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2007 Season Preview

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ATH06_COA_011_DyeCrystal_T2007 WOMEN’S SOCCER SEASON PREVIEW
     08/23/07...2007 marks just the third season ever for Pitt Johnstown women’s soccer under Head Coach Crystal Dye and the first playing a full conference schedule as a member of the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WVIAC).  
     After posting an impressive 12-3-1 record in 2006 and leading all NCAA Division II teams in scoring offense at 5.19 goals per game, Coach Dye returns seven letter winners and six starters, including three players who earned spots on the WVIAC All-Conference Teams.  Sophomore midfielder Kristen Kelly (Bethel Park, Pa./Bethel Park H.S.), Pitt Johnstown’s first athlete selected First Team All-WVIAC, returns along with sophomore forward Alicia Zack (Irwin, Pa./Norwin H.S.) a Second Team All-Conference choice and sophomore defender Emily Babik (St. Mary’s, Pa./St. Mary’s Area H.S.) (Honorable Mention All-WVIAC).
      If Pitt Johnstown is going to have success and make an immediate impact in the WVIAC standings, Coach Dye must rely on the returning players from last year’s high-powered offence and a mix of new talent.  Zack, Pitt Johnstown’s leading scorer with 53 points last year, wrapped up her freshman season ranked second in the nation in both points per game (3.25 ppg.) and goals per game (1.38 gpg.), and 25th in assists per game (.50 apg.).  Also back is sophomore forward Chrissy Burnsworth (McKeesport, Pa./Elizabeth-Forward H.S.), who ranked fifth nationally in assists per game (.75 apg.), and Kelly, who was 48th in the same category at .44 assists per game.  
     Along with the returning talent, Coach Dye will also look to a strong recruited class to contribute, including junior goalkeeper Tracy Sims (Coraopolis, Pa./Montour H.S.), a transfer from La Roche College, and sophomore defender Taylor Jones (Shippensburg Pa./Shippensburg Area H.S.), who transferred from Shippensburg University.  In addition, Coach Dye needs production from freshmen Emily Bashore (Forward, Millersburg, Pa./Millersburg Area H.S.), Alissa Falcone (Forward/Midfielder, Murrysville, Pa./Franklin Regional H.S.), Rachel Knepp (Midfielder, Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley H.S.), Danielle Lloyd (Midfielder, Somerset, Pa./Somerset Area H.S.), Morgan Mickley (Forward, York, Pa./Dallastown H.S.), Lauren Penn (Forward/Midfielder, Pittsburgh, Pa./Plum H.S.) and Brittany Pryde (Midfielder, Fairhope, Pa./Berlin Brothersvalley H.S.).
     With success in 2006, the Pitt Johnstown’s Women’s soccer program showed it is making great strides.  If the team plays anything like it did a year ago, Pitt Johnstown could be force in the WVIAC this season and in the years to come.
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The University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown