Players Mentioned
2014 Women's Soccer Preview - Goalkeepers
8/19/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
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Entering the program's first year under the direction of head coach Rick Stainton, the 2014 Seton Hall women's soccer team will make its official debut in an away contest at Marist on Friday, August 22. As part of the lead-up to kick-off, SHUPirates.com will take an in-depth look at this year's squad before previewing the season-opening matchup with the Red Foxes.
Today, we begin with a breakdown of the three goalkeepers vying to assume the role previously held by two-time All-BIG EAST honoree Jennifer Pettigrew.
In the brief history of women's soccer at Seton Hall, the Pirates have seen a number of decorated performers pass through the space between the posts.
The most recent of which - longtime starter Jennifer Pettigrew - put the finishing touches on a standout career last fall, returning from an injury that forced her to miss the 2012 campaign to make a total of 73 stops and earn her way onto the All-BIG EAST Third Team for the second time.
Following the season, former assistant coach Rick Stainton, a former goalkeeper and member of the Athletics Hall of Fame at his alma mater Green Mountain College, was named the third head coach in program history.
With Pettigrew's departure and the arrival of a new head man keenly aware of the responsibilities associated with the position, the door has opened for a new era in goal at The Hall.
Returnees Gina Maiorana (Street, Md.) and Illissa Blackshear (West Orange, N.J.) are joined by newcomer Laura Dramis (Farmingdale, N.Y.) in what has evolved into an ongoing competition for the #1 job, one that Stainton feels has helped the trio each elevate their level of play.
"The three goalkeepers are motivating and encouraging each other to further develop and become very successful in their own right," he said following the team's exhibition victory over Wagner on Sunday. "We look forward to the continuous battles among them all to earn the right for the #1 spot in the line-up."
Thrust into a starting role at the outset of her freshman campaign in 2012, Maiorana responded by posting three consecutive clean sheets to start the year, blanking LIU-Brooklyn, Iona and Lehigh in a span of a week to help The Hall shoot out to a perfect 3-0 start. A 2011 All-State selection in her native Maryland, she would go on to lead the team with five victories in her debut season, collecting a total of four shutouts that also included a three-save effort in a 2-0 win over Villanova.
With Pettigrew returning to action last season, Maiorana made just one appearance as a sophomore, stopping both shots she faced after coming on in the second half against #20 Marquette.
The experience was a stark contrast to freshman season in which she logged over 800 minutes in 11 appearances, but one that may have been just as beneficial to her development.
"Gina's experience has been unique to this point," said Stainton. "I think that it has allowed her to evolve into the role she now plays on our team. She is playing with much more confidence, she knows the level in which we compete at, and she has embraced many leadership qualities that are needed to be a successful goalkeeper. Her early career has provided her with valuable playing experience as well as an opportunity to learn under one of the most successful goalkeepers in Seton Hall history, Jenn Pettigrew. In my opinion, what Gina has gained out of her experience is the work ethic needed to be successful, the understanding and expectations of the position within our game, and how to mentally and physically prepare for the rigors of the position over a full season."
Maiorana has played well in two exhibition outings, most recently making several key stops to keep Wagner off the board in 45 minutes of action. Splitting time Maiorana against the Seahawks was the local product Blackshear, who came on to add a number of impressive saves of her own to complete the shutout.
Blackshear did not appear during the regular season for the Pirates as a freshman a year ago, but boasts a résumé filled with past successes as a former four-time First Team All-Conference and All-State selection for West Orange and has shown the abilities that helped her garner such recognition throughout a rigorous preseason.
"Illissa has done a wonderful job this preseason and has developed tremendously over this short period of time," said Stainton. "She has put herself in a position to battle for the number one spot. Illissa has been incredibly sound, technically. She has come up with very big saves, and the team feeds off of that. Her confidence continues to grow and she will continue to battle until her time arrives."
Also entering the competitive mix is the freshman Dramis, who is coming off a season in which she registered 70 saves while serving as team captain to wrap up a four-year varsity career at St. John Vianney. The 5-foot-7 Farmingdale native also has two years of elite club experience after playing within the Match Fit Academy system and has provided an added element of competition heading into the new year.
"Laura is really starting to come into her own now," Stainton said. "She is a very tough goalkeeper who sacrifices her body to come up with some very big saves. Her development over the past few weeks have been very noticeable and she has a tremendous amount of upside. Laura is in a great position where she will be learning from two very good goalkeepers who were in similar situations as she is now. She will see that her continued work ethic and development will lead her to future opportunities."
"All three goalkeepers understand where they stand and what needs to be done from this point and moving forward," he added.
It is clear that though the Pirates are looking to replace one of the most accomplished keepers to wear the blue & white, there is no dearth of quality options and the position is certainly in good hands.
Check back on SHUPirates.com tomorrow for a look at the Pirates' reshaped defensive unit.
