Aug. 20., 1997

1997 Outlook

Stanford Head Coach Steve Swanson would like to continue the winning tradition the Stanford women's soccer program has enjoyed throughout the 90's. Stanford's winning percentage ranks fifth in the nation among teams who have fielded teams throughout the 90's. They have racked up an impressive 112-24-5 record over the past seven seasons (.812) that includes two conference titles. The year ahead looks to be a challenging one for the Cardinal, but Swanson's squad should rise to the occasion.

"The Stanford women's soccer team has a rich history.Our aim is not only to add to this tradition, but make our own history along the way," said Swanson.

The Cardinal is looking to earn its eighth straight berth in the NCAA Tournament and capture their third-consecutive Pac-10 title. Although Swanson's squad is relatively inexperienced, Swanson feels he has a great deal of talent to work with. The Cardinal returns two 1996 all-conference selections in Emily Burt and Elie Foster, but will rely heavily on the talent of the underclassmen to fill the void left by graduation.

"At the end of last year we were definitely playing our best soccer. The challenge for us this season is to pick up on our finish. Despite the loss of seven seniors and the relative inexperience of the team, I feel we have the ability to do this. A lot will depend on our leadership, confidence and ability to play together."

Swanson looks to seniors Burt, Foster and Rita Hermiz to lead a relatively inexperienced team. The three are considered All-Conference candidates and have led past Cardinal squads to postseason play and look to do the same in 1997.

"Our three seniors will really have to set the tone," said Swanson. "As captains, Elie and Emily lead by example while Rita plays with a great deal of passion and heart."

Here's a position-by-position look at the 1997 Stanford Cardinal:

Forwards

Burt and junior Tracye Lawyer look to lead the Cardinal on the front line. Burt, last year's team MVP was a 1997 second team All-Pac-10 selection. She led the team in goals last season and already ranks fifth in Stanford history in shots on goal, eighth in points, ninth in games started and assists. Burt is a tremendous athlete who competes hard and provides a tremendous amount of leadership. She has good touch and vision and a great nose for the goal. Lawyer had an outstanding sophomore season, recording the first hat trick of her career against Washington on Oct. 27. She made an impact last season and established herself as an offensive threat. Also looking to add to the Stanford attack is sophomore Casey Bernard and freshman Karin Brett, the Tennessee State High School player of the year. They will add depth to a front line that is without the services of starting forward Kelly Adamson.

Midfielders

Leading Stanford will be All-American candidate Elie Foster. One of the best midfielders in the country, Foster is a two-time All-Pac-10 selection. She was one of only three players to start all 21 matches last season. A 1997 co-captain, Foster is looking to start in the midfield for the fourth consecutive year. Her great play making skills and excellent quickness along with her leadership ability make her a key to the Cardinal's success in 1997. Another important factor will be senior Rita Hermiz. Hermiz has tremendous speed and excellent playmaking skills which make her an potent offensive threat, especially out wide. She has the ability to take over games for the Cardinal. Hermiz ranks eighth in Stanford history in career assists and is sixth on the single-season assists list. She was sidelined part of the 1996 season due to injury, but came on strong down the stretch and was a key factor in postseason play. "We are very fortunate to have two senior players in the midfield," said Swanson. "In Elie and Rita, I feel we have two of the most explosive midfielders around." Juniors Christy Stoffel and Charmaine LeBlanc will also be major contributors for the Cardinal in the midfield. LeBlanc combines great endurance with strong technical skills. Stoffel will look to patrol the left flank. She is a powerful player with good size and an aggressive style of play. Also competing for a starting role will be Shauna Itri, Becka Livermore and Celina DeLeon.

Defenders

Leading a young group in the backfield will be sophomore Ronnie Fair. Fair is a very versatile player with a great deal of experience. Ronnie Fair returns for preseason just after helping the U.S. Under 20 team to a first place finish in the Nordic Cup. Before she leaves the Farm, Fair could establish herself as one of the greatest players in Stanford history. "Ronnie is blessed with both athleticism and skills," said Swanson. "In my eyes she is one of the top young players in the country." Adding depth in the backfield will be sophomores Jen O'Sullivan and Natalie Kim. They showed a great deal of improvement in the spring and have stepped up the level of their game. Their confidence has grown enormously, allowing them to become a major factor defensively for the Cardinal. Competing for time will be Jill Buxton who is returning from a back injury. She performed well in the spring and looks to break into the starting lineup this season. Christy Arnold, Katherine Horney and Christy LaPierre should all challenge for time. "No question our backfield will be critical for us," said Swanson. "We have a young group, but they are very athletic and play well together."

Goalkeepers

Erin Bryla returns for her junior season after starting all 41 matches over her freshman and sophomore seasons. Bryla already ranks third in Stanford history in minutes played, fourth in shutouts and saves and fifth in goals against average. Her great quickness and reflexes along with her experience in the net make her the front-runner for the starting position. Her leadership skills will be an asset to a team with limited experience. "Erin is one of the hardest workers on the team," said Swanson. "She gets the most out of herself and is a very inspirational player." Providing depth at the position will be junior Lisa Brooks and sophomore Wendi Whitman. Both are vastly improved from their freshman years. Looking to challenge for minutes will be freshman Carly Smolak, an all-state high school goalkeeper last year in Oregon.

Stanford University Women's Soccer