APSU Women’s Soccer
Clarksville, TN – Austin Peay State University women’s soccer team addressed issues with depth in signing four players to National Letters of Intent, head coach Kelley Guth announced Friday.
Frankie Carbajal, of Jackson; Bianca Melito, of Dallas, Texas; Claire Pultz, of Albuquerque, NM; and Taylor VanWagner of Knoxville will join the Lady Govs 2011 pursuit of a Ohio Valley Conference title.
Carbajal, a 5-3 midfielder/forward, scored 54 goals and had 29 assists at Trinity Christian Academy. She was named all-district four times, all-region twice and was her team’s Most Valuable Offensive Player four times. Carbajal, who had eight hat tricks in her final two years, also was a two-time Jackson Sun All-West Tennessee Selection. She played club soccer with the 93 Lady Lobos, of Collierville, for four years as well.
“Frankie (Carbajal) is quick and athletic,” Guth said. “She’ll bring depth to the attacking center midfield position. Bianca (Melito) plays outside back for her club team, but she might see time at center back for us. She’s a hard-nosed player that we look forward to having in our back line.”
Pultz, a 5-7 midfielder/forward, was a two-time New Mexico state runner-up while at La Cueva High School, playing in the same district as current Lady Govs defender Corey Osborn. Pultz was a second-team all-district selection at forward as a senior, scoring four goals and making four assists.
Van Wagner, a 5-8 midfielder/defender, was a class 3A All-State selection at McMinn County High. A four-time all-district and all-region pick, Van Wagner also was the District 5 Most Valuable Player as a senior. Under head coach David McDonald, she will graduate as the school’s all-time assists leader (56) and all-time scoring leader (56).
“Claire (Pultz) will bring depth to our front runners,” Guth said. “She’s a player that doesn’t shy away at taking on defenders; she has speed, quickness and size that will prove very valuable. Taylor (VanWagner) is a center back that brings size and physicality to our back line. Along with Melito, she’ll bring depth to a line plagued with injuries last season.”
Austin Peay battled injuries all over throughout the 2010 season, but managed to advance to the OVC Championship game for the first time in program history. The injuries hit early as the Lady Govs lost 2009 All-OVC defender Jazzmine Chandler in the season’s second game and ultimately lost four more starters by the final game.
Guth believes this class should increase the Lady Govs depth and provide some quality minutes off the bench for the upcoming season. With the league’s most exciting offensive player, 2010 OVC Freshman of the Year Tatiana Ariza, returning, along with first-team All-OVC midfielder Natalia Ariza and second-team All-OVC midfielder Joceline Quiceno, Guth’s team will use that depth to fuel another title run.
