Women's Soccer Lands Three NE-10 All-Conference Selections; Savi Named to First Team
Links: NE-10 Release
NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. – Senior midfielder Jenna Savi (Dedham, Mass.) of the Merrimack College women's soccer team has been selected to the Northeast-10 All-Conference First Team to headline three all-conference selections for the Warriors, as announced by the league office Friday afternoon.
The three selections for the Warriors are the same number that team was honored with at the end of last season. Joining Savi on all-conference teams are fellow senior and captain Heather Hastbacka (Weston, Fla.), who was named to the second team, and freshman midifelder Gigi Guenther (Webster, Mass.), who was selected to the all-rookie squad after a solid first year as a Warrior.
"It is great to have three of our players recognized by the league's coaches," said head coach Gabe Mejail, "but it should not take away from the fact that we are such a 'team' in every sense of the word, and these three players represent us all. I am so happy for these three players being able to represent the hard work and dedication of all of their teammates."
This is Savi's second-consecutive all-conference honor and second of her career, as she was named to the all-league third team as a junior. The senior has capped off an illustrious career with a fantastic final season as she leads her team in goals (7), assists (12) and points (26). Her seven goals tie her career-high, while her 12 assists match her total from her previous three seasons combined. Her 12 assists also lead the NE-10, while her 26 points rank second in the conference. Savi is also a CoSIDA Academic All-District selection for the second year in a row. "Savi's recognition is a great accolade. We ran our offense through her, which was a great responsibility," noted Mejail. "She not only leads the team in goals and assists, but also works hard as a two-way player which makes her such a great asset."
Hastbacka garners all-conference honors for the first time in her career as the senior captain has served as a crucial part of the Warriors' backline, serving as the sweeper for the majority of the year. She has headlined a defensive unit that has a goals-against average of just 1.01 and has posted six shutouts. She has proven to be a top aerial defender on set pieces for opponents, and in three games missed this season with an injury her absence was heavily felt by her squad. The captain also netted her first-career goal this year in a win over LIU Post early in the season. "Heather is the backbone of our defense and has played more minutes than anyone on the team," said Mejail of his senior captain. "She handles tremendous pressure especially on defensive corner kicks and serves - often altering what other teams would do."
After a standout freshman season, Guenther is the second-consecutive Warrior to land a spot on the all-rookie team. The Webster, Massachusetts native posted three assists in the first six games of the season, and has since added three goals for nine points on the year. While her scoring line is solid for a rookie campaign, the numbers don't reflect the spark of energy Guenther gives her squad when she steps on the field with her aggressive style of play. She also ranks second on the team this season with 33 shots. "Gigi was an immediate impact player in our midfield - playing high pressure situations and providing great offensive support to our forwards," stated Mejail. "She has been a great addition to the team."
The fifth-seeded Warriors ready for their matchup at 12th-ranked and first-seeded Adelphi in Garden City, N.Y. on Friday night in the NE-10 Semifinals. Kickoff is set for 7:00 p.m.
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