PAT LONGOBARDI — Sports Writer
When SCSU women’s soccer looks back on the 2011 season, they will see a graduating class that is probably one of the deepest in the school’s history.
This class is mixed with offensive and defensive threats that have shown their presence over the years and played a big part in the 10-3-2 record this season.
The Owls honored the class—Flavia Bernardes, Alison Ditolla, Hannah Hatch, Erica Leber, Jenna Mallico and graduate student Jacquelyn Fede—prior to their 2-1 loss against St. Rose on Oct. 26.
Ditolla (Trumbull, Conn.,) a midfielder, leads the class as Southern’s co-captain. She has played in 69 career games and has two career goals for the Owls. She is a special education and elementary education major, and has played in 17 games this season. She started in all 19 games as a freshman in 2008.
“I am so happy to be here at Southern,” Ditolla said. “It was a special night. We tried to be the best.”
Fede (North Haven, Conn.), Southern’s goalkeeper, is the other co-captain who came in 2010 after spending three seasons at the University of Rhode Island. She redshirted in 2010 and is a psychology major who has played in 18 games.
Fede’s season at Southern has been remarkable as she holds the school’s single-season record in shutouts with 12 – seven consecutive to begin the year.
Mallico (Milford, Conn.), a midfielder, has played in 18 games this season and 64 games in her career for Southern. A recreation and leisure major, Mallico was third in team points this season with three goals and one assist, along with two game-winning goals.
Mallico has 19 career goals scored at Southern. Her accomplishments include the Northeast-10 Conference Freshman of the Year award in 2008 while also being an All-New England honoree, All-Region selection and All-Northeast-10 Conference pick in 2008 and 2010. She recorded one hat trick as a junior against Bentley.
“It will be mixed emotions,” she said. “It is kind of weird to reach this night so fast. I’m really excited.”
Bernardes (Sao Paulo, Brazil), a midfielder and forward, joined the Owls in 2010 after playing two years at Barton Community College in Great Bend, Kan. She is a communications major, and has played in 18 games this season, 34 games overall. She was sixth on the team this season in scoring.
Hatch (Stafford Springs, Conn.), a forward and defender, is a nursing major who has played in 39 career games, 14 this season.
Leber (Andover, Mass.), a defender, is a biology major who has come in off of the bench and played 19 career games for the Owls, six games this season.
SCSU head coach Adam Cohen wished the class nothing but the best in the future.
“I am really proud of the seniors for their years here with us,” Cohen said. “They are motivated, they have a great work rate and they are good people. We appreciate them.”
For the majority of them, this is their biggest and best season next to 2008, when the Owls went 12-5-2. This season, the Owls were a part of the school record with seven consecutive shutouts, tied with the 2000 team.
