Felician Athletics - 8/28/08 WOMEN'S SOCCER - 2008 Outlook: Notte Learning Personnel Quickly

Thomas Notte was announced as the third head coach in Felician College women’s soccer history on July 29, 2008 – just two weeks before the start of preseason workouts. But he has been determined not to let the process of gaining familiarity with his players become a stressful one.

“Practices have been intense, but that intensity has come in the context of enjoying the game of soccer,” said Notte, a Felician men’s assistant last season. “We’ve been doing a lot of work on individual skills and have tried to keep a light-hearted attitude toward training.”

Notte describes himself as a tactical coach who expects his teams to be disciplined and hard-working. He inherits a program which has missed the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference playoffs in each of the last three years, and with eight of the league’s 12 teams qualifying, he felt that was a reasonable first step in the Golden Falcons’ turnaround.

“Reaching the conference tournament is the only on-field goal we have,” Notte said. “It was set the first day of preseason. We’ll look to defend in numbers, and to attack by creating opportunities to serve the ball into the box.”

GOALKEEPERS: Senior Amanda Musarra (Hasbrouck Heights, NJ) (18 GP, 5-12-1, 2.71 GAA, 1 ShO in 2007) has a stranglehold on the starting job. However, freshman Shaneil Lorenzo (Dover, NJ) is not far behind and will see some playing time. Junior Sam Giordano (Garfield, NJ), who sat out last season due to injury, provides depth.

DEFENDERS: The Golden Falcons went from allowing 4.5 goals per game in 2006 to 2.9 last year, and all four projected starters plus Musarra are returnees. Notte plans to alter his formation based on the opponent, but either way, sophomore Brittney Brodniak (Woodbridge, NJ) (15 GP, 0g 3a) will be the center back. Senior Brittany Lohman (Nutley, NJ)(18 GP, 1g 0a) has made 38 straight starts at stopper, and senior Jessica Anulewicz (Woodbridge, NJ (18 GP, 0g 0a) and sophomore Amanda Mottola (Secaucus, NJ) (18 GP, 0g 0a) return at outside back.

Freshman Amanda Michalak (Clifton, NJ), a forward in high school, will transition to defense and spell the starters, and Musarra could see time here when Lorenzo is in goal.

MIDFIELDERS: First-team All-CACC selection Lindsey Petry (Newton, NJ) (17 GP, 9g 4a) is back to anchor the central midfield. Fellow fifth-year senior Jenna Krowl (Kearny, NJ) (17 GP, 4g 5a), who started on all three lines in 2007, returns to her comfortable defensive midfield spot. Sophomore Nora Selimovic (Ridgefield Park, NJ) (17 GP, 0g 2a) moves to halfback to take better advantage of her speed, lining up opposite transfer Sara Mammone (Rochelle Park, NJ).

Junior Jenn Ghiroli (Branford, CT) (18 GP, 3g 0a) can back up at both midfield and striker. The Golden Falcons also hope to get a boost from senior Adrienne Giordano (Woodbridge, NJ) after rehabilitation from off-season surgery.

FORWARDS: Junior Aleshia Jijon (Rochelle Park, NJ) (18 GP, 0g 1a) and sophomore D.J. Jacobowitz (Staten Island, NY) (18 GP, 6g 4a) have re-claimed starting roles. Freshman Stephanie Jimenez (Fair Lawn, NJ) has come on strong as the season opener nears, and classmate Nina D’Amato (Lyndhurst, NJ) will look to provide a spark off the bench.