Second Half Sullies Opener for Women´s Soccer

The Rattlers dropped their season opener to Central Oklahoma on Friday. (Photo by Antonio Morano)

SAN ANTONIO — St. Mary’s started against the top of the competition in its season opener Friday, falling to the No. 16th-ranked team in the nation, University of Central Oklahoma, 3-0 at the NISD Soccer Field.

Despite honing a national rank, Central Oklahoma (1-0) was evenly matched with the Rattlers (0-1) throughout the first half, as St. Mary’s (0-1) responded to an early Bronco goal with a spark from one of its newest members, Sam Lara (Fr., San Antonio), netting her first collegiate goal three minutes before halftime. 

But the Broncos pulled away in the second, silencing the stalemate by finding the goal twice more to end the game 3-1.

Taking the field for the first time as a Rattler, Lara eased into her role and potential as a scorer.

“At first I was nervous because it was my first game,” says Lara, who took three shots in Friday’s game. “But after some time I relaxed and knew what I had to do.”

The highlight of the Rattlers’ game in Lara’s goal was not unlike the goals of the Broncos, as Lara’s 20-foot shot tipped off goalie Meagan Burke’s hands before finding the back of the net. Like Lara, two of the three Bronco goals were unassisted and were scrambles at the net as saves turned to points against the Rattlers.

Keeper Paola Ostos (Jr., El Paso, Texas) initially saved the shot from Bronco Summer Grantham in the first half, but Grantham rebounded the deflected ball and found an open shot for Central Oklahoma’s first goal. The final Bronco goal resulted from a similar upset as Ostos pounded away Stephanie Fleig’s close call only to give Kate Foran a clear shot at the net.

Ostos totaled eight saves Friday in her 90 minutes of play. The Rattlers had seven shots on goal to the Broncos’ 11, with Emilie Snelson (Sr., Fairview, Texas), Leia Kirch (Sr., Carrollton, Texas), Annia Olivares (Sr., El Paso, Texas), Leah Snelson (Jr., Dallas) and Ashleigh Wells (Jr., Dalla) all having one shot on goal apiece. Lara ended the day with two.

Finding her way through the field in her first game as a Rattler, Lara found her chemistry with St. Mary’s as the team functions with both new and veteran players.

“It’s balanced,” says Lara. “We just have to know who plays well in certain areas.”

The Rattlers play their second game of the season against Wayland Baptist Saturday at the Northside Soccer Field at 11 a.m.

“We’re looking to bounce back,” Lara said.

St. Mary’s University, as a Catholic Marianist University, fosters the formation of people in faith and educates leaders for the common good through community service, integrated liberal arts and professional education, and academic excellence. The University has six athletic national titles: men’s basketball (1989–NAIA), baseball (2001–NCAA Div. II), softball (1986–NAIA and 2002–NCAA Div. II) and an individual national champion in men’s golf (2006–NCAA Div. II) and a national academic championship in men’s golf (2009–NCAA Div. II). St. Mary’s also had more than 40 percent of its athletes named to conference, regional and/or national honor rolls this past year. St. Mary’s student–athletes graduation rate is 65 percent, higher than the NCAA Division II average of 55 percent. To learn more about St. Mary's, visit www.stmarytx.edu/athletics.

    

Coaching Staff

Head Coach Corwyn Ritch

Corwyn Ritch enters his 12th year as the head coach of the St. Mary's women's soccer team needing just one more victory to reach career win No. 100.

Last season, Ritch coached a prominent team that made its way into the Heartland Conference Tournament as the third seed after an 8-8-2 record that included the berth of a star in the making in freshman Kaitie Kasperitis. Kasperitis scored a team-high 11 goals and 26 points on the season that earned her a chance to represent the Rattlers and the U.S. on the American National Soccer Team in Italy over the 2012 summer.

Along with Kasperitis' success, the Rattlers had five players receive All-Conference honors last season that included two players making First Team in returning forward Leah Snelson. Returning players Kasperitis, defender Ashlyn Leighton and midfielder Amanda Cardoza made the Second Team.

And Ritch did that after coming off one of the best coaching performances of his career in the 2010 season.

Taking an unheralded team that few outside of St. Mary's expected much from, Ritch led the 2010 Lady Rattlers team to double-digit victories, countless postseason honors, a victory over the nation's sixth-ranked team and a near berth in the regional tournament.

The Rattlers, boasting a squad heavy on freshmen, finished second in the Heartland Conference with an overall record of 10-6-2 on the season. It was their first 10-win season since 2006, and nearly enough to qualify for the South Central Region tournament.

Gaining confidence and rhythm as the season progressed, St. Mary's finished the year 9-2-2 over its final 13 games.

Ritch saw senior Carolina Hernandez make the Daktronics All-Region team, while Hernandez and fellow senior Melinda Gentry both made first-team All-Heartland Conference. Annia Olivares, Ashley Condrin and Andrea Gregg each were voted onto the second team. In addition, the Rattlers garnered eight Heartland Conference Player of the Week awards (five defensive, three offensive).

Ritch has helped the St. Mary's women's soccer program become one of the top programs in the Heartland Conference, posting a record of 99-92-19 (including the Heartland Conference title in 2002) since taking over the team in 2001. He has posted six winning seasons, all of which with double-digit win totals.

During his time in San Antonio, Ritch has helped to produce 44 All-Heartland Conference honorees, including one Player of the Year and one Goalkeeper of the Year.

Ritch earned Heartland Conference Coach of the Year honors in 2002 after his team went 13-7-1 and won the Heartland Conference Championship. In his first season as coach, he led the Rattlers to a 10-6-2 record and an appearance in the Heartland Tournament Championship. The team ranked as high as 23rd in the nation in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) polls and placed second in the Heartland Conference.

In 2007, Ritch enjoyed one of his best coaching jobs, leading the team to a 9-10-1 record, overcoming injuries that nearly crippled his team. The Rattlers lost seven starters over the course of the season and had both goalkeepers injured. Even so the Rattlers were still able to compete with the best in the South Central Region. They posted wins over Texas A&M-Commerce, Angelo State and nearly scored an upset of Division I Texas-El Paso, falling by just a 2-1 count. The Rattlers had five players earn All-Heartland recognition.

In 2005, the Rattlers went 13-6-1 and finished runner-up in the Heartland race. Kyle Hyslop, Kennie Boxill and Deann Lopez all earned All-Heartland Conference for their play.

In 2004, the Rattlers won the Heartland Conference regular season title and advanced to the tournament championship game thanks to a 10-8-2 overall record.

During the 2001 and 2002 seasons, Ritch also served as head coach for the Rattler men's soccer team and posted a 22-15-3 record during that time, including a pair of Heartland Conference finals appearances.

Ritch played for St. Mary's from 1990-1994. He earned a bachelor's degree in psychology at St. Mary's with a minor in chemistry. He has since acquired his United States Soccer Federation (USSF) National Coaching License.

Following his graduation, Ritch coached the men's club team at Our Lady of the Lake University and the boy's varsity team at Southwest High School in San Antonio. He has trained players in various age groups and settings including individual sessions, camps, and club teams. Ritch was the trainer for the San Antonio Strikers Soccer Club '84 and '85 teams as well as the Lady Lions '86 Club team. He was the assistant men's and women's soccer coach at St. Mary's for 2000 and is currently director of the Total Soccer Camp.

2012 St. Mary's Women's Soccer Roster