Experienced Forwards Look To Light Up Scoreboard for ECU
July 27, 2018 | Soccer
GREENVILLE, N.C. – The group of forwards for the 2018 ECU soccer team will be the most experienced position group during head coach Jason Hamilton's debut season. The group includes three players who have racked up at least one collegiate season with double-digit points and a newcomer who left her prep career with her high school's goal scoring record.
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"This is probably the area we have the most experience and we think this is a very dangerous group of players that we hope will lead to a lot of offense for us," said Hamilton. "I think any coaching staff would be happy to have a group of three forwards who have 45 collegiate goals under their belt, and an incoming freshman who has put up impressive numbers herself."
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Returning after leading the team in goals, points and shots is senior Courtney Cash. Cash's single-season totals have risen in each of her three seasons, going from two points in her rookie campaign to 13 in 2016 and finally to 14 points last year. Cash had six goals and two assists last year, with three of those goals being game-winners. The Cary native was recognized by the AAC with a postseason honor for the second time in her career, adding Second-Team All-AAC after being named to the All-Rookie team in 2015. She earned AAC Offensive Player of the Week accolades on Sept. 18 after scoring three goals, including the game-tying goal in the 84th minute against then No. 5 Virginia during a 1-0-1 week for the Pirates.
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"Last season's leader in goals, shots and total points, Courtney's production has continued to rise each year that she is here," said Hamilton. "Our goal since arriving is to make her more of a goal scorer. She is the type of player that puts herself in very good spots to get chances and if she becomes more efficient in front of the goal, she will be a double-digit goal scorer. Her work rate is unbelievable and we are excited to see that pay off for her this year."
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Rounding out the returners is senior Chentay Warnes. In her first season after joining ECU from Highline College, Warnes played in all 18 matches and started seven of them. She finished the 2017 season with three points, scoring a goal against NC State and notching an assist against UConn. She led Highline with 34 points on 14 goals and six assists in her final season there.
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"Chentay is a very physical player who can hold the ball up and get others involved in the play," commented Hamilton. "We think using her in role closer to the goal will allow her to be more successful than she was last season and more in line with the production she had at the junior college level before coming to ECU."
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Cash will not be the only Pirate to have led their team in goals in 2017 as junior Jenna Dages joins the Pirates from Louisiana Tech. Dages bagged a team-high 11 goals and 25 points for the Lady Techsters last year to go along with three assists. Her 25 points were tied for the fourth-most in Conference USA and she tallied her first career postseason goal by scoring the winner against Old Dominion in the C-USA Tournament quarterfinals.
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"Jenna joins us from Louisiana Tech where she is coming off a team leading season of 11 goals, 3 assists, 25 total points and 45 shots," Hamilton said. "Jenna has a knack for finding the goal. She is a good athlete who can hold the ball up, flick balls on and battle in the box. We think the best thing about her is that she can make players around her better."
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The final freshman joining this year's squad is Katherine Gonzalez from Pocono Summit, Pa. Gonzalez left Pocono Mountain West High School with a school-record 84 goals in her four seasons and also tallied 22 assists. She was a 2016 EPC League First Team All-Star Forward and was the Pocono Record Girl's Soccer Player of the Year.
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"Kat can score goals and that is what most excites us about her," said Hamilton. "This past year she broke the record of 78 career goals at Pocono Mountain West High School. We will not know how exactly that translates to her success at the college level until we get her here and have the chance to work with her."
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The Pirates will make their debut under coach Hamilton Aug. 7 when they host VCU for an exhibition match. The regular season will get underway Aug. 17 with a trip to Old Dominion.
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"This is probably the area we have the most experience and we think this is a very dangerous group of players that we hope will lead to a lot of offense for us," said Hamilton. "I think any coaching staff would be happy to have a group of three forwards who have 45 collegiate goals under their belt, and an incoming freshman who has put up impressive numbers herself."
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Returning after leading the team in goals, points and shots is senior Courtney Cash. Cash's single-season totals have risen in each of her three seasons, going from two points in her rookie campaign to 13 in 2016 and finally to 14 points last year. Cash had six goals and two assists last year, with three of those goals being game-winners. The Cary native was recognized by the AAC with a postseason honor for the second time in her career, adding Second-Team All-AAC after being named to the All-Rookie team in 2015. She earned AAC Offensive Player of the Week accolades on Sept. 18 after scoring three goals, including the game-tying goal in the 84th minute against then No. 5 Virginia during a 1-0-1 week for the Pirates.
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"Last season's leader in goals, shots and total points, Courtney's production has continued to rise each year that she is here," said Hamilton. "Our goal since arriving is to make her more of a goal scorer. She is the type of player that puts herself in very good spots to get chances and if she becomes more efficient in front of the goal, she will be a double-digit goal scorer. Her work rate is unbelievable and we are excited to see that pay off for her this year."
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Rounding out the returners is senior Chentay Warnes. In her first season after joining ECU from Highline College, Warnes played in all 18 matches and started seven of them. She finished the 2017 season with three points, scoring a goal against NC State and notching an assist against UConn. She led Highline with 34 points on 14 goals and six assists in her final season there.
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"Chentay is a very physical player who can hold the ball up and get others involved in the play," commented Hamilton. "We think using her in role closer to the goal will allow her to be more successful than she was last season and more in line with the production she had at the junior college level before coming to ECU."
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Cash will not be the only Pirate to have led their team in goals in 2017 as junior Jenna Dages joins the Pirates from Louisiana Tech. Dages bagged a team-high 11 goals and 25 points for the Lady Techsters last year to go along with three assists. Her 25 points were tied for the fourth-most in Conference USA and she tallied her first career postseason goal by scoring the winner against Old Dominion in the C-USA Tournament quarterfinals.
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"Jenna joins us from Louisiana Tech where she is coming off a team leading season of 11 goals, 3 assists, 25 total points and 45 shots," Hamilton said. "Jenna has a knack for finding the goal. She is a good athlete who can hold the ball up, flick balls on and battle in the box. We think the best thing about her is that she can make players around her better."
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The final freshman joining this year's squad is Katherine Gonzalez from Pocono Summit, Pa. Gonzalez left Pocono Mountain West High School with a school-record 84 goals in her four seasons and also tallied 22 assists. She was a 2016 EPC League First Team All-Star Forward and was the Pocono Record Girl's Soccer Player of the Year.
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"Kat can score goals and that is what most excites us about her," said Hamilton. "This past year she broke the record of 78 career goals at Pocono Mountain West High School. We will not know how exactly that translates to her success at the college level until we get her here and have the chance to work with her."
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The Pirates will make their debut under coach Hamilton Aug. 7 when they host VCU for an exhibition match. The regular season will get underway Aug. 17 with a trip to Old Dominion.
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Players Mentioned
Monday, November 11
Friday, September 23
Friday, September 16
Monday, September 12
