Polido Named 1st Team All League, 2nd Team All Region

by: 

Tara Freeman

Katherine Polido was named second team All Region

Six members of St. Lawrence University's 2009 women's soccer team earned Liberty League all conference recognition in voting by the league's coaches and sophomore defender Katherine Polido was named to the NSCAA East Region second team.

Polido was a first team All Liberty League choice while seniors Becca Townsend and Rachel Doucette were named to the second team. Sophomores Marcelle Justison and Abby van Geldern and first-year Stephanie Sayward were accorded honorable mention status.

Polido, who took many of the Saint corner kicks during the 2009 season, had seven assists in addition to turning in outstanding play as a defender. She was also one of eight Saints to earn Liberty League All Academic honors for 2009, which requires a cumulative grade point average of 3.2 or higher and sophomore or higher academic standing.

Townsend earned All Liberty League second team honors for the second straight year and was a key player for the Saints as their center midfielder. The senior was the third leading scorer for the Saints with five goals and three assists and had two game-winning goals. She also scored on two penalty kicks. She is also a member of the All Academic team.

Doucette was a four-year starter for the Saints and a key defender at center back. She scored her first collegiate goal in a 1-1 tie with RIT and did not miss a start as a senior. She was also an All Academic team member.

Justison scored five goals and assisted on two others in her sophomore season and had two game winning goals. Three of her goals and an assist came in conference play.

Sayward was a candidate for league Rookie of the Year and had an outstanding first collegiate season, scoring six goals and assisting on seven others to lead the Saints in scoring with 19 points. She was also the leading SLU scorer in league play with three goals and three assists for nine points.

Goalkeeper van Geldern earned honorable mention status for the second straight season and finished the year with a 1.01 goals against average, an 84.4 percent save percentage and five shutouts. Her 101 saves led all Liberty League goaltenders.

Other Saint players named to the All Academic squad included seniors Courtney Hendrick and Megan Howard and sophomores Renee Hilbrunner, Devon Shatkin and Kirsten Newton.