D'Ambrosio Earns 100th Win with ECSU Women

Warriors top Johnson and Wales, 4-0

September 15, 2008

The Eastern Connecticut State University women’s soccer team scored twice in a span of eight minutes early in the second half and went on to a 4-0 non-conference victory over Johnson and Wales University Sunday afternoon at Thomas Nevers Field in Willimantic, Conn.

Chris D'Ambrosio

Eastern Connecticut State women's soccer coach Chris D'Ambrosio is 100-50-12 in his career.

For ninth-year head coach Chris D’Ambrosio, it was his 100th career coaching win.

“I think any kind of milestone like [100 wins] is good for the program. Personally, I don’t look at those kinds of things,” said D’Ambrosio. “The big picture is that we have good quality student-athletes who are strong academically, exhibit good citizenship, and have great athleticism. We’re certainly trying to teach the big picture by having our student-athletes going out in the world and making a difference in a positive light, not just athletically.”

D’Ambrosio was named head coach on a part-time basis in 2000 after serving two seasons as an assistant to former head coach Matt Paton. He has won or shared two regular-season Little East Conference titles and captured conference playoff championships in 2003 and 2005.

D’Ambrosio now stands at 100-50-12 in 162 matches for a program-best winning percentage of .654.

Seniors Nicole Gaudette and Meghan Ryczek put Eastern (4-1) in control by scoring less than eight minutes apart early in the second half, the goals giving the Warriors a 3-0 lead 15 minutes into the frame.

Now 13-0-3 in its last 16 matches at home, Eastern picked up its seventh straight win over Johnson and Wales (4-2).

Soon after freshman Jo-Ann Merheb had a goal disallowed due to an offside call, freshman Lauren Greeney scored the only goal of the first half in the 9th minute. Gaudette gave Eastern a 2-0 lead 15 minutes into the second half when she drove a free kick from the top of the box to the left of the Johnson and Wales wall inside the left post.

Ryczek scored shortly thereafter, and sophomore Alicia DeMaio recorded her first career point with an assist when Merheb beat Wildcat sophomore keeper Kory Blythe with 12 minutes left to round out the scoring.

Johnson and Wales freshman forward Samantha Reynolds left the game with a knee injury with 21:23 left. Reynolds has scored six of her team’s 16 goals to date. She took three of her team’s eight shots in the game, her one shot on net proving to be her team’s best chance. Midway through the first half, Reynolds was 1-on-1 with Eastern junior keeper Kim Church after collecting a long pass up the middle and splitting two defenders, but Church came up with the save to preserve Eastern’s 1-0 lead at that point.

Church, who combined on the shutout with freshman Theresa Pagnozzi, made her second outstanding save of the first half with 18 minutes left when she smothered a doorstep shot by junior Jennifer Paquin. Paquin was attempting to tuck a shot inside the left post after receiving a re-directed pass in the box from sophomore Colleen Marasco off a corner kick by freshman Caitlyn Albert.

Eastern opens conference play Saturday at Plymouth State University at 1 p.m.