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Saint Leo looks locally for helpBy GREG AUMAN, Times Staff Writer © St. Petersburg Times published July 24, 2003
Saint Leo's women's soccer program will get a boost of local talent this fall as Land O'Lakes' Casie Poyssick and Pasco's Amanda Newsome will be on scholarship with the Lions. "They're going to be a huge influence; those two are really going to help us," said Tony Paris, coach of the Saint Leo's women's program since the team started in 2000. "There's a host of talent locally and we worked hard to get both of them into our program." Poyssick, the second-leading scorer for the Gators' state championship team, could step in immediately as an offensive force. Newsome, whose 22 assists ranked fourth in the county last year, tore the anterior cruciate ligament in her knee this summer and could take a medical redshirt this season as she recovers. "Casie is a prolific goal scorer, and she'll help us right away," said Paris, whose team went 3-14-2 last season. "She gives us speed and a clinical finish around the goal. We've been lacking someone who can really put the ball in the back of the net." Poyssick scored 119 goals in four years at Land O'Lakes, including 20 as a senior despite missing 10 games with injuries and suspensions. With teammate Stacy Bishop headed to Louisiana State and defender Tara Eugenides signing with Florida Tech in Melbourne, the Gators will have three players from their championship roster on soccer scholarships. Katrina Giraldes, a defender on last year's team, also is on the Saint Leo roster as a walk-on. "It's a really great school, it's small, which is what I wanted, and it's close to home," Poyssick said. "My parents have been coming to my games since I started, and they'll still be able to do that. A lot of schools sent stuff to me, but I knew I wanted to stay close." Newsome, who scored 13 goals and also was a kicker on the Pasco football team and competed in track and weightlifting, is recovering from surgery quickly enough that she's not wearing a brace. Paris said his first instinct is to have her redshirt her first season on campus, but if she recovers quickly enough to play 10 games or so at the end of the season he could use her help on the defensive end. "She's so strong, such a great tackler, and she can kick the ball 30 or 40 yards with ease, which you don't see much on the women's side of the game," said Paris, adding that though Newsome played midfielder as a senior, she'd likely play on the back line for the Lions. Poyssick played a bit of everything at Land O'Lakes, lining up mostly at forward and midfielder but spelling Eugenides at sweeper at times as well. She'll be a forward at Saint Leo, which should be good news for the program's future. "They told me they want someone who can finish for them," she said, already six weeks into the team's grueling daily preseason training regimen. The freshmen should be the only county players on the Saint Leo roster, Paris said. Former Land O'Lakes defender Emily Sarginger, a sophomore last season, will not be back with the team this fall. Soccer preseason workouts begin Aug. 10 for the team, with the season opening Aug. 29 at home against Palm Beach Atlantic. The 18-game schedule wraps up Nov. 1 against Rollins College.
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