July 27, 2010

TAMPA, Fla. - Samford's Alyssa Whitehead was officially named to the All-Conference Team of the prestigious United Soccer League's W-League on Tuesday as the Bulldogs' 6-foot-3 goalkeeper proved to be the lone representative of the Charlotte Lady Eagles on the Eastern Conference squad.

Whitehead competed this summer for the Charlotte Lady Eagles and played almost every minute of her team's 10 games of the regular season, allowing only four goals to finish the 2010 campaign with a goals-against average of 0.41.

After one of the most competitive seasons in its history the United Soccer League's W-League has announced its 2010 All-Conference Teams, featuring some of the top young women's soccer talent in the world. The W-League All-Conference Teams were selected through a vote of team management.

Highlighting the Eastern Conference Team was Hudson Valley Quickstrike's midfield tandem of Gabriela Demoner and Alicia Tirelli. With nine goals and seven assists between them, Demoner and Tirelli were a large part of Hudson Valley's 11-1-0 record and regular season championship. The Lady Blues earned an automatic spot in this weekend's 2010 W-League Championship presented by Umbro in Santa Clarita, California.

Also featured on the Eastern Conference team are Goals-Against Average Champion Whitehead of the Charlotte Lady Eagles and league Rookie of the Year candidate Rashidah Sherman of the New York Magic.

Whitehead, a native of Hattiesburg, Miss., will be a junior at Samford in the fall. Last season, she helped lead the Bulldogs to a school-record 12-1-5 overall record and a semifinal appearance in the 2009 Southern Conference Tournament.

Additionally, Whitehead earned Third-Team National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) All-Southeast Region honors last season and finished the campaign ranked first in the nation in goals-against average (0.31) and third in the nation in save percentage (0.91). She only allowed a total of six goals on 169 shots faced and received First-Team All-SoCon accolades.

Whitehead also played a major role in the Bulldogs' defense that finished the season ranked first in the nation in both goals-against average (0.31) and save percentage (0.92).

The 2010 Central Conference team was led by a pair of Buffalo Flash stars who have already taken home league scoring awards and will be looking for more hardware at this weekend's championship. Midfielder Kelly Parker led the W-League in goals and points, while forward Veronica Boquete finished as the league Assist Leader.

The Ottawa Fury, edged out in the conference playoff final by Buffalo, placed an impressive four players on the Central Conference team: defenders Marie-Eve Nault and Aivi Luik, and forwards Jodie Taylor and Amber Hearn.

The Western Conference champion Vancouver Whitecaps were represented equally as well on the Western Conference team, with their group of four honorees led by league MVP candidate Melissa Tancredi. Tancredi led the defense-oriented Western Conference with 11 points in nine games as the Whitecaps stayed undefeated at 6-0-4.

The two-time W-League champion Pali Blues, who were sent home by Vancouver in the conference final, placed two players on the Western Conference team - defender Christie Shaner and midfielder Cathrine Paaske-Sorensen.

Whitehead and the Samford University soccer team will begin play in its 2010 campaign on Aug. 12 at 7 p.m., as the Bulldogs square off against the Belmont Bruins in an exhibition contest to be held at Bulldog Field.

2010 United Soccer League's
W-LEAGUE - All-Conference Teams

Eastern Conference
GK, Alyssa Whitehead, Charlotte Lady Eagles
D, Sue Weber, Long Island Rough Riders
D, Gabriella Toulouse, Washington Freedom Futures
D, Leigh Victory, North Jersey Valkyries
D, Jasmine Johnson, Tampa Bay Hellenic
MF, Megan Tomlinson, Atlanta Silverbacks
MF, Gabriela Demoner, Hudson Valley Quickstrike Lady Blues
MF, Alicia Tirelli, Hudson Valley Quickstrike Lady Blues
F, Rashidah Sherman, New York Magic
F, Katie Ryan, New Jersey Rangers
F, Omolyn Davis, Washington Freedom Futures

Central Conference
GK, Justine Bernier, Toronto Lady Lynx
D, Marie-Eve Nault, Ottawa Fury
D, Aivi Luik, Ottawa Fury
D, Pascale Pinard, Laval Comets
D, Kim Brandao, Buffalo Flash
MF, Kelly Parker, Buffalo Flash
MF, Kara Kabellis, Chicago Red Eleven
MF, Brooke Barbuto, Rochester Ravens
F, Jodie Taylor, Ottawa Fury
F, Amber Hearn, Ottawa Fury
F, Veronica Boquete, Buffalo Flash

Western Conference
GK, Katie Hultin, Seattle Sounders
D, Christie Shaner, Pali Blues
D, Sarah Wagenfuhr, Colorado Rush
D, Martina Franko, Vancouver Whitecaps
D, Robyn Gayle, Vancouver Whitecaps
MF, Justi Baumgardt-Yamada, Seattle Sounders
MF, Sophie Schmidt, Vancouver Whitecaps
MF, Cathrine Paaske-Sorensen, Pali Blues
F, Melissa Tancredi, Vancouver Whitecaps
F, Cherelle Khassal, Santa Clarita Blue Heat
F, Jodi-Ann Robinson, Vancouver Whitecaps