2009 Florida Southern Season Preview

As thrilling as last year’s run to the NCAA Tournament was, it’s time for Florida Southern to turn the page and focus on a new season. Even so, it’s worth another look at 2008, for it’s the accomplishments of that team that have set the stage for 2009.

The Moccasins went 14-4-2 to earn their first trip to the NCAA playoffs, and finished second in one of the most difficult leagues in the country. It wasn’t easy, yet that may have been the biggest reason it was so much fun. Trying to re-capture that magic will be equally difficult, but the Mocs have an experienced roster with seven returning starters and their top four reserves who know what it takes to be among the best teams in the country. That’s where the Mocs were in 2008, and where they plan on being again in 2009.

IN THE BACK
While last year’s team brought back nearly all of its offensive firepower, this year’s team returns the entire defense. That’s a luxury coach Ben Strawbridge has never had before now, but that doesn’t mean he’s satisfied with the status quo. The addition of some very talented freshmen gives Florida Southern a little more versatility in its lineup, something Strawbridge could make use of depending on the opponent.

Regardless of how the lineup is set, one thing is certain: junior Ashlie Haas is the glue that holds the defense together. A second team all-conference selection last year, Haas has started every game over the last two seasons, helping Florida Southern record 14 shutouts. By comparison, the Moccasins had just 16 shutouts over the previous nine years. With Haas in the middle, most would-be attacks get snuffed out before a shot can even be taken.

Haas doesn’t operate alone though. She has a lot of help, and all of it is very good. Lining up next to her most of last season was Renee Heacock, who this year is one of only two seniors on the roster. Much of last year’s defensive success can be attributed to her as well. Over the final 14 games, when Heacock became a full-time starter in the back, the Mocs posted a 1.08 goals against average, allowed more than one goal only four times, and more than two only once. Her domination of a 1-0 win at Barry in late September set the tone for the Mocs’ conference schedule. Heacock is also one of those versatile players Strawbridge talked about, someone who could easily be moved to a midfield position.

Outside, the Moccasins return junior Kristen Vollmer and sophomore Lexie Bottomley, a pair of rookies in 2008, who stepped into open positions and took charge. A teammate of Heacock’s at Polk Community College, Vollmer already had some college experience but had to learn a new position at Florida Southern. Making the transition from goal-scorer to goal-stopper, she proved to be a valuable part of the defense, and almost single-handedly saved the Mocs’ 1-0 win over Tampa late in the season.

Experience at the college level is something Bottomley didn’t have last year, but she does now after starting all 20 games in 2008 at outside back. One of the top defenders in Rhode Island coming out of high school, Bottomley immediately won a starting job with the Moccasins and soon after was shutting down opposing forwards. Like Vollmer, her best work seemed to come in the Mocs’ biggest games.

Trying to crack that lineup will be a difficult task, but nevertheless, there are several players who will try to do that. Sophomore Morgan Wampler is first on that list and will use her speed and athleticism to push for more playing time in her second year.

Freshmen Kara Higdon, Morgan Sammons and Selena Mason all bring impressive credentials to the table. Higdon was an all-state selection in Kentucky, where her familiarity with current Moccasin assistant coach Steve Henson was a factor in choosing Florida Southern. She could provide strength in the middle of the defense, but can also play in the midfield. Sammons, another possibility at center back, was an all-conference performer at Newsome High School in nearby Lithia, won a pair of state titles with her club team, and played for another Moccasin assistant, Jason Streets. Mason played for a strong club program in Maryland where she won four state championships. She was also a four-year starter for Tuscarora High School.

GOALKEEPER
The Moccasins weren’t quite sure what they had at the start of last year with Martina Tangen Billing (now a sophomore), but by the end of the year, they knew they had one of the league’s better goalkeepers. Time and time again, Tangen Billing came up big in some very big games, and finished second in the SSC with 82 saves. Of that total, 13 came during two games in the SSC Tournament (earning her a spot on the all-tournament team), and she had seven more in a 1-1 tie with Florida Tech at the NCAA Tournament.

Battling each other for the backup job are freshmen Jordan Hutar and Kayla Wilhide. Hutar comes to Florida Southern from Cinco Ranch High School in Texas where she was an all-district selection; Wilhide was a standout at Grafton High School in Massachusetts.

UP FRONT
Not many teams can lose three all-conference players, who all produced 20 or more points and still feel like they’ve got plenty of offense to compete with any team they face. Florida Southern is one of those teams, however, as the Moccasins return junior Princess Haley, who scored 35 points last year, and sophomore Alex Hoover, who scored 20. Those are two big guns that helped Southern break its 1-year old school record for most goals in a season and finish among the highest scoring teams in Division II.

Haley is one of those rare players who can seemingly be held in check, only to explode and take over the game in a single moment – which she did on more than one occasion. In both of Florida Southern’s 1-0 wins, it was Haley who scored the goal. In the Mocs’ huge 2-1 win over Saint Leo, it was Haley who scored the game-winner in overtime; and in the SSC semifinals against Tampa, it was Haley who assisted the game-winner in overtime. After setting a school record with 15 goals, and earning All-South Region and All-SSC honors, the expectations for this year are obviously high, but Haley has met them all so far, and the Mocs now look to her as one of their leaders.

With the graduation of Linda Hoglund and Liz Gorman, Hoover now has an opportunity for even more playing time than she got as a freshman. Normally coming off the bench, she had eight goals and four assists, ensuring the Mocs were never lacking a goal scorer, even if the starters were off the field. Her 20 points tied the school’s freshman scoring record and the Mocs are looking for similar production this year.

Considering the way the offense worked last year, there should be plenty of scoring chances to go around, and junior Kerri-Ann Brown is eager to grab some of them, as is freshman Johnna Magiera. Brown totaled 23 goals and 15 assists as a front-line player at Polk CC where she helped the Vikings go 33-6-2 the past two seasons. Her speed and maturity will be an asset. Magiera, who joins the team from Rhode Island, brings strong technical skills to the lineup, which the Mocs hope to utilize to their advantage as well.

IN THE MIDDLE
The Moccasins not only have to replace All-American Erin Hopkins, but Christina Crooks, who won possession for the team too many times to count and often set up many of the team’s scoring chances. Strawbridge emphasized those two won’t really be replaced, but with the type of versatility and mobility the Mocs have in their current group of midfielders, a lot of different players can be used in a multitude of roles.

First of all, that likely means more responsibility for Jackie Bachteler. Already a two-year starter, the junior is looking to add to her career totals of four goals and six assists. The numbers seem modest, but Bachteler has done all the little things that allowed players like Hopkins to find the back of the net.

Five other returnees have also played in the midfield for Southern, led by senior Therese Dahlskold. With 12 points in 41 career games, Dahlskold is one of the team’s most experienced reserves. She’ll be among those fighting for a starting job this year, as will junior Anna Ott, who played a big role in 2007, but saw action in just three games last year. A strong spring and summer have put her back in the mix.

Three sophomores are expected to make a push as well, though Hanna Jansson could end up as a starter or top reserve up front. She played in both capacities last year, with one goal and one assist. Emily Griffith is in the thick of things too after really coming into her own late last year. She saw action in 19 games, and by the end of the season, Griffith had joined Jansson as the first options off the bench. The Mocs are also looking for Holly Bennett to make a jump after coming back to camp as a much-improved player.

Leading the newcomers is junior Adilene Alvarado, yet another product of Polk CC. Originally from Frostproof, Alvarado took her game to the next level as a Junior College All-American for the Vikings, totaling 48 points on 16 goals and 16 assists as a sophomore. She’s expected to be an impact player for the Moccasins too. Meanwhile, freshman Sydney O'Hair is competing for playing time of her own. O’Hair has a chance to play outside where the Mocs could use the same quickness that helped her total 29 goals and 23 assists as a 3-time all-conference pick at Father Lopez High School.