Women’s Soccer: Bloznalis Named PL Defender of the Year, Seven Named to All-Teams
By: Matt Doherty
The Patriot League announced their major awards and All-Patriot League teams on Monday following the conclusion of the 2016 women’s soccer regular season.
Seven Boston University Terriers were awarded for their play this fall.
Senior tri-captain Rachel Bloznalis took home the only individual award, winning Patriot League Defender of the Year. The Upton, Mass. native lived up to hype after being named Preseason Defender of the Year. She marks the second consecutive Terrier to win the award after Mackenzie Hollenbaugh won the honor last year.
Bloznalis was also named to the All-Patriot league first team for the second year in a row.
Joining Bloznalis on the first team was teammate Julianna Chen. The sophomore midfielder from Milton, Mass. was a key cog to the Terriers on both offense and defense.
The two other senior tri-captains, Erica Kosienski and Rachel Blauner earned spots on the All-Patriot league second team. Kosienski, who Head Coach Nancy Feldman called the best attacking personality in the conference, registered 2 goals and 3 assists in her final year on Commonwealth Ave., but her stats don’t emulate just how important she was to the Terrier offense.
Blauner, a fifth-year graduate student from East Bridgewater, Mass. was tabbed to the second team for the consecutive year. She helped anchor the Terrier back line alongside Bloznalis.
Rounding out the honorees were McKenna Doyle, Jesse Shreck, and Dorrie Varley-Barrett who were all named to the All-Patriot league third team.
Doyle, a sophomore from Manhattan Beach, Calif. won the 2015 Patriot League Rookie of the Year award while leading the Terriers in goals. In her sophomore season she scored 2 goals and tallied 1 assist using her blistering speed on the edge.
Junior midfielder Jesse Shreck led the Terriers with eight points, scoring 3 goals and facilitating 2 assists in conference play.
Finally, Varley-Barrett, a sophomore from Chelmsford, Mass., started every game this season. She scored one 1 goal and had 1 assist while serving as the attacking midfielder for Feldman’s squad.
The Terriers finished the regular season with a record of 8-10-1, 8-1 PL and earned a share of the conference title. BU will play Friday in the semifinals of the Patriot League tournament against the winner of Colgate and Navy.
Here’s a look at the rest of the league honors courtesy of the Patriot League website.
Offensive Player of the Year: Kendall Ham, Bucknell
Midfielder of the Year: Eliza Doll, Colgate
Defensive Player of the Year: Rachel Bloznalis, Boston University
Goalkeeper of the Year: Jessica Ratner, Bucknell
Rookie of the Year: Abby Sotomayor, Colgate
Coach of the Year: Kelly Cook, Bucknell
First Team
Kendall Ham, Bucknell, Jr., F
Maddie Mulford, Bucknell, Jr., F
Abby Sotomayor, Colgate, Fr., F
Clare Shea, Army West Point, Jr. M
Julianna Chen, Boston University, So., M
Eliza Doll, Colgate, Jr., M
Adrian Vitello, Lehigh, Jr., M
Rachel Bloznalis, Boston University, Sr., D
Karli Cirvoski, Bucknell, Jr., D
Alyssa Riporti, Lehigh, Jr., D
Jessica Ratner, Bucknell, Sr., GK
^Second Team
Erica Kosienski, Boston University, Sr., F
Alexis Gannon, Bucknell, Sr., F
Sarah Coy, Colgate, Sr., F
Tori Pantaleo, Lehigh, Sr., F
Meghan Holtz, Bucknell, Jr., M
Andj Seslija, Holy Cross, So., M
Natalie Dzhandzhapanyan, Navy, Jr., M
Rachel Blauner, Boston University, Gr., D
Jackie Ham, Bucknell, Jr., D
Nicole Wahlig, Loyola Maryland, Sr., D
Jordan Cassalia, Army West Point, Sr., GK
Sam Miller, Lehigh, Fr., GK
Third Team
McKenna Doyle, Boston University, So., F
Rachel Feldman, Navy, Sr., F
Clare MacAdam, Navy, Jr., F
Jesse Shreck, Boston University, Jr., M
Dorrie Varley-Barrett, Boston University, So., M
Meghan Hegarty, Navy, Jr., M
Ali Russo, Bucknell, Fr., D
Dominique DeMarco, Colgate, Fr., D
Emily Pullen, Colgate, Sr., D
Megan Rogers, Navy, Jr., D