The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
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A BY MATT CARTER fter losing six seniors to gradu- ation and another top scorer in Stephanie Bronson — who tied for the team lead with six goals in 2011 — to transfer, the Pack is looking to replace 75 percent of its scoring from last year (21 of 28 goals). Welcome back Jennie Krauser. The redshirt sophomore's return, along with the addition of an 11-player recruiting ■ PREVIEW WOMEN'S SOCCER class, will help replace the lost produc- tion. Krauser had five goals and four as- sists during her rookie campaign in 2010, leading the team in scoring with 14 points. Looking to build off her impressive fresh- man season, Krauser heard a familiar pop in her knee during the following spring's workouts. 1-5-2 in matches decided by one goal or less. That included a 1-0 loss in overtime in Raleigh to No. 9 Virginia and a 1-0 de- feat to eventual national runner-up Duke in what turned out to be State's last match of the year. In that game against the Blue Devils, the Pack had a potential goal saved off the line by Duke defender Mollie Pathman. A simple tie against then-fourth-ranked Duke may have been enough to get State in. "That would have stuck in the mind of the committee and say how can you keep this team out," Springthorpe said. As tough as it was for the Pack to barely miss out on the NCAA Tournament, it was also challenging for Krauser to watch from the sideline. "It was so hard, so frustrating, cause you RESTOCKING wanted to be out there so bad," Krauser said. Ever the fitness buff, Krauser, who ran cross country and track in high school, Will Give A Boost To A Young Wolfpack Squad Forward Jennie Krauser's Return "I knew immediately it was my ACL," Krauser said. She spoke from experience, having suf- fered a similar injury in high school. "I was just like, 'Oh no, not again,'" she remembered. "I went through the whole process of the MRI, but I knew already." In 2011, at the end of women's soccer coach Steve Springthorpe's third season at NC State, the Pack was optimistic that despite missing the ACC Tournament, a 10-8-2 overall record and a misleading 1-7-2 conference mark (not indicative of how competitive State was in the nation's toughest women's soccer conference) would be enough to warrant an NCAA bid. After teams that could have been con- sidered less deserving heard their names called for the NCAA Tournament, the Pack was left disappointed. "We can be unhappy about that, upset about that, but we can also look back at the games that we played and say, 'We should have won one more,'" Springthorpe said. "We did it ourselves. We can have a chip on our shoulders, and I hope our players do, but you have to go out and win some games, and win some games in our conference." In conference action, the Pack went just 74 ■ THE WOLFPACKER dedicated herself to the rehab process to maintain a high level of fitness. "She was always one of the fittest play- ers on our team and still is even after com- ing off the ACL," Springthorpe noted. "We are excited to have her back on the field because she provides us a little something that we may not have had last year. "She's certainly very aggressive and gets forward and wants to take people on and serves a good ball. Having her back in the lineup I think will be very good." Krauser is one of the candidates to play up front in the attack. Other potential for- wards include sophomore Cheyenne Spade, who had a goal and played all 20 games last season, and heralded freshman Caro- line Gentry, the younger sister of Taylor and Zach Gentry. Taylor was a four-year starting fullback on the football team while Zach, a redshirt junior linebacker, was recently awarded a scholarship. Caroline scored 96 goals in her career at Leesville Road High in Raleigh. Springthorpe is also counting on his at- tacking midfielders to help in the offense. He was pleased with the progress of red- shirt junior Meagan Proper, the team cap- tain, and freshman Sharon Wojcik from Lake Braddock High in Chantilly, Va. Kern. Redshirt sophomore Victoria Hop- kins, who did not give up a goal in limited action in three games last year, takes over. Springthorpe knows that he is fielding a young squad. The Pack has no seniors this season, not an easy proposition in a loaded ACC that the coach believes could have up to nine teams in the top 25. He does like how fit his team has been entering the season, a point of emphasis in recent years for the Pack, and both Krauser and Springthorpe praise the team's focus. "We're a little more of the mindset of having fun is important, but we have a task at hand," Springthorpe said. That task starts with making the ACC Tournament, reserved for the top eight teams in the conference. Any team that makes that event is likely a lock for the NCAA Tournament, a goal that Krauser does not hide her enthusiasm for. "It would mean literally everything," Krauser said. "That's all we want, that's all we think about. That's our No. 1 goal, by far. It's what we want the most." ■ Krauser, a redshirt sophomore, posted five goals and four assists during her rookie cam- paign in 2010, but missed last season with a knee injury. PHOTO COURTESY NC STATE MEDIA RELATIONS Sophomore Julia Sandridge is also in the mix after starting 13 games and scoring two goals while adding a pair of assists last year. Other likely midfielders include Ariela Schreibeis, who has 26 career starts, a goal and three assists, and redshirt sophomore Reilly Brown, who started 11 games as a rookie last season and notched an assist. The good news on the defense is that junior Randi Soldat and sophomore Shelli Spamer return after playing almost every minute of last season. Spamer was named to the ACC All-Freshman Team and had a team-high four assists. However, State lost Alex Berger and Paige Dugal to graduation, and depth was a concern last year. Springthorpe is hoping that redshirt sophomore Claudel Pilon, who started 19 games as a freshman in 2010, can make a strong return from her own ACL injury. In the goal, gone is longtime starter Kim