Bill Ault Posted April 28, 2004 Share Posted April 28, 2004 FURY STRENGTHEN DEFENCE WITH 3 KEY SIGNINGS Swiatek, Consolante, Kelly, Ramsay all return [Ottawa – April 27th] The Ottawa Fury have moved to strengthen their defensive corps with the signing of three new players in addition to the resigning of four defenders from the 2003 Eastern Conference winning championship side. The Fury will have an outstanding goalkeeping duo. Taryn Swiatek who backstopped Canada to fourth place in the 2003 Womens World Cup with a string of fine performances will battle it our for a starting place with newcomer Leisha Alcia. Toronto native, Alcia, had a banner year at the University of Illinois recording 12 shutouts in 22 games on her way to being named the 2003 All-Big Ten Conference First Team Goalkeeper. Alcia joins the Fury from the 2003 W-League champion Hampton Roads Piranhas having played previously for the Toronto Inferno from 2000-2002. Swiatek is currently playing for Danish club Fortuna Hjorring and will join the Fury at the end of the European season. Returning to the heart of the Fury defence will be Allison Kelly and Linda Consolante from the University of Maine and Erin Ramsay from the University of Calgary. Consolante made a tremendous impression in her rookie season last year and her strong play was rewarded with a place in the 2003 Canadian World Cup squad. The dependable Kelly set a Fury record for minutes played last season and was named the 2003 Fury Player of the Year. The robust Ramsay was an ever-present in the Fury defence before a knee injury ended her season prematurely and caused her to miss the playoffs. Two new recruits, Kat McShane, a strong central defender and a graduate of the University of Texas – El Paso, and Jennifer Woodie, a junior from Virginia Commonwealth University will add height and experience to the Fury defence. The highly regarded McShane, played in all 74 games during her four years at UTEP garnering All-Conference accolades each year. Woodie is a versatile defender who started all 20 games at right back for the VCU Rams in 2003 and has emerged as one of the very best outside defenders in the CAA Conference. Head Coach Frank Lofranco is excited with both the returnees and the new signings. “I’m pleased we were able to re-sign the core of our defence from last year. These players will be entering their second season together and this continuity should bode well for the team’s performance. We are also fortunate to be able to bring in Leisha, Katherine, and Jennifer to Ottawa. These are talented and experienced players that will address key needs that the coaching staff identified during the off-season”. About The Ottawa Fury The Ottawa Fury Soccer Club is a member of the United Soccer Leagues (USL); the largest system of national soccer leagues in North America. The Fury are members of the W-League and are the current Eastern Conference champions. The Fury will host the 2004 North American W-League Championships in Ottawa from Aug 6th through 8th. The Fury also operates boys and girls youth teams in the USL Super Y-League (SYL). For additional information see the Fury website at www.ottawafury.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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