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Another proud moment for NHBFC
Rookie of the Year -- Nicole Montoya
Going into the season, things were looking a little unsettled at the backline for the Binghamton University of New York women’s soccer team.
Gone was first team all-conference defender and team captain Meghan Taylor, as was solid starter Vicky Vernicek. In Pipe Dream’s season preview back in August, head coach Jeff Leightman put it best:
“Defensively … it’s still a mystery.”
But after watching the Bearcat defense compile eight shutouts and 1.18 goals against average, it seems the mystery was solved.
And Nicole Montoya was a big part of that defense. Starting alongside Kate Kerrigan and Erica Eddy in all but one game last season, Montoya helped put aside any notion that the Bearcat defense had downgraded from the year before.
The Bearcats allowed only nine goals in the final 14 games of the season. If you take away the first four games of the year, three losses and one tie amid a sluggish start, that goals against average drops to 0.64.
The America East rewarded Montoya for her efforts by naming her to the All-Rookie team — the only defender to make the list.
And she deserved it.
Much was expected from the offense this year, but the Bearcats struggled on the offensive side of the ball this season. And with the offense sputtering, the defense stepped up big time. The Bearcats won 1-0 four times on the strength of strong defense and good play by goaltender Kristie Bowers.
The defense also helped the team rebound after dropping the first two conference games by allowing just one goal over the next five games, propelling them to the No. 4 seed in the America East Tournament.
In a recent interview with bubearcats.com, Montoya said she was shocked about being named to the All-Rookie team, but that her teammates weren’t.
Her teammates understood how important Montoya and the backline were, and so does Pipe Dream. That is why our staff has voted the Long Beach, Calif., native our 2007 Pipe Dream Rookie of the Year.
Montoya now joins Jacki Kane and Katie Radzik in the pantheon of past ROYs. Both Kane and Radzik were finalists for Female Player of the Year last season, and Radzik is a favorite to win the award this year.
Will the future prove to be as successful for Montoya as it has been for the past winners? The soccer team certainly hopes so. While Montoya, Eddy and Kerrigan will return next season, goaltender Kristie Bowers will not, so once again the Bearcat backline will have its work cut out for it.
