IC WSOC Alumnae, Family and Friends

IC WSOC Alumnae, Family and Friends The goal of this page is to keep our past, present, and future family connected.

10/07/2013

Dear All,

The second week of Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) play saw the Iona College Women’s Soccer Team earn two 1-0 victories, beating St. Peter’s College on Wednesday and then Quinnipiac in overtime on Saturday. These two wins moved the Gaels to a 3-0-1 record in conference and second in the standings behind Monmouth (4-0). Both games presented their challenges and, as a coach, I am incredibly proud of how the team reacted and adapted to those challenges in order to have success.

The Gaels dominated play against St. Peter’s, outshooting them 20 to 6 over 90 minutes. One of the more frustrating situations in sports is when you are doing everything right, combining as a team, creating great scoring opportunities, but just cannot find a way to find the back of the net. In this situation, many teams would abandon the game plan, start to play as individuals, and try to win the game themselves. It takes incredible strength of character to continue to do the right thing when you are not getting the desired result and the Gaels demonstrated that character on Wednesday. They played as a team for 90 minutes and although there was quite a bit of luck involved in the goal scored by Freshmen Emily Hansen in the 86th minute, no one watching the game would say that the win was not deserved. Our theme for the game was “Team Play” and the Gaels delivered to perfection.

Saturday saw the Gaels face a different challenge against Quinnipiac. The team came out on fire and were all over Quinnipiac. With a limited roster the team was relentless in their attack and defensive pressure, not allowing the Bobcats to catch their breath. Then, near the end of the first half, we suffered another injury which forced us to change personnel. Both Safi Ayinde and Leanne Benson stepped up to the challenge playing as full-backs for the first time in their careers. Although mistakes were made, the teams willingness to sacrifice for each other allowed them to maintain control for the majority of the second half. In overtime there were no mistakes. The Gaels won the ball back on the kick off, attacked with intensity and purpose, earned a free kick in the attacking quarter, where Nicole Paulucci scored her third goal of the season off the service from Leanne Benson. The team came out with the same drive as they did in the first half and scored only 40 seconds into overtime to win the game!

We took time to celebrate these two great team performances on Saturday at the tailgate put on by the team parents. Sunday morning at our recovery session we shifted our focus towards the next challenge; Monmouth University. We will take the lessons learned from these two games and apply them to the next we will continue to be “better today then we were yesterday, but not as good as we will be tomorrow”!

I would like congratulate Gabby Fuduli and Amanda Cantos on playing their first collegiate games of the 2013 season against St. Peter’s and Quinnipiac respectively. Both Gabby and Amanda have worked incredibly hard to come back from serious injuries received in the previous season. We look forward to seeing them continue to contribute on the field!

Again, thank you to everyone who came out to the games in support of the Gaels. The atmosphere you are creating is incredibly motivating for the team and has contributed to our success at home.

We hope to see you all again this Wednesday at 3:00 PM as we face off against Monmouth, ranked 1st in the MAAC and 7th in the region at Mazzella Field. It will be a great battle to watch!!!


Go GAELS!!!

Sincerely,

Coach

Linda Hathorn
Iona College
Head Women’s Soccer Coach
914-633-2131
[email protected]

09/27/2013

Dear All,

This past Saturday the Gaels opened the Metro Atlantic Conference (MAAC) play with a home match against Canisius. The Gaels dominated the majority of the game creating numerous scoring opportunities and holding the Golden Griffins to shots from distance which goalkeeper, Trista Rivera, easily handled. In the second half Safi Ayinde scored her second goal of the season with a great drive on the left flank to put the Gaels ahead 1-0. This was a solid performance for the team. They played their brand of soccer; they possessed the ball, built play, created opportunities for each other, stayed disciplined defensively and sacrificed for each other. The performance was made even more meaningful due to the crowd which included family, friends, alumni, other Iona teams, students and faculty, as well as members of the local community.

The quality of the performance Saturday was also a great model for the local youth soccer teams that we had invited to our first ever Iona Youth Day. The idea was to invite the local youth soccer teams to come, watch the game and meet the players afterwards. Once the game concluded and you could see the joy and adoration on the young girls faces as they met the players and asked for autographs, a feeling of pride came over me. It was the pride of being a part of a program that has so many positive role models. Sometimes we forget just how influential we can be as individuals, and to the players interacting in such a meaningful way with these young girls just reinforced the positive impact that they have on their surroundings.

Wednesday evening we travelled to Manhattan for our second conference game of the year. Although we would have preferred a win, the team earned a very important point on the road. It was a game where both teams controlled different parts of the game, but no one team truly established themselves as the one to beat. Melissa Frederick scored her first goal of the season to put Iona up 1-0 mid way through the second half. It was a nice goal scored against the run of play. Manhattan equalized late in the half with a similar type of goal; nice and against the run of play.

I am incredibly pleased with the players for how they reacted in this game. With little rest, a limited roster, and on the road the team played for 110 minutes, a lesser team would have given up. The Gaels played their brand of soccer, they played for each other. This is an important point for the team to have earned.

A special thank you to Leah Taylor ‘13 for attending on Saturday, it was great to see you. Also, thank you to the parents for your continued support and the post game tailgates, we all truly appreciate it. Finally, thank you to the New Rochelle community for coming out to support us and cheer on the players!

Wednesday October 2nd the Gaels will face off against the St. Peter’s College Peackocks at 3:00 PM on Mazzella field. We hope to see you all there!!

Go GAELS!!!

Sincerely,

Coach

09/16/2013

Dear All,

As I look back on this weekend I am reminded of the tremendous impact that intercollegiate athletics can have on a student-athlete. Not only do you learn valuable life lessons such as team work, dealing with adversity, setting and achieving goals, and time management, but it also allows you the opportunity to experience things you may otherwise not have.

This weekend we travelled to Emmitsburg, Maryland to play Mount St. Mary’s on Friday night. The match ended in a tie and the team performed well. Both teams exchanged moments of dominance throughout the game and created numerous scoring opportunities. We would miss a breakaway, they would hit the post. We would make a spectacular save, their goal keeper would match it. All in all it was an exciting match and a deserved tie.

Following the game against The Mount we were able to take a tour of Gettysburg National Park. A friend of mine who lives and works at the park was kind enough to take us on a private tour and fill us in on some of the finer details pertaining to the civil war, the monuments in the part, and the Gettysburg Address. This was a great learning experience and bonding opportunity for the team. Here is a reflection from our Junior captain Sali Ayinde:

“I found the trip to the Gettysburg National Park really interesting and fun. It was really great to see all the fields and statues commemorating the lives taken. The opposing General Mead and General Lee statues were really cool. The 44th New York Infantry was especially great to see. Please let your friend know that we all truly appreciate her taking her time to show us around. My favorite part of the trip was Lincoln's Gettysburg address. It amazing how only 272 words delivered in a span of 2 minutes could capture the heart and purpose of the war and of this battle. I hope we can do more things like this. The team really enjoyed it.”

Here is another reflection from Sophomore Alex Chinich:

“I really enjoyed going to Gettysburg today and learning about the history that went on there. My favorite was the statues of General Lee and General Meade facing each other through the fields. I also thought it was pretty cool that your friend lived in the actual park, her house was so pretty. I think this was one of my favorite trips since I've been on this team, and I felt like I learned a lot. I know the team had a lot of fun also!”

If we had not travelled to play on Mount St. Mary’s Friday we would not have had the opportunity to experience this monument to American History. As a coach, I wish we had the means to travel our entire roster so that each member of the women’s soccer program could have shared this experience.

Sunday we faced Navy and with a limited roster were physically out matched. We allowed two early goals in the first half but managed to compose ourselves and battle for the remainder of the half. Entering the second half, the team executed the tactical adjustments extremely well which allowed us to take the offensive against Navy. Unfortunately, we just did not have the legs to narrow the lead and the game ended 3-0 with Navy scoring their final goal in the dying moments of the game.

This Saturday 1:00 PM at Mazzella field the Gaels open MAAC conference play against Canisius. In preparation, we will applying the lessons learned from both our success and defeats, as we continue our development and move towards our goal of winning a MAAC championship.

Thank you for your support and GO GAELS!!!

Sincerely,

Linda Hathorn
Iona College
Head Women’s Soccer Coach
914-633-2131
[email protected]

09/09/2013

Dear All,

I love college soccer. Although it is just a game, and for the majority of the players they will not make a living playing or coaching soccer once they graduate, this game teaches them many valuable life lessons. They learn the behaviors necessary to succeed and which will hold us back from attaining our goals. This past weekends games demonstrated both of these extremes.

Friday at Mazzella field, the Gaels faced off against UAlbany. It was a game in which the players did everything necessary to succeed. Their warm-up was focused and on point. They started the game with tremendous energy and drive, and even though they went down a goal, they continued to try and do the “right thing” on the field, even if it was difficult, even if they were tired. Within two minutes of giving up a goal against the run of play, the Gaels earned a corner kick. No mistakes were made, they committed to the structure, focused on the task at hand, and took advantage of a great opportunity. Sophomore Kim Marra scored her first goal of the season off the cross from Senior Sofia Sanchez.

With only two available subs, we knew that fatigue would be an issue, but the ladies started the second half with the same amount of energy and focus as they had in the first. Committing to their style of play, they created a beautiful goal in the 66th minute. The goal was a product of the players organization and creativity in attack. Creating the space they wanted to attack and then executing the plan to perfection. Sophomore Alex Chinich created space for Senior Nicole Paulucci (Cubby) to attack the flank, shifting Albany’s back line to one side. When Cubby received the ball in the space Alex created, she took on the defender 1v1 and beat her to the corner. At this time, Junior Safi Ayinde began to pull away losing her defender, and as Cubby served the ball into the box, Safi slashed towards the near post, beating the defender and the goalie to head the ball into the goal. Beautiful play!

The 2-1 win against Albany showed us that when we commit to doing the little things right, even in the face of great adversity and fatigue, we will create something that we can be proud of. Sunday’s game against Fordham demonstrated that when we are not committed to those same things, we do not give ourselves the opportunity to excel.

Sunday, we did not show up ready to perform. The energy was low and the focus was not on the task at hand. We were stuck on the distractions; the size of the field, the fatigue, the high from the previous win… When the game started, we did not. We went through the motions and gave up an early goal. Near the end of the first half, we woke up and started moving the ball, started committing to the runs, and we created a fantastic opportunity yet we did not capitalize.

In the second half we tried to pull ourselves up to the level of Friday’s performance but every time the game started to shift, something held us back; a missing run, a poor pass, a poor touch, and lack of defensive discipline. We struggled to play together as a group, we were not all moving in the same directions. The score remained 1-0.

As I reflect upon this weekend it is my hope that, as a family, we have learned a valuable lesson; success is based on your ability to do the “right thing” even when it is incredibly difficult. To commit to the positive behaviors that lead to success, even when everything else is telling you it is okay to take the easy way out. This season we have shown tremendous growth game to game by acknowledging our disappointments and successes so that we can learn from them and move forward with a clear vision. Our performance against Albany is a product of our commitment and how driven the members of this program are.

This week we move forward in preparation for our games at Mount St. Mary’s and Navy . We know what it will take to create a successful performance, we know what it takes for us to be our best, and we are committed to doing the “little things” right in order to accomplish our goals.

In addition I would like to congratulate senior goalkeeper Trista Rivera, for being last week’s MAAC Defensive Player of the Week!

Thank you for your support and GO GAELS!!!

Sincerely,

Coach

Linda Hathorn
Iona College
Head Women’s Soccer Coach
914-633-2131
[email protected]

09/05/2013

Dear All,

This past weekend the Iona Women’s Soccer team played host to two America East teams, the Hartford Hawks and the Binghamton Bearcats. As I reflect upon the performances, I am pleased with the great progress we have made in a short period of time. Looking at the results, it is clear we are ready for the next step, and I am optimistic we will be able to complete the puzzle as we near conference play.

Thursday the Gaels battled to a 1-1 tie against Hartford. This was a well-earned result as the Hawks were picked to finish first in the America East Conference. More importantly, the ladies showed their true selves in the face of great adversity. Early in the first half senior Chelsea Cabarcas went down with a season ending injury. Nearing the end of the first half Christina Tesoriero (Tess) could no longer continue the game with an ankle injury, leaving the Gaels to play with 10 men for the duration of the half. It is never easy to see a teammate, leader, and senior leave the game in pain (let alone two), but the team did well to battle through the half and entered the locker room down by a goal.

The Gaels reaction to this adversity was phenomenal! During halftime the ladies refocused themselves towards the task at hand; winning the second half. Once they stepped on the field the team left no doubt as to what they represent; Family. Playing for each other and producing quality soccer, the Gaels controlled the majority of the half creating numerous scoring opportunities. In the 58th minute, freshmen Erika Flowers fed the ball to senior Nicole Paulucci at the top of the box to earned the first goal of the season.

The second half ended 1-1 and the team entered overtime. Many players rose to the occasion; Alexa Wagoner played the entire second half and overtime as a freshman, captains Sofia Sanchez and Sali Ayinde both played 110 minutes, Alex Chinich was continuously threatening Hartford back line, Trista Rivera was dominant in goal, just to mention a few. At the end of two 10 minute halves neither team was able to break down the other, and although we did not win, this was an incredibly positive result. After the game the focus shifted to Sunday, and the importance of our recovery between games.

Sunday afternoon against Binghamton we were still dealing with the injuries from the previous game. With only three substitutions, the Gaels put in their best performance to date. Although it was a great performance and the team controlled the majority of the play, creating numerous scoring opportunities, the result did not fall in our favor as we lost 1-0 in overtime. I am hoping that we learn a valuable lesson from this weekend; the game is about moments, you must live in those moments or you will miss the opportunities they present.

Again, I am incredibly pleased with the progress the team has made. Our style of play has improved; we are creating more scoring opportunities in attack and defensively are allowing fewer opportunities for the opposition. Now it is time to take the next step; win the games we should win. We can no longer be surprised to find ourselves in front of goal, we need to expect it. We need to understand that we have the power to control our destiny, this is not a matter of chance, this is designed, this is something the ladies have built. The identity of this team is strong; we are about teamwork, family, and hard work. Now it is time to evolve our identity, hard work now must develop into efficient work.

As we move towards our next home game this Friday against Albany we will be evolving. Our thoughts are with Chelsea as she takes the first steps towards her recovery. And we hope to see Tess back on the field by the end of this weekend.

Thank you for your continued support.

Sincerely,

Coach

Linda Hathorn
Iona College
Head Women’s Soccer Coach
914-633-2131
[email protected]

08/27/2013

Dear All,

The 2013.14 season is officially underway, and although the results are not what we would have hoped for, we learned a lot about ourselves in these two games; what will make us “RISE” and what will make us “FALL”.

Friday night we played at FDU under the lights where our three freshmen, Alexa Wagoner, Emily Hansen, and Erika Flowers all saw their first minutes as Gaels. It was an incredibly physical game which played to the strengths of FDU. With five minutes to go in the first half, we succumbed to their pressure and were striped of the ball in our defensive half; FDU made no mistake and scored 1v1 against our goalkeeper, Trista Rivera.

The second half showed the true character of the IC Gaels soccer program. 10 minutes into the second half, Chelsea Cabarcas was shown a red card for retaliation after she was fouled from behind by FDU. The red card was warranted, and in no way acceptable, but the teams reaction to this adversity was phenomenal! For 35 minutes the team played for each other; they defending together, moved off the ball in support for one another, and dominated the play. Although we created numerous scoring opportunities, we did not find the back of the net, and lost 1-0. This was a great performance and one to be remembered!

Sunday, at Towson we were determined to perform as we did Friday. Although the effort was there, our diminished roster due to injury and suspension hindered us, as we could not keep up with the Tigers roster size.

During the first half we competed as best we could, but were not threatening against another athletic and physical team. We ended the half 0-0 but could not maintain our mentality through the second half. 10 minutes into the second half we gave up two goals within five minutes. This adversity caused us to lose focus, and just when we were beginning to regain some momentum, we turned the ball over in a dangerous part of the field which allowed them to score their third goal.

This 3-0 loss to Towson was a wake up call. Although the ladies gave their all physically against Towson, they worked as individuals. The teamwork from Friday night which allowed the team to compete and dominate even though they were a man down, was not there Sunday afternoon. This team has a clear identity; Teamwork, Heart, Family, and Work rate. When we ARE our identity we will be able to compete with any team we meet this season, conversely if we are not our identity, we will lose.

Although this is a difficult way to start the season, hopefully the lessons from these two games will strengthen the team as we move forward with towards the MAAC championships.

Thank you for your support and we would love to see you at our home opener this Thursday at 3:00 PM against Hartford and then on Sunday at 1:00 PM against Binghamton.

GO GAELS!!!!!

Sincerely,

Linda Hathorn
Iona College
Head Women’s Soccer Coach
914-633-2131
[email protected]

Address

New Rochelle, NY
10801

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when IC WSOC Alumnae, Family and Friends posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category