Philadelphia, Pa. – (8/31/2018) – Head Coach Sandy Dickson and the Chestnut Hill College women's soccer team are determined to make a return to the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) Championship Tournament. A senior class that includes two-time Most Valuable Player (MVP) and captain Brianna Ferrell (Newtown Square, Pa.), as well as, midfielders Marikate O'Toole (Philadelphia, Pa.), Macailagh Smith (Red Bank, N.J.), and forward Molly Sullivan (Pasco, Wash.) will be charged with leading the Scarlet and Gold toward their postseason goal.
 
Ferrell anchors a backline that will set the standard for Chestnut Hill College. A deep and experienced unit, the defense also includes juniors Geena DiRugeris (Woodbury, N.J.), Elizabeth McCormick (Philadelphia, Pa.), Sabrina Shinkowitz (Stratford, N.J.), and Madison Slemmer (Hatboro, Pa.), as well as, a healthy class of freshmen in Zhanee Dimanche-Silva (Brockton, Mass.), Alyssa Fournier (Sanford, Fla.), Haley Oneill (Langhorne, Pa.), and Tayanis Torres (Villas, N.J.). After a solid high school career at Archbishop Ryan, Oneill help Ferrell lead the group from the center back position. As a midfielder, DiRugeris led Chestnut Hill College statistically in 2017, recording two goals and an assist for a five-point season.
 
Behind the defense, the Griffin goalkeeping unit includes junior Leah Peshkin (Haddon Heights, N.J.), sophomore transfer Paris Banks (Philadelphia, Pa.), and freshman Kayla Lombardi (South Amboy, N.J.). Peshkin offered a 2-6 record and made 85 saves on a 3.12 goal-against-average (GAA) and a .773 save percentage in 2017. Coach Dickson believes all three will compete for the starting position after a great preseason.
 
In the midfield, O'Toole and sophomores Gabby Fanfarillo (Glassboro, N.J.) and Marisa Murphy (Philadelphia, Pa.) will be responsible for transferring the ball to the offensive end. The experienced trio are joined by Smith and a host of freshmen; Carolyn Haskell (York, Pa.), Madison Taylor (Bensalem, Pa.), and the multifaceted Dimanche-Silva and Fournier. Another quality recruit from Archbishop Ryan, Taylor will likely join O'Toole, Fanfarillo, and Murphy in the starting midfield. Fanfarillo and Murphy both made an impact as a freshmen; the former finished the season as one of five Griffins with two goals, while the latter provided a goal and an assist (3 points).
 
At 5-10, Sullivan will be the Scarlet and Gold's primary target in the box. She provided eight points (3 goals, 2 assists) in her sophomore season (2016) and started in 14 of 15 contests during her junior campaign (2017). She will be flanked by freshmen Nicole Cirigliano (Mays Landing, N.J.) and Maddie Jimenez (Bensalem, Pa.). A versatile player, Jimenez hails from perennial high school powerhouse, Villa Joseph Marie. Also factoring into the forward unit are juniors Hannah Waugh (Jamison, Pa.) and Nicole Cahill (Glendora, N.J.), who transferred to Chestnut Hill College from Camden County Community College.

Chestnut Hill College will benefit from a bounty of exchangeable pieces in 2018 as Coach Dickson's lineup will feature several players who can have an impact at various positions. She will look to her seniors for leadership, as well as, some talented transfers, a couple promising sophomores, and a hungry freshman class to get the Griffins to the CACC postseason.
 
The journey starts tomorrow, Saturday, September 1, when Chestnut Hill College visits Roberts Wesleyan College for a 1:00 p.m. contest.