The Emory University women’s soccer completed the most
successful campaign in the program’s history in 2010,
advancing to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division III
Championships and finishing the year ranked fifth in the
nation.
The Eagles finished the season with an overall record of 16-2-4,
marking the third time in the last four seasons that the team has
reached the 16-win plateau, matching the second-best win total in
the program’s history. Emory’s ranking of fifth
in the final National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA)
Division III poll was the best in the 25-year history of the
program. It was the first time since 2000, and the third time
overall, that Emory has ended the year ranked among the top-10
teams nationally.
Emory began its NCAA Tournament run by hosting the first two rounds
of the bracket, and opening with a 2-0 victory over Maryville
College (Tenn.) in the first round. In the second round,
Emory up-ended Lynchburg College (the 18th-ranked
Division III squad in the final poll) with a 2-1 double-overtime
victory. Heading to Abilene, TX for the sectionals, the
Eagles advanced with a 9-8 shootout victory after playing
seventh-ranked Wheaton College (Ill.) to a 1-1 tie.
Emory’s run would come to an end against host school and
eventual National Champion Hardin-Simmons University with a 2-1
loss in the quarterfinals.
The tournament run also featured a number of individual
program-record performances from Emory players. Despite
playing in her first collegiate postseason, freshman Kelly
Costopoulos became Emory’s all-time leading NCAA
Tournament scorer with three goals, while junior Lidija
Barauskas and freshman Clare Mullins each
set the program’s all-time record with two assists
apiece. Senior Meghan McMahon scored her
second career tournament game-winning goal (during the
Eagles’ overtime win over Lynchburg), the most in the history
of the team.
During the season, Emory recorded a program-best four wins against
teams ranked in the top-25, going 4-1-3 in their eight games
against ranked opponents. The Eagles also had a flair for the
dramatic during the season, scoring a program-record five
‘golden goals,’ including a pair from senior
Lauren Smith. The Eagles utilized one of
Smith’s overtime game winners in their season-opening 2-1
victory over Lee University, the top-ranked NAIA team and eventual
NAIA National Champions. Emory finished second in the
University Athletic Association (UAA) in 2010, ending conference
play with a 4-1-2 record.
Defender Lauren Gorodetsky became the first
freshman to earn all-America honors in over four years, as she was
named to the second team. She keyed a defense that recorded a
0.56 goals-against average (the 23rd-lowest mark among
NCAA Division III teams), while holding opponents to just 4.1 shots
on goal per game, including 11 games of three shots on goal or
less. Sophomore goalkeeper Kaele Leonard,
who split time in the net with sophomore Erica
Stein, finished the year ranked fourth in Division III
with a 0.926 save percentage (the second-best mark in program
history) and sixth with a school-record 0.329 goals-against
average.
Costopoulos became the first player in the program’s history
to be named the UAA’s Rookie of the Year after leading the
team with eight goals, 17 points and three game-winning goals
during the season. Senior Melanie Levy (five
goals and four assists for 14 points) joined Gorodetsky on the
all-UAA first team, while Costopoulos earned second team honors,
and sophomore Lee Bachouros and senior
Emily Rubin were selected as honorable
mentions.
The following Eagles earned honors during the 2010 season:
All-America (NSCAA/Performance Subaru) |
||
Lauren Gorodetsky |
Second Team |
Palm City, FL (Jensen Beach) |
|
||
All-South Atlantic Region (NSCAA/Performance Subaru) |
||
Lauren Gorodetsky |
First Team |
Palm City, FL (Jensen Beach) |
|
||
University Athletic Association Rookie of the Year |
||
Kelly Costopoulos |
Boca Raton, FL (Boca Raton Community) |
|
|
||
All-University Athletic Association |
||
Lauren Gorodetsky |
First Team |
Palm City, FL (Jensen Beach) |
Melanie Levy |
First Team |
Plainview, NY (Plainview JFK) |
Kelly Costopoulos |
Second Team |
Boca Raton, FL (Boca Raton Community) |
Lee Bachouros |
Honorable Mention |
Westlake, OH (Hathaway Brown) |
Emily Rubin |
Honorable Mention |
Cupertino, CA (Monta Vista) |
|
||
CoSIDA Academic All-America (Presented by ESPN) |
||
Emily Rubin |
Third Team |
Cupertino, CA (Monta Vista) |
|
||
CoSIDA Academic All-District (Presented by ESPN) |
||
Emily Rubin |
First Team |
Cupertino, CA (Monta Vista) |
Sara Belsole |
Third Team |
Tampa, FL (Hillsborough) |