ELON, N.C. -- For the second consecutive season, the Elon Phoenix women's soccer program will enter the season with a new head coach. Leading the Phoenix in 2005 will be Chris Webb who came to Elon after serving as an assistant at East Carolina the past five seasons. Webb inherits a squad that posted a 5-12-1 overall record a year ago, including a 4-6-1 ledger in Southern Conference play. The team returns seven starters, including its top five scorers.

The 2004 squad boasted two players who recorded at least 10 points, sophomore midfielder Tina Longo (Mahopac, N.Y.) and junior defender Monica Houseworth (Casselbury, Fla. - pictured right). Longo paced the Phoenix in goals (four), assists (seven) and points (15) while Houseworth tallied 10 points on three goals and four assists. Longo is a dangerous scorer who can find the back of the net at any time. The 5-10 Houseworth is difficult to defend on set plays as she uses her height to her advantage.

Elon also welcomes back two other three-goal scorers in senior forward/midfielder Gillian Murray (Cranford, N.J. - pictured left) and junior forward Alisa Petitt (Milmay, N.J.) as well as junior forward Jaclyn Immordino (Ewing, N.J.) who netted two goals a year ago. In addition to eight goals, those three experienced players also added five assists in 2004.

Up front, the Phoenix also returns senior forward/midfielder Emily Chesney (Maryville, Tenn.), senior midfielder Kerry McCarron (Ashland, Ohio), junior midfielder Cheryl Sanchez (Winter Park, Fla.), junior forwards/midfielders Ashley Condon (Hendersonville, N.C.) and Kelly Knowles (Dunwoody, Ga.), sophomore midfielder Kelly Constantino (Strongsville, Ohio) and sophomore forward/midfielder Meri Coffey (Ipswich, Mass.). Chesney led this group last season, finishing with three points. Sanchez and Knowles each scored one goal for two points. McCarron has shown that she can find the back of the net, scoring five total goals in her first two seasons with Elon before being blanked in 2004. Condon, Constantino and Coffey will provide depth to the Phoenix attack.

Senior Jenna Wheeler (Westlake, Ohio) and sophomore Jessica Hartman (Charlotte, N.C.) may both split their time between the midfield and defender positions this year. Both saw plenty of action last year as Wheeler started 10 of the 18 matches in which she appeared while Hartman made five starts in 17 appearances.

Senior Lacey Whitmer (Roswell, Ga.) and sophomore Krista Naposki (Milford, Conn.) will be welcomed back on the defensive back line as well. As a junior, Whitmer scored one goal in 15 games. Naposki saw limited time as a reserve.

The Phoenix will need to replace all-time saves leader Kara Zagol in net after the keeper graduated with 361 saves. Webb has two returning keepers on the roster in sophomores Amy Cahill (Virginia Beach, Va.) and Kaitlin Lannon (Tinton Falls, N.J.). As true freshmen, Cahill appeared in four contests, making one start and grabbing nine saves in over 180 minutes, while Lannon saw nearly 12 minutes in front of the net in one match and made three saves.

Webb has added seven players to the 2005 roster, all true freshmen. The group consists of players from Florida, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Ohio and Virginia. All seven will battle for playing time this fall and include: forward Kaitlyn Ahmed (Cary, N.C.), forward Susannah Gianakos (Charlottesville, Va.), goalkeeper Lizz Johnson (Miami, Fla.), utility player Stacie Ledford (Raleigh, N.C.), midfielder Nicole Lonero (Andover, Mass.), defender Katie Persichini (Hudson, Ohio) and midfielder/defender Kerri Speers (Homestead, Fla.).

Elon will face a challenging 18-game slate in 2005. The Phoenix will square off with teams from the Pac-10 Conference (Oregon), Colonial Athletic Association (Delaware, UNC Wilmington and Old Dominion), Big South Conference (Coastal Carolina and Liberty), Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (Delaware State) and independent Longwood in non-conference play. Webb’s squad will also battle the always competitive 10 Southern Conference opponents for the league crown this season.

-- ELON --