Nov. 4, 2008
CENTER VALLEY, Pa. - Six members of the Patriot League Regular Season Champion Navy women's soccer team have earned All-Patriot League recognition, announced Tuesday evening.
Senior Lizzie Barnes (New Orleans, La.) and junior Shelly Moeller (Milford, Ohio) were tabbed as first-team choices, while the senior trio of Kristen Laraway (Long Valley, N.J.), Julie Reynolds (Sherman, Conn.) and Carey Young (Virginia Beach, Va.) was joined by sophomore Carissa Youker (Potomac, Md.) on the conference's second-team.
Barnes, one of four Navy seniors recognized, has been rock-solid as the Mids' last line of defense. She leads all league keepers in goals-against average (0.68) and save percentage (.853) and has posted seven solo shutouts this season.
Individually, Barnes ranks amongst the national leaders in both GAA (25th) and save percentage (24th). She has thrived against league competition, recording five shutouts, while allowing only two goals in seven regular season games. It is the 5-foot-10 netminder's second career first-team laurel.
For Moeller, it is her third all-league nod and the second time she has been named to the first-team. A dominant defensive player, she has led the charge for a Midshipmen backline unit that has allowed the fewest goals of any league teams (13 in 20 games), while shutting out a conference-high 12 opponents. Moeller, who has started all 20 games at center back and 67-straight since her freshman season, has also been a threat on the offensive side of the ball with four goals, including three game-winners.
A Long Valley, New Jersey native, Laraway receives all-league recognition for the first time in her four-year career. She is one of eight Mids that have set career-best point totals this season. Her 16 points (6 g, 4 a) tie her with fellow Navy honoree Carissa Youker for the team lead, while her six goals stand as the second-most on the squad. She has netted two game-winners, including a momentous overtime tally against Bucknell, which has proved to be the difference between the Mids and the regular season league runners-up.
Earlier this season, Laraway's career-best two-goal effort in the Mids' season-opening victory over Vermont earned her the distinction of becoming the eighth Navy player to be recognized Soccer America National Women's Team of the Week.
Reynolds, Navy's 2008 team captain, collects second-team all-league recognition for the third time in as many seasons. While her immense contributions don't always jump out on the final scoresheet, there is no questioning her presence in the midfield has been a vital part of Navy's successes this season.
Primarily a defensive player, it was only fitting that her first and only goal this fall would prove to be the difference in Navy's 1-0 win at Colgate in Saturday's regular season finale. The game-winner, the third of her career, secured Navy's seventh regular season league title in program history and gave the Mids the right to host this weekend's Patriot League Tournament. For her efforts, Reynolds earned her second career defensive player of the week award from the Patriot League.
Young, who joins Laraway and Youker as one of Navy's three first-time league all-stars, has started all 20 games and played a vital role on the league's stingiest backline unit. A versatile player who also sees time in the midfield, she has established new career-best totals in points (9) and assists (5), while also tying her top goal output (2). Four of Young's five assists have come during Navy's seven-game conference slate - tying her with Bucknell's Jennifer Dervarics for the most in the Patriot League.
A second-year forward out of Potomac, Md., Youker has been a major reason why the Mids boast the league's top scoring offense (1.90 g/gm) headed into this weekend's league tournament. Through 20 games, she leads Navy and ranks fourth amongst Patriot League players with seven goals. After recording just four points as a freshman, she concluded the regular season with a share of the Mids' scoring lead with a career-best 16 points (7 g, 2 a).
Over her two-year career, Youker has showcased an incredible knack for scoring timely goals. This season alone, Youker has recorded five game-winning goals tying Michelle Nance '00 for the sixth-best single-season mark in school history. As a freshman, her first and only-previous game-deciding tally accounted for all the scoring in Navy's 1-0 league championship victory at Bucknell.
Navy has now put at least two players on the All-Patriot League Team in each of its 15 years as a member of the conference.
Navy's semifinal opponent, Colgate, matched the Mids with a league-high six all-star selections, while Army and Bucknell each put four players on the first or second team, with all four of the Bison's honorees earning first-team kudos. Meanwhile, American and Holy Cross each had a pair of players garner all-league recognition.
The major award winners - Offensive Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Goalkeeper of the Year, Rookie of the Year and Coach of the Year - will be announced Thursday night at the conference banquet.
The Midshipmen begin their quest for a third-straight NCAA Tournament bid on Friday in a semifinal matchup against No. 4 Colgate. Top-seeded Navy will host the visiting Raiders in the first match of the afternoon at 4:00 pm.
Second-seeded Bucknell will battle No. 3 Army following that contest at approximately 7:00 pm. The winners of the two semifinal contests will battle for the league title and an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament on Sunday at 1:00 pm.
2008 PATRIOT LEAGUE WOMEN'S SOCCER ALL-STARS
First-TeamFriederike Engel, American, So., DDymon Washington, Army, Fr., FJennifer Dervarics, Bucknell, Sr., FCaitlin Holtz, Bucknell, So., DChrista Matlack, Bucknell, So., FNicole Marotta, Bucknell, Sr., MJillian Arnault, Colgate, Jr., MKatherine Donnelly, Holy Cross, Fr., MShelby Stand, Holy Cross, Jr., FShelly Moeller, Navy, Jr., DLizzie Barnes, Navy, Sr., GK
Second-TeamOlivia Heditsian, American, Jr., DElizabeth Betterbed, Army, Jr., DSarah Goss, Army, Sr., MAlex Lostetter, Army, So., GKJessica Bitsack, Colgate, Jr., MJosie Johnson, Colgate, Jr., FLiz Polido, Colgate, Jr., MCalista Victor, Colgate, So., DDanielle Wessler, Colgate, Fr., FKristen Laraway, Navy, Sr., FJulie Reynolds, Navy, Sr., MCarissa Youker, Navy, So., FCarey Young, Navy, Sr., M
*** GO NAVY! ***
