* Written by Dan Kmiechick, Sports Information Intern
Senior defender Samantha Farley (Shelton, Conn.) has earned a spot on the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) women's soccer All-Conference First Team for her outstanding play on the Falcons' backline this season.
Farley, who served as team captain of the Falcons this season, dominated opponents on the defensive side of the ball all year. She led a Falcons' backline which earned 10 shutouts on the season, including a 0-0 tie against GNAC foe St. Joseph's (Conn.), in which the Falcons allowed only 12 shots to be taken in 110 minutes of play. Farley's First Team honor adds an exclamation point to an already stellar career, one in which she led the Falcons to a program-best 42 wins over four seasons, while earning the 2011-12 Albertus Magnus College Female Athlete of the Year Award.
Junior midfielder Shelley Mirmina (Milford, Conn.) also earned GNAC recognition as she was named to the GNAC All-Conference Second Team as she led the Falcons in goals with eight and points with 19. Her 109 shots on the season, were the second most of any player in the GNAC as she continually kept pressure on opposing goalkeepers throughout the year. On September 5, she earned her first career hat trick in an 8-0 Albertus victory over Bay Path College.
Joining Mirmina on the GNAC All-Conference Second Team was Falcons' junior goalkeeper Christina Dineson (Milford, Conn.). Dineson posted a record of 11-5-1 in 18 starts for the Falcons during the 2012 campaign. She earned all 10 of the Falcons' shutouts this season, with seven of them coming in GNAC competition. Her .852 save percentage and 0.94 goals against average were both the third best of any goalkeeper in the conference. She was one of the main keys to the Falcons' success this season as she allowed only three goals in her 11 wins, making life easy for the Albertus offense on many occasions.
Senior forward Danielle "DJ" Figueroa (Bridgeport, Conn.), earned GNAC All-Conference Third Team honors in her final season with the Falcons. Figueroa posted 16 points on the year which tied her for the second most of any Falcon player this season. Her six goals were the third most by a Falcon player this season and her four assists ranked her second on the team. She either holds or has a share of all three major offensive stat category records for the Albertus Magnus women's soccer program with 31 goals, 15 assists, and 77 points. On September 29, she netted the game-winning goal in a 4-0 victory over the Cadets of Norwich University, while she added an assist in the match, which set the Falcons' career record.
Rounding out the Falcons' GNAC honors for the 2012 season is junior midfielder Meaghan Skidmore (Terryville, Conn.), who earned a spot on the GNAC Sportsmanship team. Skidmore earned seven points this season, while playing a key role in the Falcons' midfield as both an offensive and defensive weapon. She started in all 19 of Albertus' matches this season and totaled 22 shots with 12 of them on goal. She scored an unassisted game-tying goal on October 6 in the 61st minute of a 2-1 Falcons' overtime win over conference rival Johnson & Wales.
