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Eight Honored With All-Commonwealth Awards; Hench POY
Posted: 11/10/2009
More Women's Soccer news
Messiah's post-season honorees were (from top left to right): Junior Erin Hench, senior Amanda Naehrer, junior Molly Bletz, junior Joanna Haqq, senior Katlyn Musser, junior Molly Bletz, junior Katie Hoffsmith and freshman Corinne Wulf.

Annville, PA — On the verge of the program’s 10th straight trip to the NCAA Tournament, the Messiah College women’s soccer team was honored by the Middle Atlantic Conference Tuesday, posting seven All-Commonwealth Conference selections as well as the league’s rookie of the year and player of the year awards.

Junior Erin Hench was named the Commonwealth Player of the Year while freshman Corinne Wulf earned Commonwealth Rookie of the Year honors, as Hench recorded her third straight season of being named to first-team all-league status.

Seniors Amanda Naeher and Carey Cortese joined Hench with first-team accolades, as did junior Joanna Haqq. Senior Katlyn Musser, junior Molly Bletz and junior Katie Hoffsmith rounded off Messiah’s honorees, all being selected to second team all-conference honors.

Perhaps no award was so deserving as that of Hench’s, as the Carlisle, Pa. native effectively swapped places with Naeher — last season’s C'Wealth Player of the Year and NCAA Division III National Player of the Year.

True, Naeher again ran away with several statistical gems, leading both Messiah and the Commonwealth Conference in goals scored (25), points (60) and shots (102). But Hench’s presence was ubiquitous, as the sturdy forward scored 14 goals of her own — second best behind Naeher in the league — while dishing out a conference-best 13 assists.

Eleven of those helpers went directly to Naeher, as the duo again formed perhaps the greatest one-two punch in both Messiah and Commonwealth Conference history: As of the award date, Hench stands just four assists away from becoming Messiah’s all-time leader in the category while Naeher — in just three seasons of play — has already shattered the program’s career goal-scoring tally at 70.

With those two putting up ridiculous numbers up front, several other Falcons’ attacking players feasted on preoccupied defenses. Haqq earned her first all-conference honor with deft play on the wing, scoring eight goals and dishing out four assists with technical precision.

Wulf, meanwhile, provided Messiah with an unrelenting presence both on the flank and up top, scoring nine goals and dishing out nine assists — numbers second only to Naeher and Hench.

Often overlooked by fans, Messiah’s defense was again well-represented on the all-conference docket, led by senior Carey Cortese’s second straight first-team appearance. Bletz also earned her second consecutive all-conference award, while Hoffsmith garnered her first all-league honor. The scrappy right defensive back stepped into the attacking third to post five assists on the year; Bletz dished out four from the left side.

Collectively, Messiah’s defense recorded 15 shut outs on the year while allowing just five goals — far and away conference bests in both categories.

Musser, meanwhile, collected her fourth straight all-conference award following a stellar career in both the mid and backfield, helping to organize the Messiah attack throughout. While Musser’s numbers have never been astounding — one career goal, eight career assists — the proof of her work can be seen in Messiah’s win-loss record: In games Musser has played, the Falcons are 84-4-4 overall. She has started and played in every contest — save for one, due to illness — since arriving to Grantham, Pa. in the fall of 2006.

Messiah’s seven all-conference selections were one fewer than what the squad garnered in last season’s tally. The Falcons’ overall dominance was still well-noted, however, as Arcadia University posted the next highest amount of all-league selections with four.

Arcadia’s Rick Brownell earned Commonwealth Coach of the Year honors, helping the Knights to a 15-2-3 record overall and a league mark of 6-1 in his seventh year at the helm. Arcadia’s 15 wins were the most in any season under Brownell, while the two losses were the program’s fewest.

First Team All-Commonwealth
Player — Team — Pos. — Yr. — Hometown (High School)
Joanna Haqq — Messiah — Forward — Junior — Belchertown, MA (Belchertown)
Erin Hench — Messiah — Forward — Junior — Carlisle, PA (Carlisle)
Janelle Jablonski — Arcadia — Forward — Junior — Orchard Park, NY (Orchard Park)
Laura Wingert — Elizabethtown — Forward — Freshman — Hanover Twp, PA (Holy Redeemer)
Samantha Baer — Widener — Midfield — Senior — Lancaster, PA (Hempfield)
Katie O'Malley — Arcadia — Midfield — Junior — Coatesville, PA (Coatesville)
Amanda Naeher — Messiah — Midfield — Senior — Seymour, CT (Christian Heritage)
Amy Bunting — Elizabethtown — Defense — Freshman — Lancaster, PA (McCaskey)
Carey Cortese — Messiah — Defense — Senior — Lancaster, PA (Hempfield)
Brittany Drosdak — Arcadia — Defense — Sophomore — Allentown, PA (Allentown Central Catholic)
Jackie Law — Arcadia Goalie — Freshman — Scotch Plains, NJ (Scotch Plains-Fanwood)

Second Team All-Commonwealth
Player — Team — Pos. — Yr. — Hometown (High School)
Brittany Balentine — Widener — Forward — Sophomore — Medford, NJ (Shawnee)
Kati Shaner — Lycoming — Forward — Junior — Hughesville, PA (Highesville)
Nicole Snyder — Lebanon Valley — Forward — Freshman Hegins, PA (Tri Valley)
Emily Bainbridge — Lebanon Valley — Midfield — GR — Sinking Spring, PA (Wilson)
Kelly Fisher — Elizabethtown — Midfield — Junior — Harrisburg, PA (Bishop McDevitt)
Katlyn Musser — Messiah — Midfield — Senior — Columbia, PA (Hempfield)
Molly Bletz — Messiah — Defense — Junior — Carlisle, PA (Carlisle)
Jessie Furia — Widener — Defense — Junior — Morton, PA (Springfield)
Katie Hoffsmith — Messiah — Defense — Junior — Manheim, PA (Manheim Central)
Kristie Potteiger — Albright — Defense — Freshman — Reading, PA (Muhlenberg)
Kari Shaner — Lycoming — Defense — Junior — Hughesville, PA (Hughesville)
Olivia Giuliano — Albright — Goalie — Sophomore — Nutley, NJ (Nutley)
Kirsten Kelley — Alvernia — Goalie — Junior — Kirkwood, PA (Bishop Shanahan)

PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Erin Hench, Messiah
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Corinne Wulf, Messiah
COACH OF THE YEAR: Rick Brownell, Arcadia