YSU soccer heading in right direction

YOUNGSTOWN — Youngstown State soccer team concluded the 2009 season under first-year head coach Will Lemke with promising results.

The Penguins finished the campaign with an overall record of 4-10-3 and a winning percentage of .324, the highest at the school in 10 seasons.

The Penguins were led this year by sophomore Kara Cooper, a Youngstown native and a Youngstown Christian High standout, who scored eight goals, including two game-winning overtime goals and finished the year ranked among the Horizon League leaders in several statistical categories.

Cooper ranked second in the conference in goals scored and goals per game (0.47). She was third in points per game (1.06) and tied for third in total points (18). Her point total also ties here for fourth place on the Penguins single-season list with Jen Argiro, who scored 18 back in 1997.

Cooper also ranked in the top 100 nationally with her per game average in goals of 0.47.

She helped the Penguins get off to one of the best starts in recent years when she helped them to a split in its opening two matches that included a 4-2 win over Howard. She was named the Horizon League Player of the week for her efforts.

Cooper wasn’t the only standout for the Penguins this season.

Junior Lauren Brennan from Springfield, Ill., scored two goals in 2009 and moved into sole possession of third place on the YSU career goals scored chart with 14. She needs three more to move into a tie for second place with Alicia Metz, who scored 17 goals from 1996-98.

Senior Mariah Snyder, a former Ursuline High standout, set the career records for shutouts with seven including two this season. Snyder shutout St. Francis, Pa., back on Sept. 27 in a 0-0 double-overtime game and then blanked Cleveland State 1-0 on Senior Day in the regular season home final at Stambaugh Stadium.

She finished the season ranked second in the Horizon League with 5.60 saves per game and also ended her career at YSU ranked fifth all-time with 200 saves.

Cooper’s two game-winning goals came against IPFW on Aug. 30 when she hit the net with just one second on the clock to give the Penguins a 2-1 victory. Her other game-winner was against Robert Morris on Sept. 20 when she took a pass from Brennan and freshman Olivia Dressler and beat the Colonials goalkeeper to notch the come-from-behind victory.

Brennen, who finished the season with five points, moved up the YSU career points chart into third place with 35. She needs four more points to move into a tie for second place with Metz, who scored 39 points in her career with the Penguins.

Senior Jordan Gapczynski finished her career at YSU ranked second on the YSU career shots list with 148. She also finished tied for sixth on the all-time goals scored list with eight.

The Penguins record really doesn’t indicate the outstanding season they completed.

YSU set a school record by playing in six overtime contests. The Penguins also set a record for the fewest losses in a season and probably most impressive was the fact that they only allowed two goals or less in 14 of the 17 games played this year.