ROCHESTER, NY – The Empire 8 announced the 2009 all-conference team on Wednesday. Six members of the RIT women’s soccer team earned all-conference honors. Junior
Sarah Frisicano (Rochester, NY/Greecy Olympia) was a first-team selection and
Ashley Valenti (Honeoye Falls, NY/Honeoye Falls-Lima), and
Kristen Denninger (Rochester, NY/Nazareth Academy) were both second-team selections.
Shireen Irani (Calgary, Alberta/National Sports Academy),
Kendra Shelters (Lyons, NY/Lyons), and
Allyson Pisher (Holley, NY/Holley) were named honorable mention selections. Denninger was also named the RIT Sportswoman of the Year.
Frisicano, an All-Empire 8 honorable mention selection in 2008, has started every game since her freshman year in 2007. This season, she helped lead the Tigers defense to a 1.24 goals per game average, which was the third lowest in the Empire 8. In addition, Frisicano also proved to be an offensive threat, assisting on two goals and firing four shots.
Valenti, who started in 16 games this season for the Tigers, ended the season with a 7-7-3 overall record. She finished the season with a 1.19 goals against average, which was third in the Empire 8. The sophomore goalkeeper earned two shutouts, and had a .814 save percentage. She was named RIT Female Athlete of the Week during the week of September 21st.
Denninger, a senior captain, finished tied for third in scoring for the Tigers this season, with four goals and eight points. She started in all 17 games this season, finishing the year with 19 shots, and a .684 shot on goal percentage. She also tied for first on the team with game winning goals, against Alfred and SUNY Oswego. During her career, Denninger appeared in 73 games, scoring six goals and assisting on six others.
Irani, in only her second season with the women’s soccer team, proved to be a great asset to the Tigers. Her athleticism and on field awareness helped her become a threat both on the offensive and defensive ends of the field. She scored her first collegiate goal against Stevens, to give the Tigers their first Empire 8 win of the season. In addition, Irani was named RIT Female Athlete of the Week during the week of October 5th.
Shelters, who battled injuries throughout the majority of the season, still managed to finish tied for third in scoring this season. When healthy, she was a dominant force on the offensive end, scoring four goals in the Tigers first six games of the season. She finished the season with 21 shots, 11 of them being on goal.
Pisher, who started in 15 games this year, proved to be an offensive threat throughout the season. She finished first on the team in scoring, with four goals and three assists. She also finished with fourteen shots, and a .286 shot percentage. Pisher also had two game winning goals, against Utica and #10 Rochester.
The Tigers ended their season with a 7-7-3 overall record, and 3-5-0 in the Empire 8.