Clippers embrace hard work

Hard work is the theme for the 2010 Concordia College-NY women’s soccer team. The non-stop work effort, coupled with the good chemistry, should ensure much improvement for the Clippers, who finished ninth – one place out of the play-offs - in last year’s initial season in the 13-team CACC (Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference).

Five talented recruits and the addition of sophomore goalkeeper Nicole Carroll have worked well during the preseason with the returnees. Carroll, from Bayside High School in Queens (NY), was injured and did not play as a freshman in 2009 but worked hard in the off-season to make a complete recovery from surgery. She has much talent between the posts and is a relentless worker in practice. 

Newcomer Jessica Nanan, a junior college sophomore transfer from Bryant & Stratton (Syracuse), will share the goalkeeping responsibilities with Carroll. Like her goalkeeping teammate, Nanan works hard in practice and is expected to contribute as a forward. The other junior college transfers are forward Oumou Toure and defender Anika Grason Aguirre. Toure is a former standout forward at Julia Richman High School and a transfer from BMCC (Borough of Manhattan Community College), where she was a two-year starter. Toure’s biggest attribute is her high work rate and aggressiveness in the offensive third. She is always looking to score and doesn’t hesitate to take on defenders and shoot. Aguirre, a sophomore, is a solid defender who transferred from Essex Community College (NJ). She is the new Clipper sweeper. Aguirre reads the game well, gives good direction and is expected to organize the defense.

Freshmen Brigitte McCalla from Thomas Edison High School and Glenicia Millings from John Adams High School, both from Jamaica (NY), have been pleasant surprises. McCalla, a forward, is quick and not shy about using her speed to take on defenders one-on-one on her way to finding the goal. Millings is a very fast defender whom forwards will find extremely difficult to get around. She is physical and like McCalla is a major addition to the Clippers.

Among the experienced returnees are this year’s tri-captains Kareena Seaton, Katrina Donaldson and Iyesha Ollivierre. Seaton, a junior, is expected to use her experience in midfield to support sophomores Stephanie Rivas and Susan Valencia and senior Jenifer Stefankewicz . Donaldson, a senior, will team up with sophomore Jodian Braham, Aguirre and Millings to form a very strong defense.

Junior Ollivierre, a very skillful player with good dribbling skills who can score goals, will bring her skills and experience to shore up the frontline. She will help to inspire Toure, McCalla, senior Chrystal Gardner and junior Francesca Lombardo, whose excellent physical shape will see her contribute to the midfield as well. .

The 2010 Concordia College Clippers work well and hard together and this environment should improve the Clippers final standings in their second year of competition in the CACC.  The clippers are coached by fourth-year head coach Patrick Horne.