Tampa Wins Stetson College Tournament
DELAND, Fla. - The University of Tampa women's soccer team won the Stetson 7v7 College Tournament on Saturday, beating local rival University of South Florida in the final by a score of 1-0.
Coach Gerry Lucey brought a squad of 12 players to the tournament in Deland, comprised of goalkeeper Saige Steinmetz; defenders Pasquale Anderson, Charlotte White, Dana Palmiotto and Maddie Dugan; midfielders Samantha Kay, Brittan Spence, Jazmin Perry, Marta Bertsos, Courtney Peffley and Brittan Spence; forwards Luana Miessa and Alexa DellaRocco.
The UT women's squad faced a group comprised of Webber International, Stetson Alumni, Stetson and Georgia Southern College. They depatched of their opponents by scores of 7-2, 5-0, 3-1 and 9-0 in group play to advance to the semifinals.
Coach Lucey: "The team has been working very hard over the past few weeks and after a disappointing fall wanted to prove a point. We were able to bring in our two spring transfers from New Haven (Alexa DellaRocco and Marta Bertsos) and Luana Miessa, who was ineligible last semester. We've been able to add more attacking flair and creativity to our team which was severely lacking during the fall season.In Luana we have a proven goalscorer who will not only score a lot but also has the vision and ability to create for others. We started out group play with a lot of energy and played very well. The team moved the ball with confidance and are beginning to understand what the coaches would like to see. We still have a way to go but are very happy at this point".
In the semifinal, the UT women's soccer team faced off against USF's green team (USF divided their playing roster into two teams). "We knew USF were a top quality opponent and the team wanted to prove they could match up with them in a 7v7 game. We discussed our game plan and the girls played with determination and brains to execute well. As the finals were just 15 minute games it was important to get the first goal. We succeeded in doing that with a great strike from Luana Miessa about 6 minutes from the end. Saige pulled off a couple of excellent saves and the defense hung on to the 1-0 lead and killed the game".
The final game was a matchup between USF's white team and UT. USF white had beaten Stetson white in the other semifinal and had not given up a goal in the five games played. In another battle between Tampa's top college soccer teams UT were able to come out with another 1-0 victory on a goal by sophomore Jazmin Perry and some stellar defending by Pasquale Anderson.
"USF are a very strong opponent and I'm sure we surprised them a little over the two games. For our young squad to play against a D1 Big East opponent is a great learning experience and we were up for the challenge. I thought USF played well but we were just ready for the game and once again got the lead through Jazmin and were able to kill the game off through smart use of the ball and space. Our defenders got better through the tournament and the midfield led by Samantha Kay battled hard to keep USF away from our final third. Luana held the ball up well and allowed us to support with numbers and keep the ball in their half. Everyone made a solid contribution over the 6 games and played their part in ensuring that we won the tournament for the first time since 2005.
I really can't give enough praise to the group we had with us at Stetson. They had a fantastic attitude and are showing signs that they understand what we've been trying to teach the past couple of years. With such a young team it has been difficult at times to be patient and wait for their development. They definitely turned a corner this weekend and can hopefully continue to build upon this performance. I am extremely proud of their performance and especially delighted for those who have endured a difficult start to their college careers. We know that we have great potential in this squad and the large incoming class."
The UT women's team will play spring games against Jacksonville University (2/27/10), Stetson University (4/1/10) and The University of North Florida (4/10/10). In addition to the spring games the team will embark on a tour of Italy, Slovenia, Austria and Croatia during their spring break. They have games lined up against the Slovenian National Team, Verona (Italy's top women's professional team) and against Perdonone (Italian 2nd Division).
"We are very excited with our spring schedule playing against three D1 teams and the quality of teams we have organized in Europe. It's a wonderful opportunity for the team to see how they measure up against these teams and build upon this weekend's success. Playing against a National Team is something most players never get the opportunity to taste. We may potentially play them (Slovenia) twice. I know the players are excited to travel and play. I'm positive we will have a brilliant time in Europe and this experience will bring the team even closer."