New Haven, Conn. – The Albertus Magnus College women's soccer team said goodbye to its most productive senior class under Head Coach Nick Wajnowski in 2015. The Falcons ended the fall with a 9-8-3 overall record and qualified for the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Tournament as the No. 6 seed thanks to a 6-5 mark in league play.
The team's season came to end with a loss in penalty kicks on the road against third-seeded Emmanuel in the opening round of the GNAC Tournament.
During their four years with the program, the senior class saw student-athletes set new school single-season and career records, advanced to the conference tournament four times, amassed a 45-28-9 record, won three post-season games and were part of the winningest season in program history (14 wins in 2013).
"I am very proud of this year's team and the way they fought throughout the season," Wajnowski said. "This senior class accomplished a great deal, including several post-season wins, national academic awards and individual awards. They will be missed, but we have a great nucleus coming back that will have high expectations going into the off-season."
Following the year, the Falcons saw a quartet of players earn All-GNAC honors. Junior forward Danielle Polvan (East Haven, Conn.), sophomore midfielder Victoria Lavery (West Haven, Conn.), junior back Alexis Mack (Meriden, Conn.) and third-year back Taylor Rotella (Milford, Conn.) were all-named Third Team All-GNAC. Sophomore back Bianca Stefanacci (Milford, Conn.) represented the squad on the GNAC All-Sportsmanship Team.
After a tie and a one-goal loss to open the season, the women's team scored their first win of the year against Anna Maria in conference play on September 12. In the shutout victory, five different Falcons scored and Albertus Magnus did not allow a single shot on goal. Ten days later, the team erupted for five goals again in a shutout win at home versus in-state foe Mitchell. Five different Albertus Magnus players scored in the triumph and freshman goalkeeper Lexi Fenn (Oakville, Conn.) picked up her first career win and shutout.
Following a non-conference loss on the road at Trinity, the Falcons reeled off back-to-back wins versus conference foe Rivier on the road and Nichols at home. Versus the Raiders, senior goalkeeper Maria Case (West Haven, Conn.) made three saves to earn her second shutout of the fall. Against the Bison, the Falcons held a commanding 28-5 advantage in shots, while controlling both the tempo and possession throughout the contest.
During the final month of the regular season, the team won five games down the stretch to enter the GNAC Tournament on a high note. In the first week of October, Polvan scored three goals in a pair of conference wins for the Falcons. She capped an epic comeback with the game-winning goal in overtime against Saint Joseph's (Maine) at home. The Falcons erased a three-goal second half deficit with four unanswered goals against the Monks.
The team's final three wins of the season all came via shutout. Albertus Magnus defeated Norwich and Suffolk, 3-0, in GNAC play before ending the year with a 7-0 thumping of CCNY. In the win against the Rams on October 21, it was a record-setting night in the net for Case, as the senior set a new program best with her 17th career shutout. In her fourth blank sheet of the season, Case turned aside both shots she faced to re-write the record books. Also in the victory, junior midfielder Kaitlyn Fedumenti (Stratford, Conn.) scored two goals.
In the final home game of the season versus the Beavers, Polvan paced the Falcon attack with two goals, while senior Kelly Kennedy (North Branford, Conn.) scored a marker and added a pair of assists in her final collegiate home game. Sophomores Angelina Piccirillo (Naugatuck, Conn.), Stefanacci and Morgan Gigliotti (Wolcott, Conn.) all scored a goal apiece as did senior Renae Johnson (Bridgeport, Conn.).
After 110 minutes of scoreless play in the GNAC Quarterfinals, Emmanuel won in penalty kicks, 3-2. During the first two rounds of the shootout, neither team was able to convert. With both teams converting in the third and fourth rounds, the tilt would be decided in the following round. During the fifth round of kicks, Saints sophomore goalkeeper Victoria LaRoche sealed the victory for the hosts with a save and a score to end the Falcons season.
Defensively, Mack, Rotella and classmate Bridget Judd (Branford, Conn.) along with sophomores Piccirillo and Nikki Kern (Wallingford, Conn.) anchored the Falcon backline this year. As a unit, the team allowed just over one goal per contest and registered six clean sheets. The defenders have also contributed on the offensive end as well, with Rotella and Piccirillo combining for five goals and four assists.
On the offensive side of the ball, Polvan led the Falcons with a team-high eight goals, four assists, 20 points and 39 shots on goal. During the year Polvan was a force in GNAC action, scoring five goals and registering three assists in league play. She tied for the team-lead in game-winning goals with Fedumenti and senior forward Acacia Nelson (Bridgeport, Conn.) as all three have netted two apiece. Both Fedumenti and Nelson recorded 13 points on five markers and three helpers this autumn. Lavery also emerged as a scoring threat this fall, tallying five goals to go along with a pair of assists.
In net, it was a record-setting year for Case. In 2015, she became the program's all-time leader in shutouts (18), wins (31) and saves (314). In 19 starts, Case went 8-8-3 with five shutouts, a 1.21 goals-against average, 83 saves and a .783 save percentage. In her first year on campus, Fenn won her only start of the year, recording a shutout while not facing any shots versus in-state rival Mitchell.
For the latest information on the women's soccer team and Albertus Magnus athletics, follow AMCAthletics on Twitter and visit AlbertusFalcons.com.
