Agnes Scott College

Coach Bergin on Soccer
As they head into a new season, Agnes Scott College women's soccer team looks to build upon its consecutive 11 win seasons without forgetting its bitter disappointment in the conference tournament semi-finals.

 

Five years ago head coach Joe Bergin would have been overjoyed with an 11 win season and an appearance in the Great South Athletic Conference (GSAC) tournament semi-finals.  But as a reflection of how far the program has come, last year's results were considered a disappointment.

 

"We felt that the results, while good, were not enough for our team.  We want more," said Bergin.  "We got hit with some pretty bad injuries and we just weren't deep enough to overcome the loss of two starters to season ending injuries.  So at the end of the day an 11-8 record was quite an accomplishment for our team.  But for our program to be recognized as something more than just another Division III team, we need to finish better in our conference and compete with our non-conference teams," said Bergin.

 

The Scotties were hit hard by some off-season losses, but Bergin feels that the recruiting class will make up for those losses.  "Some of our success will depend on how our new players acclimate to the college game.  I suspect it may take some time, since we are so limited in preseason training."

 

Agnes Scott returns four of its six All-Conference team members including midfield captain senior Aimee Kahn-Foss (Athens, GA).  Kahn-Foss spent most of last season filling in as a sweeper, but will return to her natural midfield spot.  Sophomore Jena Winchell (Tampa, FL), one of only three All-Conference first-year players, returns along side Kahn-Foss.  Winchell was the team's third leading scorer a year ago.

 

The offense will be lead by the return of last year's second leading scorer, junior Ashley Schmidt (Lilburn, GA).  Schmidt scored eight goals last year, all from the midfield, and Bergin has moved her to the forward position, taking advantage of her one on one abilities.  Bergin looks to senior Maria Baumstark (Druid Hills, GA) to contribute quite a bit after she spent most of last year recovering from a ligament injury.

 

The defense will be anchored by the return of another All-Conference team member senior Aly Spinner (Macon, GA).  Bergin is also excited about the prospect of having a healthy senior Leah Davis (Memphis, TN) and sophomore Taryn Marashi (Knoxville, TN) holding down the other spots in the back.  "Both players have suffered significant injuries in the past and both appear to be healthy.  Davis can dominate a game with her physical presence and Marashi has the ability to attack from the back, so it will be great to have them playing along side each other."

 

Returning in goal will be the final returning All-Conference team member Jessica Jones (Druid Hills, GA).  Jones, a junior, set the Scotties career shutout record after just her sophomore season and anchored a record setting defense, with the Scotties allowing just 18 goals.  Bergin would be happy with a repeat performance, but knows that with an improved schedule, it will be a good challenge.  "The addition of Greensboro College, Rhodes College and Emory University to our schedule and the return of NCAA tournament team Meredith College makes this an extremely challenging schedule," said Bergin.

 

The Scotties open the season on August 31st against cross-town rival Oglethorpe University.  Highlights on the schedule include the National Invitational Espirit Division III tournament in Raleigh, NC and a visit to Emory University for the first time in four years on October 1st.

 

The GSAC has been dominated for six years by Maryville College and Bergin comments that the Scots return everyone and are loaded so Agnes Scott has its work cut out for them.  The Scotties open their conference portion of the schedule on September 12th against LaGrange College.