THANKS! THANKS! THANKS! THANKS!

Before we get too far along in the post season awards and celebrations (more news to come) it is very important that we recognize the four players who finished their Husson careers with this fantastic season!

Samantha Homer

Sam is an Occupational Therapy major from Carleton, MA.  She returned with a vengence this season after struggling with injuries last year to frighten the opposition with her speed and strength from the forward position.  Sam was twice selected as the NAC "player of the Week," once following a four goal performance in Purchase, NY. She finished the season with fifteen goals and four assists for thirty-four points. She had a team leading four game winning goals.

Laurie Melen

Laurie is a Physical Therapy major from Lonndonderry, NH. She made a last minute decision to join us at Husson in the summer before her freshman year.  Lucky for us!  For the last three years she has "owned" the position of Outside Right Midfielder. Never have we had a player as fit and prepared to play nor demonstrate such an overwhelming drive to succeed.  Statistics can't measure this Captain's contribution, still she finished her senior season with three goals and three assists for nine points.  Leadership is Laurie's true legacy.

Katie Nickerson

Katie is a Physical Education major from Belfast, ME.  We were happy to have Katie transfer from Keene State after her freshman year.  She soon established herself as a forward who could really "see the field" and not only score goals but set-up her teammates. Katie's leadership was confirmed when she was elected as a Captain by her teammates two years in a row.  She finished her senior year with seven goals and five assists for nineteen points. She had an impressive three game winning goals.

Tatyana Wolterbeek

"T" is a Physical Education major that came to us from the Ukraine by way of Moody, ME.  Actually she grew up in Maine and attended Wells High School. For T's first two years at Husson she was the back-up keeper and a pretty darn good forward. In her second season she scored the only and game winning goal in the NAC championship game against U. Maine Farmington.  Since then she demonstrated her team leadership as our starting goalie. This Captain's senior campaign finished with fifteen victories (ten by shut-out), a 1.20 goals against average and .789 save percentage. In her two years in goal she was twice selected First Team All Conference Keeper!

NORTH ATLANTIC CONFERENCE 2008 ALL TOURNAMENT TEAM

Winning it's third straight North Atlantic Conference title, the Husson Women's Soccer Team dominated the all tournament awards:

HUSSON ALL TOURNAMENT TEAM MEMBERS

• Kylan Smith Midfielder Presque Isle, ME
• Katie Nickerson Forward Belfast, ME  
• Samantha Homer Forward Charleton, MA
  

TOURNAMENT MOST VALUABLE PLAYER

• Shelby Bradford Forward Lee, ME

NORTH ATLANTIC CONFERENCE 2008 AWARDS

ALL CONFERENCE FIRST TEAM

• Shelby Bradford
• Megan LaJoie
• Caitlyn Butterfield
• Tatyana Wolterbeek
  

ALL CONFERENCE SECOND TEAM

• Amy Sanz

HUSSON FALLS TO WILLIAMS IN NATIONAL TOURNAMENT SECOND ROUND

Husson's 2008 journey ended with a 3-0 loss to number one ranked Williams College in the second round of the NCAA Division III National Tournament.  On Sunday November 16, 2008 the two teams battled windy, cold conditions and boughts of sleet and rain on Williams' Cole Field.  Husson pressured the Ephs from the start, keeeping them from finding their rhythm with bold attacking plays into offside spaces and punishing tackles on defence. Williams persisted and their attack finally got through with a score with only 2:55 left in the first half.  In the second half Husson continued to battle but eventually relinquished goals at the 63:16 and 73:21 marks.  Husson's best scoring opportunity came off a Shelby Bradford shot that hit off the corner of the post and cross bar.

Williams out shot Husson 26 to 6.  Tatyana Wolterbeek (#18) made 4 saves  for the Eagles while Lauren Sinnenberg made 2 saves for the Ephs.

HUSSON ADVANCES TO NCAA SECOND ROUND!

The Husson Eagles scored twice in under two minutes in the second half to ensure their NCAA National Tournament first round victory over Norwich Unversity. Husson's first goal came in the 58th minute when Meghan LaJoie (#15 Van Buren, Maine) converted a Shelby Bradford (#21 Lee, Maine) corner kick. The Cadet's Keeper Alecia Wright stepped off her line to try to snag the Bradford corner. The ball slipped throgh giving LaJoie the open net. On Husson's second goal (2 minutes later), Michelle Manning (#22 Hampden, Maine pictured right) received the ball on Husson's left side, beat the Norwich outside midfielder with an outside-inside move, cut left to right to beat the defender and scored with a shot inside the right post.

Husson's Tatyana Wolterbeek (#18 Wells, Maine) finished with 4 saves on 9 shots while Alicia Wright had 8 saves on 22 shots for the Cadets.

Husson next plays in the second round of the national tournament on Sunday November 16, 2008 at 1:00 pm at Williams College.  Williams is currently ranked number one in the nation.

HUSSON PLAYS NORWICH IN NCAA FIRST ROUND

North Atlantic Conference Champions Husson University will play in the first round of the NCAA Division III National Women's Soccer Tournament at Norwich University on Thursday November 10, 2008. Time is yet to be determined. The happy Champions are pictired right imediately following their NAC victory.

EAGLES WIN THIRD NAC CHAMPIONSHIP

WOW!  Husson won it's third straight North Atlantic Conference Championship with a 2-1 victory over University of Maine Farmington.  The first half was a well contested 0-0 tie, but the Eagles came out in the second determined to make a difference. One minute into the second period Shelby Bradford (#21 Lee, ME) received a throw in, beat a defender and slid a shot under the diving keeper and inside the right post. A minute later Katie Nickerson appered to put the Eagles ahead 2-0 only to have the goal waived off by an offsides call.  No worries..... Bradford scored her second goal of the day with a post-up turn and right footed shot off a Samantha Homer (#9 Charlton, MA) assist.  That ended up being all Husson needed.  Farmington's  Amber Murphy scored their only goal with two minutes left in the game.  Husson's Keeper Tatayana Wolterbeek (#18 Wells, ME) finished with 3 saves on 7 shots, while UMF's McKell Barnes had 9 saves on 21 shots.

11/2/08 SEMIFINAL WIN OVER GREEN MOUNTAIN

The Husson Women took another step towards their goal of a third North Atlantic Conference Championship today with a 3-0 victory over Green Mountain. In a game where Husson dominated both field and posession, the first goal and game winner came off the foot of Samantha Homer (#9 Charlton, MA pictured right) on a break away down the right side at the 25 minute mark. She was assisted by Shelby Bradford (#21 Lee, ME). Husson went up 2-0 when Megan Clement (#11 Brunswick, ME) shot a rocket off the keeper's hands and into the goal with just three minutes left in the half. She was assisted by Laurie Melen (#23 Londonderry, NH). The games final goal came when Shelby Bradford converted the rebound of a Katie Nickerson (#8 Belfast, ME) shot that rang off the crossbar.

Husson next plays in the NAC Finals on Saturday November 8, 2008 at 11:00 am against the University of Maine at Farmington on the Boucher Field at Husson University.

10/25/08 Tough Win At Farmington

The games between Husson University and the University of Maine Farmington have always been physical and the one on this cool, cloudy day was no different. These games are as much a battle of wills as ones of soccer. UMF started the first half asserting themeselves with aggressive play and field position. The Husson Women responded in kind with the half ending in a 0-0 tie. Husson came out in the second half determined to dominate. Shelby Bradford (#21, Picture Right) scored the game winning goal four minutes into the half with a powerful Direct Kick from 25 yards out. Fifteen minutes later Samantha Homer (#9) sealed the game with a tough angled goal from near the end line on the right. A well earned win!

Megan LaJoie Earns Recognition

It's been a great week for Megan LaJoie! On Saturday 10/18/08 she exploded for five consecutive goals in a Husson 8-0 win over Maine Maritime Aademy. For that effort on Monday 10/20/08 she was recognized by the North Atlantic Conference (NAC) as the Women's Soccer Player of the Week. On Tuesday 10/21/08 she scored a goal in Husson's 3-2 overtime win over Colby and learned she had been selected by the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference (ECAC) as the New England Division III Women's Soccer Player of the Week. Congratulations Megan!

10/21/08 Thrilling Victory Over Colby

Amy Sanz (#4, photo right) leaped high and snapped a header inside the far post with one minute left in the second overtime to give the Husson University Eagles a 3-2 home win over the Mules of Colby College. The goal came off a Shelby Bradford (#21) corner kick as time ran down. Husson got first half goals from Megan Clement (#11) and Megan LaJoie (#15) off assists by Bradford and Kylan Smith (#10). Colby counterd with goals by Nikki Pickering and Emily Moos.  The Eagles' Goalie Tatyana Wolterbeek made six saves on 14 shots while Loni Pisani stopped nine of 20 shots for the Mules.

10/19/08 TOUGH 1-0 LOSS TO BOWDOIN

In a tough back and forth battle the Husson University Eagles lost 1-0 to the Bowdoin College Polar Bears. In the well played contest neither defense would give an inch. Bowdoin had twenty shots compared to Husson's 15. Each Keeper  (Wolterbeek #18 for Husson and Thomas #0 for Bowdoin) was called upon to make critical saves on grade "A" shots.  Eventually, Bowdoin Freshman Ellery Gould (#22) scored the game's only goal (unassisted) at the seventieth minute. Shelby Bradford led Husson with five shots in a relentless effort.

10/18/18 Husson Tops MMA

 On a crisp autumn afternoon Husson displayed it's firepower in an 8-0 win over Maine Maritime Academy. The scoring started 7 minutes into the game when Caitlin Butterfield (#2) scored on a penalty kick.  In the seventeenth minute Shelby Bradford (#21) converted a Katie Nickerson (#8) pass.  Then the fireworks started! Megan LaJoie (#15 Pictured Right) moved from defender to forward halfway through the first period and proceeded to score five consecutive goals. She scored twice in the first half and then three times in the second. Assists came from Megan Clement (#11),Shelby Bradford (#21), and Michelle Manning (#22).  Meg Clement completed the scoring with fifteen minutes leftin the game off an assist by Amy Sanz (#4).

Ouch! Loss to Bates

On Tuesday October 14 Husson suffered a close 3-2 loss to Bates College. Bates scored an early first half goal off a corner kick to lead 1-0 at halftime. Two minutes into the second half Megan Clement (Pictured Right) tied the game on an unassisted shot. In a back and forth battle Bates scored and then Husson tied the game again off a Samantha Homer breakaway.  Neither team would quit. Each made outstanding attacking and defending plays as the game wore down.  Bates scored the winning goal with only six minutes left in the contest. In the remaining moments Husson continued to create chances but was unable to convert. 

Katelyn Cloutier - Rookie of the Week

Freshman Def/Fwd  Katelyn Cloutier (Groveton, NH) was named "Rookie of the Week" by the North Atlantic Conference for the week ending October 12, 2008.  Early in the week Cloutier recorded two goals as a forward in a 12-0 win at U. Maine Machias. On the weekend she excelled as a defender in two conference wins over Green Mountain College and Castleton State College.  This is Katelyn's second time being named "Rookie of the Week" this season.

Husson v Castleton

In today's battle of conference unbeatens, the Husson University Eagles defeated the Castleton State College Spartans by a score of 2 to 1.  After a furious first half of play but no scoring, Meg LaJoie (#15) scored in the 24th minute of the second half assisted by Meg Clement (#11). Shortly after (31st minute) Meg Clement tallied the winning goal off an assist by Shelby Bradford (#21). Goal Keeper Tatyana Wolterbeek (pictured right) made several key saves to preserve the win and was selected by her teamates as "Player of the Match."