Dec. 8, 2011

WEST POINT, N.Y. - The Army women's soccer team closed out the season last month at University Park, Pa., where it took host and No. 13 Penn State to the final minutes before bowing, 1-0, in a first round NCAA game. Two members of that squad, sophomores Kim An and Molly McGuigan, were recognized for their performance this season by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) in being named to the Mid-Atlantic All-Region Team.

It is the second straight year that An and McGuigan earned all-regionl honors. An was named to the second unit as a forward and McGuigan, a preseason selection to the MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List, was a third-team pick. They were instrumental in leading Army to the Patriot League Tournament Championship and automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. An led the conference in goals (10) for the second straight year and was second in points (21), while McGuigan repeated as the Patriot League's "Defensive Player of the Year."

Both garnered Patriot League first team honors at their respective positions as Army posted a 12-4-5 mark along with recording 15 shutouts, just one shy of last year's school-record 16. The Black Knights recorded 31 shutouts in 42 games over the past two years.

Among Army's four losses was a 2-0 defeat to Duke in the season opener for both. The Blue Devils closed out a record-breaking 22-4-1 season that ended in the NCAA College Cup final where third-ranked Duke fell 1-0 to top-ranked Stanford.

Army concluded the season ranked among the nation's top defensive teams for the second straight year. The Black Knights listed No. 2 in shutout percentage (.714), third in save percentage (.915) and seventh in goals-against average (4.52) among 330 schools ranked. Army was No. 1 in all three categories in 2010.

Offensively, the Black Knights ranked 43rd in won-lost-tied percentage with An listed 76th in goals per game (0.5).

Army worked its way to its second NCAA appearance in four years after defeating Navy, 2-0, in the championship game to claim the Patriot League Tournament title with An scoring the insurance goal. The Black Knights disposed of host and top-seeded Colgate, 2-0, in the opening round of the tournament.

The Black Knights were among seven Patriot League student-athletes chosen for Mid-Atlantic honors. Lafayette's Lauren Smedley was named to the first team, with Genna Pepe, Lehigh; Ashlynn Soellner, Navy; and Jillian Kinter, Colgate, on the second unit followed by third-team member Kate Herren of Navy.

It is the fourth time in school history Army has had players repeat for regional honors. Holly Pedley and Alexis Albano were three-time selections with Lauren Rowe and Delaney Brown two-time picks. All four were among 22 players named this year to Army's Silver Anniversary Team.