2008 Season in Review
Panthers Fall One Game Short of Postseason
Purchase, NY (Nov. 3, 2008) – The Purchase College women's soccer team battled injuries all season and fell just one game shy of the playoffs this fall.
After reaching the semifinals of the Skyline Conference Tournament last season, the Panthers returned a strong squad that should have included top scorer Susan Bigler and co-captain Emilie Buse. But injuries and other factors contributed to the loss of several key returnees. The Panthers never fully recovered, finishing in seventh place (4-12-2, 3-4-2 Skyline). The top six teams advance to the playoffs.
Despite missing the postseason, the Panthers enjoyed some success on the field this fall. Jessica Noonan led the Panthers wih five goals, while senior Meghan Countryman totaled four. Scoring defenders Jessica DiFoggio and Ashley Panepinto, and midfielder Shannon Ruiz had three goals apiece for the defensive-minded Panthers.
Panepinto, who played extremely well in her rookie campaign, paced the team in assists, registering five on the season. Countryman had three assists to aid the Panther attack, and midfielder Veronica Slattery finished with two. Other bright spots included the play of co-captains Becky Moore and Cian Duross, who anchored the midfield.
Goalkeeper Stephanie Janasiewicz enjoyed a strong season in the net. She was named Skyline Conference Player of the Week once. DiFoggio was named to the Honor Roll once and Noonan garnered two Honor Roll appearances for Player of the Week. Countryman collected an Honor Roll nod in the final week as well.
All three of the Panthers' Skyline Conference victories were shutouts, two of them by the score of 9-0 over SUNY Maritime and Yeshiva, as well as 6-0 drumming of the College of
The Panthers said goodbye to graduating seniors Siobhan Boland, Danielle Rousseau, Countryman, Moore and Duross. All five were members of the 2006 NEAC championship team.
The young Panthers are likely to return most of their core players next season as they prepare for a return run at the conference championship.
-Bobby Ciafardini, SID
