Freshman frenzy

Nicole Cavallaro ’11 originally had no desire to play soccer, and she was discovered nearly by accident by Fairfield’s coaches. Now, she is one of the top players in the MAAC.

After a record-setting weekend, Cavallaro was named to the SoccerBuzz Elite Team of the Week, an honor never before received in the program’s history.

The honor is given to the top 18 players in the nation each week. Cavallaro made it on the strength of her two-goal, five-assist weekend, leading the Stags to a 2-0 MAAC record. She was also named the MAAC Offensive Player of the Week.

However, a few different circumstances and she would not be enjoying this success right now.

“My parents forced me to play,” she said. “I got better with it and now I love it.”

She was ranked one of the top 150 recruits, according to SoccerBuzz, and verbally committed to Fairfield her junior year.

“I loved the campus, the girls on the team and the coach,” she said.

“We discovered her virtually by accident,” said Head Coach Jim O’Brien. “One of our assistant coaches saw her play in a game he was coaching. We followed up on it. I saw her play three games, and she scored nine goals.”

“You have to be very aggressive. You need to act on the D-I level and she committed to us her junior year,” he said.

Before coming to Fairfield she enjoyed a stellar high school career.

She set a new program record for career goals with 90 at New Hyde Park. However, her high school career ended with an injury in the state semifinals when she tore her MCL.

After having surgery in January, there was doubt as to how effective she would be in the beginning of her freshman year.

“It was really difficult; I came back and coach reassured me,” Cavallaro said.

“We knew it would be an adjustment, just basic conditioning and fitness,” said O’Brien. “I thought that by the time conference play started she would be close to full strength. I didn’t think she would get as much significant playing time.”

Cavallaro’s play showed O’Brien’s gut was right on track about improving near conference play.

She is picking up right where she left off from high school.

She was First Team All-State her final two years and won a host of other awards as well for New Hyde Park. She has also played for the Olympic Development Program for five years, winning the 2005 National Title.

“It helped a tremendous amount,” she said of playing for the ODP. “I gained a lot of experience playing as a team and in all aspects of the game.”

Cavallaro is currently second in the MAAC in points with 16, and 10th in goals with three. She is also first in assists with 10, six more than her nearest competitor.

Her successes continued last weekend as she led the Stags to a 2-0 record in the MAAC with wins over Canisius and Niagara.

Against Canisius on Friday night, the Stags came away with a 2-1 win on the strength of Cavallaro’s goal at 51:35, which came after a long pass from goalkeeper Brett Maron ’08. She then assisted the second goal along with Janna Breitenwischer ’08. Casey Frobey ’10 deposited the ball in the back of the net at 66:33 to provide the Stags all of the insurance they would need.

Cavallaro then had a record game against Niagara, gaining a school-record and four assists and scoring the game-winning goal on Sunday in a 6-0 Stag victory.

First, she had to deal with a yellow card in the fourth minute of the game, but it was not enough to slow her down.

After scoring the first goal of the game, Cavallaro assisted on goals by Chrissie Sidie, Frobey and twice to Ahna Johnson. Mary Therese Church ’08 also scored on a penalty kick, her second of the season.

The shutout is also Maron’s 22nd in her career, only 2.5 shy of tying the school record of 24.5.

“Brett could be one of the top goaltenders in the entire country,” said O’Brien. “We don’t need too much defense right now.”

The Stags are coming together on both the offensive and defensive side of the ball, in perfect timing for their MAAC schedule.

The team also bonded on the trip, improving chemistry and in the process, eating 220 chicken wings while Duff’s restaurant cheered the players on.

The two wins improve the Stags’ record to 6-5-1 overall and 2-0-0 in conference play. They are currently tied for first in the MAAC with Marist, which boasts a 1-0 record.

The two wins over the weekend elevated the Stags to No. 15 in the Mid-Atlantic region according to SoccerBuzz.

The team will return home this weekend to face Siena and Marist.

“I want to win a MAAC Championship and get the seniors to the NCAA Tournament. They’ve been waiting for it,” said Cavallaro.