The start of the 2014 soccer season is just one week away and as part of our preview, we have compiled a list of girls’ soccer players that will be worth watching in the Hockomock League this season. The players are listed alphabetically by last name.
Kristen Bortolotti, Foxboro - Sophomore Forward
Another player that made an instant impact in her freshman season, Bortolotti scored a host of goals on her way to being named to the HockomockSports.com Best XI in 2013. She is speedy, has great size, and can score goals in a variety of ways. She is not just a goal poacher, however. She is capable of stepping away from the defenders to collect the pass and can operate in that hole between the forward and the midfield, which is a difficult cover for opposing defenders. Her awareness of space and ability to get open is way beyond her one year of varsity experience.
Francesca Calabraro, Oliver Ames - Sophomore Forward/Midfielder
Calabraro stormed onto the scene last season as the latest in a long line of talented OA players. As a freshman, she showed a senior’s awareness of space and could be both a playmaker and a finisher. Unlike most young players, Calabraro was relaxed in possession and also could deliver the dagger pass to open up a defense. OA coach Britt Sellmayer said that he expects a big jump from the sophomore, as the game has slowed down for her, which is a scary thought for Hockomock opponents.
Nicole Chretien, North Attleboro - Senior Forward
Chretien will lead the line for the Rocketeers this season and her speed is crucial to North’s transition game. She has a solid shot and finds ways to get open in the box, which allows her to be a finisher when the ball is played out to her opposite forward Hana Caster. Chretien also has a motor that doesn’t seem to quit, which constantly puts pressure on the opposing defense. That pressure is important both when North has the ball and when she is defending from the front.
Taylor Cogliano, Franklin - Senior Forward/Midfielder
The defending HockomockSports.com Player of the Year and Hockomock MVP returns for her senior season and will once again be one of the most creative and skillful players in the league. Combining a low center of gravity, confidence and patience on the ball, and the ability to read the spaces in the defense, Cogliano is able to be a playmaker for the Panthers array of attackers and also the lead forward. Her versatility is perfect for Franklin’s system and she steps up in big moments as her play in each of the last two state tournaments attests.
Hailee Duserick, Canton - Senior Defender
The Canton senior is on her way to a Division I college next season thanks to her ability to read attacks and snuff out the danger. Duserick is a speedy defender and can stay with just about any forward in the league, but she can also be physical when needed. She is also a leader from the back, which will be crucial with the Bulldogs incorporating a number of underclassmen into this year’s squad. Her ability to read the game allows her to direct her teammates and ensure the entire back line is secure. She also became something of a set piece specialist for the Bulldogs last season with several goals and assists on dead ball situations.
Erin Grimes, Attleboro - Senior Defender/Midfielder
Grimes is one of the more talented on the ball defenders in the league and that is the reason why Attleboro coach Steve Santos has also used her quite a bit in the midfield. She has the physicality to get stuck into a challenge but then also has the ability to pick up her head and make a dangerous pass. Grimes reads attacks well at the back and in the midfield and makes Attleboro a tough team to break down. Her versatility makes her very valuable
to the Bombardiers and a player that is hard to pin down for opponents.
Julia Masionis, Milford - Senior Forward
Masionis has the unique ability to make an inch of space and turn it into a dangerous opportunity. She only needs a hint of space to unleash a shot and has the strength to score from distance, which makes her a threat anywhere near the 18. She also has the speed to attack defenders on the dribble or make the dangerous run across goal for a finish. Teams always have to keep an eye on where she is and that can also open space for Milford’s talented midfielders.
Molly Shield, Mansfield - Senior Defender
A member of last season’s HockomockSports.com Best XI defense, Shield returns for her senior season for the Hornets. She is a strong and mobile defender that is difficult to beat with speed and can be dominant in the air as both a fullback and in the center of defense. Shield is capable of sweeping up behind her teammates and also able to step up into midfield to pressure attackers and spark the Hornets offense. In addition, Shield can also be a threat on set pieces both as a target and as the taker.
Victoria Stowell, Franklin - Junior Midfielder
It is hard to select just one or two Franklin players for this list, but the returning Underclassman of the Year is the fulcrum in the midfield on which the Panthers build their attacks. She finds little spaces in which to collect the ball and has no problem taking a pass in traffic and then finding the right pass to spring Franklin forward. She is capable of the short pass to keep the ball and the audacious (her assist for the equalizer against Feehan being the perfect example). Although far from the biggest midfielder in the league, Stowell is not afraid of stepping into a tackle and is not easy to push off the ball when in possession. That combination offers freedom for Taylor Cogliano to play in the space behind the striker and for the wingers to get forward on the outside.
Kayla Wentworth, Taunton - Junior Goalkeeper
Numbers don't always tell the whole story and that's definitely the case for Kayla Wentworth. The Tigers allowed plenty of goals last season, but the number would have been much higher if it wasn't for the excellent play of Wentworth. Wentworth consistently battled, no matter the score, and seemed to always come up with big saves. She has good reaction time and is quick off her line to challenge strikers.