Harford Women’s Soccer Boasts 12-Player Incoming Class

From the HCC sports desk:

BEL AIR, Md.—Twelve players make up the incoming class for the Harford women’s soccer team and have signed National Letters of Intent or have committed to play for the Fighting Owls beginning with the 2009 season, the Harford women’s soccer coaching staff announced recently.

Kaylee Smith (Perry Hall, Md./Perry Hall), a returning player from the 2006 Fighting Owls squad which went to the NJCAA National Tournament, highlights the incoming sophomores, while transfers Lyndsie Ludwig (Bel Air, Md./C. Milton Wright/Wilmington) and Beth Novak (Abingdon, Md./Bel Air/Stevenson) round out the group. Ludwig picked up a First-Team All-Harford County nod in 2007, while Novak totaled seven points (3g, 1a) for the Mustangs last season.

Penelope Fantis (Fallston, Md./Fallston), a 2008 First-Team All-Harford County selection by The Aegis, leads the incoming freshman after helping Fallston to a runner-up finish in the 3A state finals. Fantis also picked up All-County honors from The Baltimore Sun, UCBAC First-Team All-Chesapeake Division and DigitalSports.com All-Baltimore Metro Honorable Mention accolades and was named to the All-County teams her sophomore and junior years as well. The midfielder tallied 19 points (10g, 9a) during the 2008 season to help lead the Cougars to a 17-1 record, its first loss of the season coming against Bethesda-Chevy Chase in the state championship.

Fellow Cougar teammate Erin Lynn (Fallston, Md./Fallston) will join Fantis and the Fighting Owls in the fall after picking up First-Team All-County honors from The Aegis and an UCBAC First-Team All-Chesapeake Division nod for the 2008 season, posting 21 points (13g, 9a) as a forward for the Cougars.

The Fighting Owls will add two award winners from the UCBAC Susquehanna Division, led by First-Team All-Susquehanna Division honoree LaTashia Thomas (Edgewood, Md./Joppatowne), the Mariners 2009 forward captain. Thomas tallied nine points (6g, 3a) on the season and was named to the All-Harford County Honorable Mention squad by The Aegis, while Kellie Zionkowski (Colora, Md./Rising Sun) rounds out the UCBAC award winners with a Second-Team All-Susquehanna Division nod after playing defense for the Tigers.

“[Head coach] Jason [Muffoletto] recruits great talent,” assistant coach Dana Casey said. “We are very excited for the upcoming 2009 season. We have a strong group of incoming freshman and a few very talented transfers that will complete our team.”

Alexa Carlevaro (Bel Air, Md./C. Milton Wright) will bring some high-level playing experience to the Owl squad in 2009 after playing on the varsity Mustang team which claimed the 4A state championship in 2005 and made it to the 4A finals in 2007. Carlevaro also picked up All-Harford County Honorable Mention honors from The Aegis in both 2007 and 2008.

Hakima Amerg (Elkton, Md./Rising Sun) will join Tigers teammate Zionkowski with Harford next year, while the Mercy Magic will see two players on the Fighting Owls squad in Mary Czarski (Bel Air, Md./Mercy) and Cierra Stinson (Nottingham, Md./Mercy).

Harford sophomore Erica Bizzell (Bel Air, Md./Redeemer Classical) rounds out the nine-player incoming class for the 2009 season. Bizzell spent two years as a member of the Harford volleyball team, where she earned NJCAA Region XX All-Tournament honors in 2007 and finished the 2008 season second on the team with 26.0 total blocks, was tied for second with 13 solo blocks and 13 assisted blocks and was third with an average of 0.42 blocks per set.