The husband and wife coaching duo of Morgan Crabtree and Dane Christian have reason for excitement in anticipation of a breakthrough year for the Pacific Women’s Soccer Team.

In their first season on the Pacific sidelines, Crabtree and Christian piloted the Boxers to an 8-6-2 Northwest Conference mark, the team’s best conference finish since 1984. Finishing just a game under .500 with an 8-9-3 overall record, Crabtree and Christian succeeded in establishing a winning mentality and head into 2011 with high competitive expectations.

“We knew right from the start that we could have some success with this group,” said Crabtree, now in her second season as head coach. “We had our growing pains for sure, but overall they worked hard. They bought into the expectations that we set for them and we ended up having a little taste of success.”

“It was a great building year in terms of being a springboard for this upcoming season.”

With a year to evaluate the talent in place and to add new recruits to the roster, Crabtree hopes to settle into a tempo control, possession-oriented style in a conference that tends to play up-and-down soccer.

“We really want to get the ball on the field,” said Crabtree. “Break defenses down by moving the ball and creating as many opportunities as we can that way. Very attack-minded, but disciplined defensively.”

The Boxers lose just two starters, but First Team All-NWC midfielder Jenny Novak and second team all-conference forward Ashley Kanda provided a lot of scoring punch with 11 of Pacific’s 26 goals.

“We’re going to have to have some of the younger players step up and put the ball in the back of the net for us,” said Crabtree. “I think with our style of play, if we create enough opportunities, that won’t be a problem.”

With nine scoring players back, led by Tianna Homad’s (Sr., Seattle, Wash.) three tallies, expect scoring balance and a “share the load” mentality offensively in 2011.

The Boxers will be led by a strong senior class of six players, four of whom have played all four years in the program, led by defender Teri Shigeno (Meridian, Idaho), central midfielders Jordan Bodily (Eagle, Idaho) and Bryanna DeLima (Hilo, Hawaii) and forwards Homad and Shekema McCarthy (Davis, Calif.).

In addition, junior goalkeeper Brittany Hartmann (Portland, Ore.) and junior midfielder Kaitlyn Harper (Oregon City, Ore.) were both honorable mention all-conference selections last season.

A technically solid group with improved depth, the Boxers will work on improving composure in attack opportunities, while bolstering physical and mental toughness as they prepare for the rugged Northwest Conference schedule. According to Crabtree, last year’s unknowns have transformed into a more confident and hungry bunch, with a senior class that is striving for a strong finish to their collegiate careers.

“We have high expectations for this group,” said Crabtree. “We have a great mix of experience and youth and a lot of talent that we think has a ton of potential. So, it’s just going to be about refining and getting them on the same page.”

FORWARDS
Homad and Sarah Tuffey (Jr., Valencia, Calif.) will see time in wide positions, while Shekema McCarthy returns up top. A number of other players will compete for playing time on the front line.

Homad started 15 games and appeared in 17, playing both midfield and forward. Her six total points was tied for second among returning players behind Bodily’s eight points.

Tuffey saw the field 14 times with nine starts and found the back of the net twice, with a game-winning goal in a 2-1 victory over Whitman on Sept. 19.

McCarthy saw time in 15 games and made her only shot on goal of the season count, scoring in a 4-0 win conference win over Lewis & Clark on Oct. 30.

Among the players expected to see time in a forward position are Tuffey’s younger sister Emily (Fr., Valencia, Calif.), a Foothill League honorable mention selection as a senior captain for Valencia High.

Tai Sandoval-Gabel (Fr., Fort Collins, Colo.) has been a pleasant surprise after making the team in open tryouts. Sandoval was a four-year letterwinner for a perennial playoff team at Poudre High School. A center midfielder in high school, Sandoval-Gabel experimented with a defender position early in practice, but will likely see time at forward and midfield.

Anna Richardson (Fr., Napa, Calif.) was sidelined by injury after four games in 2010 and has earned a medical hardship. If the former Napa High all-leaguer can stay healthy, she has shown plenty of potential and ability.

MIDFIELDERS
Three returners logged major minutes in the midfield for the Boxers, led by two-time honorable mention all-conference honorees Bodily and DeLima.

Bodily led the team in assists with four, ranking sixth in the conference, while scoring two goals. DeLima’s only goal of the season was a big one, as her game-winner in overtime gave Pacific a 1-0 victory over Whitworth on Sept. 17.

Expect to see a lot of Bodily on the attack, as Crabtree plans to push the veteran into a center-forward position.

“They way we are going to play, Jordan is essentially going to be a forward,” said Crabtree. “She’ll float back and forth between forward and the midfield line.”

Harper scored two goals, including the game-winner in a 1-0 Halloween victory against Pacific Lutheran, and also notched two assists in 2010 while starting 15 of the 16 games in which she appeared.

Freshman Rachel Simmons (Mukilteo, Wash.) has come in and performed well in the middle of the park and will compete for minutes with the three returning starters. Simmons was an Honorable Mention All-Wesco selection for Kamiak High School in 2010 and started three years for the 4A Knights.

DEFENDERS
Four returning starters and three seniors make this the most veteran unit on the field.

Shigeno earned honorable mention all-conference honors and started 17 games after appearing in 19 games as a sophomore in 2009. Trisha Tengan (Honolulu, Hawaii) logged the most minutes on defense, starting 18 of the 19 games in which she appeared. Junior Kelsey Lockwood (Salt Lake City, Utah) started 17 games and appeared in 19 and junior Shelyce Ichimura (Mililani, Hawaii) recorded 15 starts and 19 appearances and enters her third season as a regular contributor on defense.

There will be competition for playing time at those positions as freshman Kailee Green (Hillsboro, Ore.) has showcased her speed in practice, while adapting to a new position after playing primarily forward and midfield at Century High School.

Kaili Laxson (Nampa, Idaho) is a returning sophomore who has performed well in preseason practice and will vie for more time on the field after appearing in 17 games with four starts in 2010.

GOALKEEPERS
Hartmann returns for her third year starting in goal. Her eight wins set a school record for goalkeepers and for the second year in a row she led the conference in saves with 97, while recording three shutouts and a .789 save percentage.

Hartmann, who started all 20 games in 2010, is ably backed up by sophomore Kayla Davidson (Kailua, Hawaii), who is looking to push for some playing time.

“They have a great competitive relationship,” said Crabtree. “We’ll see who ends up coming out ahead in that one.

“Brittany is a fantastic goalkeeper. She is solid. She works hard. She is one of the most determined personalities on this team.”