Best GameWomen's soccer falls to Endicott 1-1, 6-5 in penalty kicks
At the halfway point of their season, the Knights were 5-4-1 overall and 0-3-1 in conference play. Somehow, however, the team picked itself up and didn't lose another game for the rest of the year.
After upsetting top-seeded Oneonta and defeating Cortland to win the SUNYAC championship, Geneseo earned an automatic bid to their first NCAA tournament in 15 years and traveled to Pennsylvania to take on Endicott College.
Despite a barrage of offense the Knights were unable to find the back of the net in the first half. They outshot Endicott 24-9 yet Endicott's goalie was fantastic, making 11 saves, five of them in overtime.
With just over 10 minutes left in the game senior Eileen Coyle scored her 13th goal of the year to give the Knights the lead. Coyle redirected a pass from fellow senior Stephanie Bergin and slipped it by the goalkeeper. That lead was short-lived, however, as Endicott tied it up just 58 seconds later.
The teams traded shots throughout both overtime periods and the game came down to penalty kicks - Endicott prevailed, 6-5. Saturday night's showdown went eight shooters deep for each side before freshman Caitlin Peters put home the Gulls' sixth penalty kick to secure the win.
Honorable Mention:
Women's tennis wins SUNYACs, 9-0; Men's soccer defeats SUNY Oswego, 3-2, in overtime; Men and women's cross-country win SUNYAC championship.
Best Male AthleteLee Berube, Sophomore, cross-country
Berube led the charge this year for Geneseo's cross-country team, which has been ranked as high as fourth in the nation. The Knights won the SUNYAC championship for the first time since 2005 behind Berube's first-place finish in a course record of 25 minutes, 12.70 seconds as Geneseo upset Cortland. This was the third instance this season that Berube won the individual title at a meet, including a win at the Penn State Invitational against a crowd of Division I runners.
Along with being named SUNYAC Runner of the Week twice this fall, Berube was named to the first team All-SUNYAC and was inducted in to the SUNYAC Cross-Country Hall of Fame. He also placed fourth overall in the 2009 Atlantic Regional Meet and will be a big part of Geneseo's effort at the NCAA meet later this fall.
Honorable Mention:
Senior Tim Chichester, cross-country; sophomore Colin Begy, soccer; senior Joe Mort, soccer.
Best Female AthleteEileen Coyle, Senior, Soccer
The women's soccer team had a historic year this fall, winning the SUNYAC championship for the first time since 1994 before falling in first round of the NCAA tournament. This was in no small part due to the offensive prowess of Coyle, who led the team with 13 goals this year, including seven game-winning shots. Coyle had two games with at least two goals each and scored in nine of the team's 14 wins. She also added the lone goal for the Knights in their season-ending loss to Endicott College in the NCAA regional match.
Honorable Mention:
Sophomore Monica Vieth, tennis; senior Sandra Goettelman, cross-country; junior Krista Frieling, volleyball.
Best Freshman (Male)Robert Loccisano, Men's soccer
Despite only being a freshman, Loccisano immediately became a large part of the defensive effort on the men's soccer team. This season he played in 15 of the team's 18 games and started in 12 of them. Loccisano's lone goal of the year was a thriller, as he headed in a long kick from senior Joe Mort to take the lead in the Knights 3-1 victory over SUNY Oneonta. Loccisano, who didn't play in the first three games of the year, entered as a substitute in Geneseo's 1-0 win against Clarkson. He became the team's lone freshman starter just two games later.
Honorable Mention:
Tim Chambers, cross-country; Alex Stephan, soccer.
Best Freshman (Female)Laura Galvin, Volleyball
The women's volleyball team made a 180-degree turn from last year's 10-24 record and Galvin was a driving force behind this change. Galvin garnered numerous honors this season, including 2009 first team All-SUNYAC and SUNYAC West Rookie of the Year, while on her way to help the team double last year's win total as they finished 20-17. A big part of this was Galvin's play on the court, as she finished second on the team with 543 assists. With the departure of the team's assist leader, senior Maddy Maler, Galvin will take a center stage for the Knights next fall as they look to make it back to the SUNYAC playoffs.
Honorable Mention:
Sarah Shields, volleyball; Marissa Liberati, cross-country; Brigid Heenan, cross-country.