Farinella and Chernyakhovsky Named Defensive Player and Rookie of the Year; Five Lady Bears Named All-Independent
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – The Association of Division III Independents (AD3I) announced the 2012 Women's Soccer All-Independent Teams and five Lady Bears were recognized with two taking top honors as junior Nicole Farinella (East Patchogue, NY/Bellport HS) was selected as Defensive Player of the Year and Pamela Chernyakhovsky (Brooklyn, NY/Leon M. Goldstein) named Rookie of the Year.
Farinella and Chernyakovsky led three featured on the All-Independent First Team alongside junior Shannon Rom (Rockaway Park, NY/Bishop Kearney). Junior Cynthia Gambino (Brooklyn, NY/Bishop Kearney) and freshman Daniella Valencia (Corona, NY/Bayside HS) were named to the second team.
The quintet has guaranteed St. Joseph's (5-4-2, 3-1 HVWAC) will finish with a minimum .500 record in their inaugural season.
Farinella led the Lady Bears in net posting six shutouts and allowing two or fewer goals in all but two games assembling a 1.14 goals against average. The rookie junior goalkeeper ranks 47th in the NCAA with a .889 save percentage and earned AD3I Player of the Week honors on October 10th.
Chernyakhovsky was the offensive catalyst for the Lady Bears and headlined the first-team midfielders. The freshman ranked second on the team in points (21), goals (9) and assists (3). Currently, Chernyakhovsky ranks 48th in the NCAA in goals per game (0.9) and points per game (2.1). Chernyakhovsky was named AD3I Player of the Week for the week of October 2nd, after scoring four goals with two assists in a victory over Medgar Evers.
Rom, one of the team captains, was the anchor of the defense that helped produce six shutouts. As sophomore who was one of six women on last year's men's team, Rom showed tenacity and grit on defense that helped stymie opponents.
Gambino was the leading offense producer for the Lady Bears leading St. Joseph's with 25 points, scoring a team-leading 12 goals. The junior forward recorded two hat tricks boosting her to a No. 15 ranking in the NCAA in goals per game (1.2). Also selected as a USCAA Second-Team All-American, Gambino played on the men's team last season and was the only female to tally a goal.
Valencia was part of the offensive trio of Chernyakhovsky and Gambino that carried the Lady Bears offensively. The freshman was named second-team forward after producing a team-leading five assists ranking her 32nd in the NCAA in assists per game (0.5).
The Lady Bears will conclude their season at the Hudson Valley Women's Athletic Conference Tournament, entering as the No. 1 seed facing Medgar Evers College in the semifinals on Friday, November 9th at 8 p.m. at Aviator Field.
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2012 AD3I ALL-INDEPENDENT WOMEN'S SOCCER TEAMS
Offensive Player of the Year: Emily Ristow, Mount Mary College, SO, Forward, Sheboygan, Wis.
Defensive Player of the Year: Nicole Farinella, St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn), JR, Goalkeeper, East Patchogue, N.Y.
Rookie of the Year: Pamela Chernyakhovsky, St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn), FR, Midfielder, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Coach of the Year: Joe Shokatz, Mount Mary College.
First Team
Forward – Emily Ristow, Sophomore, Mount Mary College
Forward – Ashlee Slade, Freshman, Nebraska Wesleyan University
Forward – Rasika Perera, Junior, Mount Mary College
Midfielder – Pamela Chernyakhovsky, Freshman, St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn)
Midfielder – Chelsea Beauchmin, Senior, University of Maine-Presque Isle
Midfielder – Bayleigh Collins, Freshman, Nebraska Wesleyan University
Midfielder – (tie) Allison Appmann, Junior, Mount Mary College, and Makensie Thaller, Sophomore, Nebraska Wesleyan University
Defender – Nina Her, Junior, Mount Mary College
Defender – Leah Stevens, Senior, Nebraska Wesleyan University
Defender – Shannon Rom, Sophomore, St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn)
Goalkeeper – Nicole Farinella, Junior, St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn)
Second Team
Forward – Amber Johnson, Freshman, Nebraska Wesleyan University
Forward – Daniella Valencia, Freshman, St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn)
Forward – Cynthia Gambino, Junior, St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn)
Midfielder – Haley Neri, Sophomore, Finlandia University
Midfielder – Hillary Guynn, Junior, Finlandia University
Midfielder – Jenna Herse, Freshman, Nebraska Wesleyan University
Defender – Jessica Ingold, Senior, Finlandia University
Defender – Lauren Ziegenbein, Freshman, Nebraska Wesleyan University
Defender – Ashley Leverenz, Junior, Mount Mary College
Goalkeeper – (tie) Emily Dierks, Senior, Nebraska Wesleyan University, and Kirby McMahon, Senior, Mount Mary College