Central Islip, N.Y. – On the heels of an
unbeaten conference regular season record, the LIU Post Pioneers
grabbed at least a share of every ECC Women’s Soccer
All-Conference major award, as voted on by the league’s
coaches. Freshman forward Susanne Vistnes (Randaberg, Norway) was
named both the Offensive Player and Rookie of the Year, senior
Nicole Fierro (East Hampton, N.Y.) has been tabbed the Goalkeeper
of the Year and junior back Karina Rizzo (Oceanside, N.Y.) shared
the ECC Defensive Player of the Year honor with senior back
Dominique DeFelice (Miller Place, N.Y.) of Dowling. LIU Post head
coach Mark Dawson rounds out the major award winners for the
Pioneers with the Coach of the Year honor.
Vistnes was the most potent offensive player in the ECC, if not
all of Division II, in 2012. The six-time ECC weekly honoree
(two-time Player of the Week, four-time Rookie of the Week) led the
conference in goals (19), asssits (9), and points (47). Her point
total is the most in the ECC since Vanessa Moreira of Dowling
posted 52 in 2007. In addition to topping the ECC leader board,
Vistnes’ scoring numbers also rank near the top in the
nation. She ranks among the top five in Division II in points per
game (2.47), goals per game (1.0), total goals, and total
points.
Rizzo and DeFelice were both the anchors of stingy back lines in
2012. Rizzo started all 19 games for a Pioneers squad that shut out
seven opponents on the season and allowed only 17 goals. DeFelice
also started every game, helping Dowling allow a conference low 12
goals on the year and ranked in the top 25 in Division II in
goals-against average (.621) and shutout percentage (.556).
Fierro, who won the ECC Defensive Player of the Week five out of
nine weeks, posted a 15-2-2 record in net for the Pioneers. She led
the conference with 103 saves and tallied 6 shutouts on the year.
Fierro paced the conference with a .858 save percentage and also
ranked second in goals against (17) and goals against average
(0.88).
Leading his team to an ECC Regular Season title and unbeaten
record, Mark Dawson has been voted the ECC Women’s Soccer
Coach of the Year by his peers. Dawson guided the Purple Knights to
a 15-1-2 regular season record with a 7-0-1 mark in conference play
to earn the top seed in the ECC Tournament. The Pioneers have also
risen to as high as the No. 3 spot in the NSCAA Division II
National Poll under Dawson’s tutelage.
Vistnes, Rizzo, DeFelice, and Fierro are joined on the
All-Conference First Team by: Julia Colley (F, Bridgeport), Alexa
Niciforo (F, LIU Post), Sarah Boucher (M, Queens), Gabriella
D’Aprile (M, Dowling), Prudence Rydstrom (M, LIU Post), Becky
Wallis (M, Bridgeport), and Alyssa Faller (B, Molloy).
Second Team recipients include forwards: Brittany Kinmond (Roberts
Wesleyan), Crystal Mena (Mercy), and Hanna Westerling (LIU Post);
midfielders: Jeanine Ambrogi (LIU Post), Alexis Parrotta (Dowling),
Gabby Reis (Bridgeport), and Lorena Russi (Queens); backs: Ashleigh
Berg (Bridgeport), Lisa Cassata (Queens), and Gabby Trombley
(Bridgeport), along with goalkeeper Allison Breakey (Queens).
2012 ECC Women's Soccer All-Conference
First Team
F - Julia Colley, Bridgeport
F - Alexa Niciforo, LIU Post
F - Susanne Vistnes, LIU Post
M - Sarah Boucher, Queens
M - Gabriella D'Aprile, Dowling
M - Prudence Rydstrom, LIU Post
M - Becky Wallis, Bridgeport
B - Dominique DeFelice, Dowling
B - Alyssa Faller, Molloy
B - Karina Rizzo, LIU Post
GK - Nicole Fierro, LIU Post
Second Team
F - Brittany Kinmond, Roberts Wesleyan
F - Crystal Mena, Mercy
F - Hanna Westerling, LIU Post
M - Jeanine Ambrogi, LIU Post
M - Alexis Parrotta, Dowling
M - Gabby Reis, Bridgeport
M - Lorena Russi, Queens
B - Ashleigh Berg, Bridgeport
B - Lisa Cassata, Queens
B - Gabby Trombley, Bridgeport
GK - Allison Breakey, Queens
Offensive Player and Rookie of the Year:
Susanne Vistnes, Fr., F, LIU Post
Co-Defensive Players of the Year: Dominique
DeFelice, Sr., B, Dowling & Karina Rizzo, Jr., B, LIU Post
Goalkeeper of the Year: Nicole Fierro, Sr., LIU
Post
Coach of the Year: Mark Dawson, LIU Post
