbinsville
Christy Vollrath         M/D                Holland, Pa.                Council Rock South
Kelsey Yaiser             GK                   Manahawkin, N.J.       Southern Regional