MU’s Women’s Soccer seniors posing on Senior Day.
@JASPERWSOC / INSTAGRAM
By Isaiah Rosario, Staff Writer
Manhattan University’s women’s soccer 2024 season was certainly one for the record books as the Jaspers had their best full season since 2017 when they went 10-7-3 overall and 6-2-2 in MAAC play.
The team was able to make it to their first MAAC Championship since the 2020-21 season. MU lost to Rider in the quarterfinals 2-1. This year was certainly different as they defeated Siena 1-0 following a goal by Olivia McMaster with 76 seconds left. This win was the Jaspers first playoff win since 2017.
Sami Derrico commented on the memorable moments from the match and how the Jaspers improved this time.
“I think if you ask most of the girls are probably going to say [their favorite memory was] the Siena game the second time around, because the first time, we were not having a good game, it was a rough game,” Derrico said. “We did not show up as a team, and then to come back and beat them one nothing in a game with one minute left, I’m just going to hang on to forever … I think that was one of the best games we’ve played all year, with all of us all together … that was our championship game.”
Despite not getting the result they were looking for in the semi-finals against Fairfield, head coach Brendan Lawler is still proud of what his team was able to accomplish this year. Emotions were certainly prevalent against Fairfield for Lawler as he saw his group of seniors walk off the pitch for the last time.
“I’m proud of the seniors, proud of the way they came in as freshmen when they were being recruited in a pandemic when I couldn’t even watch them play, and they couldn’t see the campus,” Lawler said. “They were really leading us all year. Anytime you get double-digit wins, anytime you win a playoff game and anytime, you get players on all-MAAC teams, trusting the process of believing in what we were preaching and reaping the rewards from it. We were very happy, very proud.”
The current women’s soccer seniors include Corrine Jackson, Maddie Feller, Sami Derrico (Redshirt senior), Brooke Zimmer, Makena Ward, Nicolette Caneda, Ianah Mackey (Redshirt senior), Julia Nicholas and Amrit Arora.
Derrico was a standout player offensively this year as she had seven goals on the season with four assists. Derrico totaled sevent goals with the Jaspers.
On the other side of the ball, the standout for the Jaspers defensively was the backline anchored by MU goalie Molly Brunk. Brunk tallied 10 clean sheets for the Jaspers this season, which was the most by Jasper goalie since the 2015 season.
“This year our team defense, our communication was just on top,” Brunk said about the Jaspers’ defense. “I felt like there was not any miscommunication at all between us. We were working as a single movement together, and all of us were going to go one way or the other. I think that the communication, and especially the chemistry is there. I think all of us were like ‘We’re not going to get scored on this year. This year, this is going to be really good.’ I think that chemistry and communication, being able to work together really just set us apart from other defenses in the MAAC.”
Another high point of the season for the Jaspers was getting the first iteration of the Stowell Bowl. MU’s Kaylee Stowell had the opportunity to play her twin sister Megan Stowell for the first time, as she is a forward on Siena. Moments like those are what made this season special for the Jaspers.
Siblings have played a vital role in the success of this Jasper program. Derrico, a transfer from UConn, was struggling at her previous university. Her sister Emily Derrico, who is on the women’s lacrosse team at MU, insisted Sami take a visit to MU. The rest is history, as the university gave Derrico some of her best friends and moments she has had thus far.
“This program just means a lot, especially coming from a program that did not treat me well,” Derrico said. “ I don’t want any of the girls to take it for granted. I’ve told them over and over again, that we are so lucky to have the chemistry that we do and the support that we do, whether it be from the school, the admin, our coaches, but even just each other, that was the biggest thing. So I did not take any piece of it for granted. And I’m really happy that I chose here because it gave me some of the greatest joys of my life so far.”
This season is just a precursor for what is to come for this program, as Brunk believes that the program has unfinished business.
“We made it to the semi-final, I think next year we’re trying to push to finals and prove something that we left on the field,” Brunk said. “Obviously Fairfield was an upset that we lost but I think it just gives us something to attack more in the future, and I can’t wait to keep using my leadership skills and keep continuing this fantastic team chemistry that we have.”