August 24, 2005

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Palo Alto Online

Stanford's goal: to get offensive

by Rick Eymer

The only thing Stanford women's soccer coach Paul Ratcliffe could count on last year was watching one of the best defensive units in the nation at work. This year he hopes the offense will be able to catch up.

"There's no doubt about it; we need the type of players who score goals," Ratcliffe said on the eve of Stanford's season opener at Portland on Saturday. "We've played organized, good soccer but we haven't had the legitimate scorers up front."

Senior midfielder Leah Tapscott and sophomore midfielder Lizzy George each scored five goals last season and are the top returning scoring threats. Senior Martha West and junior Shari Summers, both among the eight returning starters, are also capable of scoring.

Ratcliffe is also counting on a few of the nine freshmen, including Palo Alto High grad Austinn Freeman, to make an immediate impact. George and fellow sophomore April Wall worked their way into the starting lineup and if a couple of newcomers can step up in the same manner, Ratcliffe feels his team will once again contend for a national title.

Stanford (13-6-3 last year) reached the second round of the NCAA tournament last year but hopes are high for a deeper run into the tournament this go-around. The Cardinal has reached the Final Four once and the quarterfinals four times since 1991, and enter the season with a string of 18 consecutive winning seasons.

The early schedule features matches against perennial national title contenders Portland, North Carolina and Santa Clara.

"I wanted to play them," Ratcliffe said. "You have to play the best to gauge where you're at. Last year we played at Notre Dame and lost 1-0. They ended up winning the title and it was an eye-opener for us. We knew where we needed work and we knew how good we could become."

Perhaps the biggest position to fill is goalkeeper. Senior Elizabeth Barnard and sophomore Erica Holland combined for just over 41 minutes last season behind All-American and United States national team member Nicole Barnhart, who played the other 2,044 minutes. Freshman Alex Gamble is also in the mix.

"They all are working hard," Ratcliffe said.

While they may lack the experience, they still benefit from Barnhart's experience. Barnhart, Stanford's career leader in goals against average, signed on as a volunteer assistant for the year and will help bring the other goalies up to speed quickly.

Fortunately the bulk of a defensive unit which allowed just 10 goals in 22 matches returns, with seniors and team captains Hayley Hunt and Lindsay Hunt at the heart.

"They are both outstanding," Ratcliffe said. "They are great leaders and great people."

It took a year, but Ratcliffe can now tell the twins apart.

"They were impressed I could that," he joked.

Wall, who started 15 matches a year ago, will once again take her place on the back line.

Tapscott, George, Summers and Gina Farias-Eisner are the top returning starters in midfield.

"I have high hopes for her (Tapscott)," Ratcliffe said. "She's one of the fastest players and very skilled. She gets better all the time. Summers has been one of the bright spots. She was injured her freshman year but came back and played well last year. She's a great all-around playmaker. George is also a skilled player in the midfield. Gina has a great cross with the ball."

Senior Megan Aldrete, juniors Rachel Buehler and Melissa Esparza and sophomore Mimi Yuhas also figure to contribute.

West and Tapscott combined to take 50 shots, 26 on goal, and five game-winning goals. While they will likely be the top attackers, the door is open for one or more of the freshmen to earn a starting spot.

"It's a good class and very talented," Ratcliffe said. "They are still learning but we will need to use freshmen immediately."

In addition to Freeman and Gamble, newcomers include Marisa Abegg, Kelley Birch, Allison Falk, Hillary Heath, Lea McKinnon, Kate Mannino and Lauren Shapiro.

"Every coach is looking for the big-time goal scorers," Ratcliffe said. "If you look at professional soccer, they give the big bucks to the goal scorers. I've been looking for one since I first got here. If it's not this year than it will certainly be next year. With nine freshman, there's a greater opportunity."

Senior Jenny Farenbaugh, who can play every position on the field, has elected to take a redshirt year to allow full recovery from a severe concussion suffered while playing for the U.S. National Under-21 team in the Nordic Cup.

"She could play but the doctors are being cautious," Ratcliffe said. "We all agree the best thing is to take another year."

Ratcliffe, in his third season at Stanford, is assisted by Jay Cooney and Sarah Kate Noftsinger. Having Barnhart around as a volunteer coach is a bonus. Farenbaugh may stay busy as an unofficial volunteer coach.

Since the beginning of the 1999 season, Stanford has an 88-32-9 mark (.733). The Cardinal is hoping to maintain that rate of success as it tries to reach its first semifinal since 1993 and their its first quarterfinal since 2002.

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