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Led by tenth-year head coach Kanae Haneishi, the Mount Holyoke soccer team ended its 2016 campaign with an 8-10 overall record, going 2-8 in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) action.
The Lyons opened up the season at home on September 1 with a staggering 7-0 victory over Southern Vermont. First year players McKenna Lamb and Hannah Finn-Erb led the way with each recording a hat trick to begin their collegiate careers. Sophomore forward Sara Sanaú Ruiz was also outstanding out the gate, notching a career-high four assists in the victory.
Following a pair of losses, the Lyons bounced back with 2-0 victories over non-conference opponents Wesleyan and Western New England at home. MHC opened its NEWMAC slate with a tough loss at Babson, but rebounded in mid-September as Finn-Erb scored the game-winner in a 1-0 win over Albertus Magnus.
The Lyons went 1-1 to end September, culminating with a dominant 7-1 win over Bay Path that saw sophomore defender Avia Jacobs score two goals, while Sanaú Ruiz upped her assists total with a pair of helpers.
Mount Holyoke fell at MIT to open October, despite a season-best 15 saves from senior captain Zoe Marshall, but bounced back with wins against Clark and Wellesley to move to 2-3 in conference play. Sanaú Ruiz recorded two goals and two helpers over the streak, while Lamb posted the game-winner against the Blue.
Following a trio of tough losses, MHC picked up a 2-0 win over Elms, powered by strikes from Sanaú Ruiz and Lamb. The Lyons concluded the season on the road with tough losses to Smith (3-2 OT) and WPI (3-0).
MHC's offense was led for the second straight season by Sanaú Ruiz, who posted 22 points and a squad-best 12 assists. She was also third in goals with five and owned team-high totals in shots (52) and shots on goal (25).
The NEWMAC leader in assists, Sanaú Ruiz also posted the second highest overall total in program history. Additionally, she finished 16th among all Division III players in assists per game (.67), and was 19th in the nation in total assists.
A pair of rookies powered the goal-scoring effort as both Finn-Erb and Lamb notched six strikes on the season. Finn-Erb boasted 14 points, good for second overall, while adding two assists. Lamb was third in overall points with 12. Additionally, Jacobs was third in goals with five, four of which were a team-best in game-winners.
In goal, the Lyons saw a pair of keepers get quality action, led by Marshall, who led the NEWMAC in saves with 131. Owning a record of 7-10 with three shutouts over 1472:22 minutes, she had a 1.53 goals against average. Her .840 save percentage also ranked fourth among conference goalies.
Sophomore Amanda Manaster saw action in four games, including one start, for the Lyons. She owned a 1-0 record during that stretch, posting a 0.56 goals against average and a .909 save percentage. Manaster recorded 10 saves over 161:06 minutes of action.
Mount Holyoke saw several players earn accolades throughout the year, including Sanaú Ruiz, who repeated as a NEWMAC All-Conference First Team honoree. The NEWMAC Offensive Athlete of the Week once, she was also named to the 2016 NEWISA Division III All-New England Third Team. Marshall earned NEWMAC All-Conference Second Team recognition and went on to play in the 2016 NEWISA Senior Bowl.
Additionally, the Lyons saw junior captain and midfielder Suz Rose (South Hamilton, Mass./Hamilton-Wenham Regional) named to the NEWMAC All-Sportsmanship Team for women's soccer. A starter in all 18 games, she had a goal with two assists for four points. Rose also posted 10 shots, including six on goal.
Mount Holyoke boasted a strong effort in the classroom as well with 10 players named to the NEWMAC Academic All-Conference Team, including Rose, Sanaú Ruiz, Manaster, Jacobs, and sophomores Nicole De Araujo (Brooklyn, N.Y./Beacon), Molly Hershkowitz (Boston, Mass./Beaver Country Day School), Alex Kenoian (Oak Park, Ill./Oak Park & River Forest), Dale Leonheart (Petaluma, Calif./St. Vincent de Paul), Sophie Manum (Seattle, Wash./Garfield) and Liz Rose (South Hamilton, Mass./Hamilton-Wenhan Regional).
• Finished 11th in the NEWMAC standings
• Recorded victories over Southern Vermont, Wesleyan, Western New England, Albertus Magnus, Bay Path, Clark, Wellesley and Elms
• Two named to NEWMAC All-Conference Teams
• 10 named NEWMAC Academic All-Conference selections
