University of Richmond Athletics
Richmond Women's Soccer Program Claims A Host Of State And Region Honors
12/28/2000 | Women's Soccer
RICHMOND, Va. - University of Richmond senior back Jaclyn Raveia (Fairfax, Va./W.T. Woodson) and senior forward Brooke Sands (Dallas, Texas/Dallas Episcopal) have been named to the 2000 National Soccer Coaches Association of America Women's Soccer Division I All-Mid-Atlantic Region First Team squad.
Raveia was also named Division I first-team All-State by the Virginia Sports Information Directors and was joined on the first-team by sophomore midfielder Jenna Merriam (Voorhees, N.J./Eastern Regional). Richmond head coach Peter Albright was selected the 2000 VaSID Coach of the Year. Sands was tabbed second-team All-VaSID along with junior goalkeeper Kristen Samuhel (Chapel Hill, N.C./Chapel Hill).
Raveia has been named first-team All-Mid-Atlantic Region and first-team All-VaSID for four consecutive years. Raveia, the 1999 and 2000 Colonial Athletic Association Defender of the Year, became just the fifth player in conference women's soccer history to garner first-team honors for four consecutive years. In addition to assuming playmaking duties during her senior season, she marshaled a Richmond defense that posted five shutout wins and outscored opponents 36-9 in its 13 wins on the campaign. She started all 83 matches of her Richmond career and contributed four goals, ten assists and 18 points. Her statistics notwithstanding, Raveia's leadership both on and off the field played a major role in Richmond's successes, according to Albright.
"There is not a player in the country who meant more to her team than Jaclyn did to us this year," reflected Albright, the 2000 CAA Coach of the Year. "The heart and soul of our team, Jaclyn played relentlessly and created opportunities for us upfield. Jaclyn closed more quickly, tackled better and was a better one-on-one player in the open field than any player I have ever coached. "
Sands completed her Richmond career as the program's all-time leader in career matches played (84), shots (341), goals (51) points (124) and game-winning goals (14) while ranking second among the team's career assists (22) leaders. A first-team All-CAA selection, Sands delivered a team-leading 23 points on eight goals and seven assists on the campaign. She struck for three game-winning goals and registered two multi-goal matches on the season.
"Brooke enjoyed her most complete season this fall," noted Albright. "Even with her natural abilities, Brooke took on the responsibility of being a total team player as well as being our top scoring threat. Very few players in the country have the talent to make that happen, but she is a special player. Brooke was instrumental in every facet of our success over the past four years."
Albright has spurred Richmond to a 52-31-2 record over the past four seasons. He guided the Spiders to a program-best 6-2-0 CAA regular season record and a share of the conference regular season title. The 2000 campaign capped the Spiders most successful in the program's five-year history of women's soccer. Richmond posted a team-best 13-7-0 overall record, a 6-2-0 league mark and reached the NCAA Tournament for the first time. In opening round action, the Spiders posted a season-high five goals in a 5-1 romp over West Virginia at UR Soccer Complex. The Spiders appeared in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America top-25 poll on four occasions during the fall. In addition, Albright coached Richmond to victories over then-No. 9 Maryland and then-No. 16 Virginia this season.
Merriam concluded the season ranking second among team points leaders with a career-best 22 on eight goals and six assists. A 2000 second-team All-CAA selection, Merriam had two goals and an assist in Richmond's NCAA Tournament victory versus West Virginia. She recorded three game-winning goals, including the decisive strike against then-No. 9 Maryland on September 9. Merriam was selected the conference's Player of the Week and voted to Soccer America's Team of the Week on September 11.
"Jenna continued to work hard throughout the season and her play reflected the dedication she felt to improving herself and this team," commented Albright. "She is one of our top possession forwards and one of our best long-range shooters."
Samuhel recorded a 0.97 goals against average as well as a league-best .842 save percentage. A 2000 second-team All-CAA selection, Samuhel notched a 13-7-0 record between the pipes, registered five shutouts and recorded a season-high 12 saves against James Madison as well as totaling ten saves versus then-No. 22 Duke. After she turned away nine shots versus then-No. 2 Clemson, Samuhel was tabbed the conference's Player of the Week on October 2.
"From year-to-year, Kristen has taken her game to the next level," says Albright. "This season, she became an exceptional goalkeeper. She kept us in every match with dependable goalkeeping and big saves. Kristen played her best when the most was at stake."
