Women's Soccer Adds 14 For 2018 Season

Photo by Bobby Williams
Photo by Bobby Williams

Mount Olive, N.C. --- The Mount Olive women's soccer team will add depth with the addition of 14 new signees, head coach Sharif Saber announced today. Joining the returning class of Trojans this fall are nine freshmen, defenders Amanda Allen, Erica Boswell, Jordyn Davis, and Kristin Ferriman, midfielders Vanessa Correa and Anna Martinetti, forward Kaylee Marianiand goalkeepers Hayley Childress and Marlayna Frutiger. Also joining the Trojans, as transfers are midfielders Samantha Bearden, Miho Okuda, and Kiki Spence, and forwards Priya Gakhar and Raven Withaar.

"We are extremely excited to welcome our 2018 class to UMO. Their combination of athletic ability, character, and academic success will be a wonderful addition to our growing program both in the classroom and on the field," said Saber.

Amanda Allen, is a freshman defender from Wilmington, N.C. The Topsail High School product scored one goal and had two assists last season for the Pirates and joins teammate goalkeeper Hayley Childress on the squad this season. While at THS Allen received the team defensive player of the year (2016), sportsmanship award at the Brittany Soccer Showcase (2017), was a scholar-athlete award recipient, four-year varsity athlete, honorable mention for 3A/4A Mid-Eastern Conference (2018), and was the team Co-MVP player of the year (2018).

 

 

Samantha Bearden, a native Ewing Township, New Jersey, joins the Trojans as a Midfielder from Penn State Brandywine. Bearden for the Lions last season scored five goals and had five assists to go along with her 15 points and two game-winners as PSUB won its second straight conference championship. The junior played for the Jet soccer league. Bearden was a first-team All-American, Academic All-American, and academic all-conference. 

Erica Boswell, a native of Wendell, N.C., hails from Corinth Holders High school where she scored three goals and had two assists as a defender for the Pirates last season. Boswell was named the defensive player of the year for CHHS and was on the National Honors Society, an NC scholar graduate, and a member of the Spanish Honor Society. She played her club ball for the Capital Area Soccer League NCFC.

 

Hayley Childress, a native of Wilmington, N.C., comes to UMO from Topsail High School. The goalkeeper for Topsail averaged 40 mins in goal with 42 saves on the year. She was named the women's soccer Athlete of the Year. Childress joins Pirates teammate Amanda Allen on the Trojans team this year. She played her club ball for the Wilmington Hammerheads.

 

Vanessa Correa, an Apex, N.C. native, joins Mount Olive as a midfielder from Middle Creek High School. Correa played her club ball for Wake FC as well as Trinity Academy.

 

Jordyn Davis, a freshman defender from Woodbridge, Va., joins the Trojans after her playing career at C.D Hylton High School.  Davis graduated Cum Laude and was a two-time all-conference member. She played her club ball for Commonwealth Futbol Club out of Fredericksburg, Va.

Kristin Ferriman, a native of Jacksonville, N.C., comes to UMO as a defender from Southwest High School where Ferriman received several Woman of the Match throughout her career. During her senior high school season, she was named all-conference and team captain.

Ferriman played her club ball for the Onslow Classic Soccer Association where she earned a gold cord for the Work Keys.

 

 

Marlayna Frutiger, a goalkeeper from Wake Forest, N.C., joins the Trojans after finishing as the state runner-up with Franklin Academy. While at Franklin Academy, Frutiger won a State 1A Championship in 2017, the Patriots were runner-up at the state championship two times and won three conference championships. She was a three-year all-conference and all-state goalkeeper. The incoming freshman played her club ball at the Capital Area Soccer League NCFC. 

 

Priya Gakhar, is a forward transfer from NCAA DI Grambling State. Gakhar, a native of Canberra, Australia played 448 minutes for the Tigers with one assist on the season as GSU finished as the runner-up in the Southwestern Athletic Conference Tournament. She was on both the Dean's and President's lists with at Grambling and was an Exercise Science and Psychology major. Gakhar played her club ball for the Woden Weston FC in Canberra, Australia.

 

Kaylee Mariani, is a forward from Virginia Beach, Va. The Tallwood High School product was the offensive player of the year, rookie of the year, and a first-team all-metro selection for the Lions. Mariani played her club ball for Beach FC in Virginia Beach.

 

Anna Martinetti, in a midfielder from Easton Pa. Martinetti played for Notre Dame High School where she was the captain of the district champion Crusaders. She was honored with the Outstanding Athletic Achievement Award and the Greg Moyer "Spirit of the Game" scholarship while at NDHS. She played her club ball for the Neptune Forza  in New Jersey.

 

Miho Okuda, is a Junior midfielder from Chiba-ken, Japan. The transfer from Hesston College had nine goals and 11 assists for the Larks last season.

 

 

Kiki Spence, is a sophomore midfielder from Ontario Canada. The transfer from Lake Erie College played for the Storm for one season last year after finishing her high school career at Bill Crothers Secondary School in Markham, Ontario. Spence was an Ontario scholar graduate, nominated in the Top-15 fastest women in the York Region, and was named the Ontario Soccer U15 MVP. She played her club ball at the Bryst Soccer Academy.

 

Raven Withaar, is a junior forward from Plainfield, Ill. Withaar joins the Trojans after playing the past two seasons at Millikin College where she scored seven goals (two on penalty kicks), three assists, and played over 1,300 minutes for the Big Blue. During her freshman campaign, Withaar was named CCWI Player of the week, led team in goals and was tied for second in assists.