Expectations are high again this season for the Moravian College women’s soccer team with the 2009 squad returning 19 letterwinners and eight starters from last year’s 14-6-2 team. Last season, the Greyhounds reached the first round of the 2008 NCAA Division III National Championship Tournament, the team's second straight NCAA appearance, and the squad captured the Landmark Conference Championship, the first conference title in school history.

Head Coach Eric Lambinus is going into his 11th year as coach of the squad, and he feels that the team can get back into the NCAA Championship Tournament with some hard work and leadership from his returning players.

Leading the Greyhounds will be sophomore forward Arielle Caldas (Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill West HS), pictured at right, who had 11 goals last season and three assists totaling 25 points. Of Caldas’s 11 goals, she netted five-game winning goals and was named Landmark Conference Rookie of the Year. Senior midfielder Alessandra Valdetara (Butler, NJ/Butler HS) and junior forward Jenelle Mirro (Bath, PA/Notre Dame HS) both found the back of the net six times and four assists each, totaling at 16 points.

Junior midfielder Shannon McEvoy (Lafayette, NJ/High Point HS) recorded two goals and three assists a year ago while senior forward Amanda Friedman (Randolph, NJ Randolph HS) contributed two goals and an assist. Sophomore midfielder Kim Gogel (Whippany, NJ/Whippany Park HS) had five assists on the season while senior midfielder JeriAnne Weiss (Allentown, PA/Salisbury HS) found the back of the net twice. Sophomore defenders Diana Feldmann (York, PA/Central York HS) and Elizabeth Brundage (Clarks Summit, PA/Abington Heights HS) each had one goal last fall with Brundage contributing one assist each and Feldmann with two.

Contributing one goal each last season were senior midfielder Brittany Deiling (Chews Landing, NJ/Triton Regional HS), senior defender Terri Roberts (Danville, PA/Danville HS), pictured at left, and sophomore defender Kim Mogg (Stamford, CT/West Hill HS). Also expected to help out this fall is sophomore defender Kristin Popovice (Roseto, PA/Bangor HS).

Returning in goal are junior Sarah Halpin (Downingtown, PA/Downingtown West HS) and sophomore Mikki Ruvolis (Allentown, PA/Saucon Valley HS). Halpin had six saves in 121 minutes of play and Ruvolis played 66 minutes.

Coach Lambinus has brought another talented recruiting class to Moravian campus that looks to help the returning Greyhounds earn a berth into the Landmark Conference Tournament and battle back into the NCAA Tournament.

Moravian will open its 2009 season on Tuesday, September 1st in a non-conference match at Ursinus College. The Greyhounds will begin defense of their Landmark Conference Championship on Saturday, September 26th when they host Drew University.