Local players are important contributors to Owls’ success

15 years ago

    PRESQUE ISLE — The women’s soccer team at University of Maine at Presque Isle has high aspirations for the current season, and rightfully so. The Owls have a bundle of talented soccer players and could be poised for one of the best seasons in recent memory.

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    UMPI WOMEN’S SOCCER TEAM – Members of the UMPI womens team include, front from left, Kim Grant, Katie Moody, Kellie Peers, Desiree Smith, Sarah McGlinn, Olivia Jameson, Maryl Shaw, Chelsea Boudreau, Jessica Kinney, Victoria Tracy; and back, Billie Martin, Jackie Raymond, Danielle Johnson, Taylor Ussery, Makayla Gahagan, Carolynn Tuck, Elizabeth Keagan, Amber Bradley, Katie Smith, and head coach Tammy Krul.

    “I anticipate that this will be our most successful soccer season since I started coaching at UMPI,” said third-year coach Tammy Krul. “We only graduated one senior last year and have a very talented group of returning players. We are solid in every position and have great depth off the bench so I am very optimistic that we will be a contender to finish first our conference this season.”
    Senior captain Makayla Gahagan from Caribou is the commander and chief of the Owl defense and has a very good understanding of the game.
    “I often assign her to mark the opposing team’s best player and she consistently fulfills her task of shutting them down,” Krul said. “She possesses every characteristic that I look for in a captain and is a huge asset to our soccer program.”
    Presque Isle native Katie Moody enters her senior year having earned top honors in the conference as a defender. Some of her accolades include NAIA Sunrise Conference defensive player of the year.
    “It has been a great pleasure to watch Katie develop into the star player she is today,” Krul said. “Katie’s talent is defined by her indefatigable work ethic and impeccable technical ability. She is capable of playing any position on the field, but I think she shines and contributes most to her team in the sweeper position. She wins most every 1 vs. 1 duel she encounters and she has an advanced understanding of how to play possession soccer.”
    Senior Billie Martin from Caribou, makes the switch from goalie to defender this season.
    “Her aggressive style of play is needed on the field and she is adjusting quite well,” the coach said. “She is a natural athlete with good defending insight. She knows how to use her strength to her advantage and I am looking forward to seeing what will come from her this season.”
    Junior Chelsea Boudreau of Wallace, Nova Scotia returns as last season’s MVP. Her contribution in the midfield is essential to the team’s possession style of play.
    “She makes excellent runs away from the ball and knows how to create space for her teammates,” Krul said. “She also excels in making combination passes and understands where to play the ball. She is our team spitfire as has a meritorious work ethic.”
    Caribou native Jessica Kinney returns for her third season at UMPI as a distinguished role player on the Owls. Although she started the season injured, Krul has great expectations for her this season.
    “She has great soccer insight and has the ability to play a variety of positions,” the coach said. “She is one of the most determined players I have coached and she has the technical ability to match her work ethic.”
    Returning for her second season with the Owls is striker Desiree Smith from Thomaston. Smith exceeded the coach’s expectations as a freshman and is one of the most gifted athletes Krul has ever worked with.
    “Now that she has adjusted to the college game and my style of coaching, I am really looking forward to watching her evolve this season,” the coach said. “She is one of those sensational players that [brings] the crowd to their feet by her explosive breakaway plays and impressive ability to strike the ball. I have been well impressed by her in preseason and I am expecting her to be a major contributor for our team again this season.”

    Last year’s rookie of the year, Jackie Raymond from Ashland, adds great depth to the defensive line as a marking back for the Owls again this season. The coach said she was pleased with Jackie’s willingness to step out of her comfort zone and learn a new position last season.
    Starting in goal for the Owls is sophomore Carolynn Tuck from Brewer. Tuck has a strong presence in goal and is very difficult to score on. Her distribution skills are equally impressive and her insight to cut down angels is exceptional. She is a dominant figure on our team and in my opinion is the best keeper in our league.
    Additional sophomore midfielders and contenders for a starting midfield position are Amber Bradley from Mars Hill and Olivia Jameson from Friendship. Both will add great depth to the UMPI team and see considerable minutes this season.
    Freshman defender, Elizabeth Keagan, of Amherst, Nova Scotia is the surprise recruit of the season.
    “She is one of the toughest defenders I have ever seen in my career and her talent is unparalleled to any other freshman I have coached,” Krul said. “Her strong presence on the field fills a gap that was missing in our team last season. She elevates our team’s aggressive style of play with her smart tackling skills and keen ability to read her mark.”
    Transfer student, Danielle Johnson from Jefferson will also impact the midfield and start for the Owls this season. She is an intelligent player who immediately fit into our style of play. She is quite strong and has very effective distribution skills. She is capable of playing the build-up game, but equally understands when to penetrate and attack the goal. She is also a big scoring threat for us because she is capable of shooting from long range which was missing in our midfield last season.
    Freshman Lainey Herring from Houlton has also earned a starting spot for UMPI women this season. She was initially training for a midfield position, but coach Krul was so impressed by her strength and tenacity to score that she started working with her in the forward position as well.
    Montclair, Calif. recruit Taylor Ussery adds great depth to the team as back-up goalie, but may also see playing time on the field this year as well. She is a tremendous athlete who could have easily stepped in and started in goal. Additional newcomers to the UMPI team this season are Kellie Peers from Limestone, Maryl Shaw from Fort Fairfield, Katie Smith from Caribou, and Sarah-Jeanne McGlinn from Caribou.
    “I am looking forward to training these ladies and I believe that each one of them is capable of seeing considerable playing time this season,” Krul said. “It is still too early to tell how they will fit into our line-up, but based on what I have seen in preseason, they are contenders for starting positions in the future if they continue to progress as well as they have in preseason.”