Locals Abound on WPSL East List

Area Players Earn League Recognition

July 30, 2009

SACRAMENTO, CA – Four players from local teams made the WPSL All-East First Team, announced on Wednesday. while seven more players with local ties were recognized in some way.

New England Mutiny midfielder Jenny Maurer and defender Karen Gurnon along with Bozton Aztec midfielder/forward Sophia Mundy and goalkeeper Ashley Phillips made the All-East First Team.

Meanwhile Boston College women’s soccer players Alyssa Pember and Kelly Henderson, both of which play for the Long Island Fury, also made the First Team.

Jenny Maurer

The Mutiny's Jenny Maurer made the WPSL East First Team

Pember, along with the Fury's dynamic forward Vicki DiMartino, sister of former BC player Gina DiMartino, shared the East Player of the Year honors. Vicki DiMartino is second in scoring in the WPSL while Pember’s defensive performance from the latter during Long Island's last six matches has drawn rave reviews from her home team & opponent alike.

With seven shutouts and just five goals allowed in 10 matches, the Astec’s Phillips earned Co- East Goalkeeper of the Year honors with Joy Shaiebly of the Lancaster Inferno - who ironically, foiled the Aztecs in a WPSL East playoff victory.

The Boston honorees in Phillips, Sophia Mundy and last year’s East Player of the Year Mary-Frances Monroe, who made just the East Second Team this year all have connections with the Boston Breakers of Women's Professional Soccer (WPS): Phillips signed a developmental contract in the pre-season while the play of Mundy & Monroe during the regular season earned them contracts & call-ups with the WPS side.

Besides Monroe, also making the Second Team was Bay State Select forward Jen Leaverton, midfielder Jenna Roncarati and SoccerPlus CT forward Keriann Welch and midfielder Becky Ryan.

009 ALL-EAST FIRST TEAM
F Vicki DiMartino (LONG ISLAND FURY)
F Katie Ryan (MILLBURN MAGIC)
F/MF Sophia Mundy (BOSTON AZTECS)
MF Kelly Henderson (LONG ISLAND FURY)
MF Jenny Maurer (NEW ENGLAND MUTINY)
MF Mandy Moraca (PHILADELPHIA LIBERTY)
MF Megan Monroig (LANCASTER INFERNO)
MF Laura Burnett-Kurie (ADIRONDACK LYNX)
D Alyssa Pember (LONG ISLAND FURY)
D Lina Staropoli (MILLBURN MAGIC)
D Karen Gurnon (NEW ENGLAND MUTINY)
GK Ashley Phillips (BOSTON AZTECS)

2009 ALL-EAST SECOND TEAM
F Jen Leaverton (BAY STATE SELECT)
F Keriann Welch (SOCCERPLUS CT)
F/MF Anabel Jimenez (TSC MARYLAND PRIDE)
MF Mary-Frances Monroe (BOSTON AZTECS)
MF Becky Ryan (SOCCERPLUS CT)
MF Stephanie Barrett (NEW YORK A.C.)
MF Laura Kurash (MILLBURN MAGIC)
MF Jenna Roncarati (BAY STATE SELECT)
D Alaina Beyar (LONG ISLAND FURY)
D Jamie Zimmerman (PHILADELPHIA LIBERTY)
D Courtney Fedge (NEW YORK A.C.)
GK Joy Shaiebly (LANCASTER INFERNO)

Coach Of The Year: Paul Riley (LONG ISLAND FURY)
Player Of The Year: Vicki DiMartino & Alyssa Pember (LONG ISLAND FURY)
Goalkeeper Of The Year: Ashley Phillips (BOSTON AZTECS) & Joy Shaiebly (LANCASTER INFERNO)