ITHACA, N.Y. -- Optimism surrounding the women's soccer program at Cornell University is at its highest point in recent memory. A veteran team, yet still a youthful squad that features just two seniors, the Big Red will be looking to fulfill the promise showed as incoming recruits and put together a winning season on the field.

All but one of the players on the roster for the Big Red in 2010 have been brought to Cornell by head coach Danielle LaRoche, and the team possesses impressive depth in all areas of the field. The increased depth not only gives the fourth-year mentor more options with lineup combinations, but also increases the competition during training for playing time during games.

Coupling the increased intensity at practice with a schedule favorable in quality opponents, the Big Red appears ready to make an impact on the Ivy League race.

GOALKEEPER
Cornell's goalkeeping corps is one of its true strong points, featuring a pair of juniors who split time last year and a promising freshman, with all three netminders capable of posting a clean sheet on any given day.

The first crack at picking up the starting job will be given to juniors Megan Bartlett and Kelly Murphy. Last season, the duo combined for a 1.68 goals-against average and a .714 save percentage with a pair of shutouts. Murphy held the edge in goals-against average, while Bartlett picked up a better save percentage a year ago. Still, both goalkeepers give the Big Red an opportunity to pick up a win on any given day.

"Megan and Kelly are very close, so it's very difficult to designate which one will be our number one," LaRoche said. "Megan worked really hard in training over the summer, and Kelly had a strong summer as well. We're going to let the two of them compete in practice and make our decision week-by-week as to who will start in goal for us."

Joining the pair of juniors is freshman Tori Christ, who differs from her positional counterparts by standing five inches shorter than the other two. In spite of her lack of height, Christ more than makes up for it with her sheer technical ability in goal.

"She comes off her line fast, and she's deceptively good at grabbing crossing balls," LaRoche said of her freshman goalkeeper. "Where she can improve is in gaining experience and being more vocal with the defense."

DEFENSE
Another area of strength for the Big Red is its back line, with multiple options present for LaRoche to compose a solid defense. The two building blocks of the back line are junior Sidra Bonner and sophomore Jayann Gabrio, both of whom saw plenty of minutes at that spot a year ago.

"We're really ready to go with our center backs, Sidra and Jayann," LaRoche said. "Sidra came into camp faster, leaner and in the best shape of her career this summer and has made huge gains in her game. Jayann is more experienced now, and you can hear her being more vocal and directing traffic in the back."

Providing depth behind Gabrio and Bonner in the central midfield is sophomore Katie Cummiskey, who gained valuable experience in practice last season and has brought an improved game into camp this season.

Katie Hayes, one of just two seniors on the roster, holds the inside edge on one of the outside back spots, a position she held for most of her junior season.

"Katie studied abroad in the spring, but still came into camp this year and is playing the best she's ever played for us," LaRoche said.

That trio provides a solid foundation for the Big Red to build upon, with just the outside back spot opposite Hayes a contested position this fall. Several players are competing to grab that spot, with junior Abageal Vonderweidt playing several games in that position in 2009.

"We're working on building a defensive mentality in her, and she's still learning the position," LaRoche said of Vonderweidt. "She's learning when to stay connected with the back four and when to go forward into the attack."

A pair of sophomores is also battling for time at outside back, with Kristina Jackson and Ali Barger deep in competition. Freshman Annmarie Irwin is also vying for time at the position, with each of the three bringing additional positives to the role.

"Kristina got some minutes last year, and she's very dangerous getting into the attack," LaRoche said. "Her height (5-1) is a bit of a disadvantage, as she sometimes can struggle against bigger forwards.

"Ali is quick and fast and loves to get forward. She got a few minutes last year, but needs to gain experience," LaRoche said. "Annmarie has been amazing, fast and strong, and she's going to battle to get into the starting lineup."

MIDFIELD
Last season, the Big Red played a formation with three midfielders, but with a very talented freshman class entering the fold along with additional experience gained by last season's freshmen, the Big Red will likely make the switch to a four-midfielder formation to get more players on the field from what is easily the deepest spot on the Big Red roster.

With the increased depth is added uncertainty as to who will fill out those four spots in the midfield. "This is the only place on the field where we're not sure of who will be starting," LaRoche said.

Junior Abigail Apistolas looks to hold down one of the four spots, providing a veteran presence in a midfield crowded with youth. A trio of players in sophomore Hannah Labadie and newcomers Maddy Farber and Alyssa Esber are vying for time as a holding midfielder, while a number of players look to be in the mix for an attacking midfielder role.

Sophomore Xandra Hompe, who spent the winter with the women's hockey team during their run to the national championship game, has come into camp playing better than ever and with a more intense approach to the game. Other options for the central playmaker role include Rachel Nichols, who LaRoche feels could be the most technical player in the Ivy League, and Alysse Godino, who has shown an early knack for finding passing lanes and being smart on the ball. Also in the mix is fellow freshman Andi McIntosh, who is recovering from an injury suffered during her final year of high school soccer.

Adding to the midfield depth are a pair of primarily wing options in sophomore Renee Tornatore and freshman Mary Keroack. Keroack brings strength and speed to the lineup, and should be a dangerous threat when she picks up the team's system and gains experience. Tornatore, who saw limited action as a freshman a year ago, has been training hard all summer and is competing for regular time in her second season with the Big Red. In all, Cornell has nine players vying for four spots, making competition for playing time a heated battle all around.

FORWARD
Cornell's biggest weakness from a year ago came at the forward position, as the Big Red struggled regularly with finishing. The team dropped seven one-goal games and was shut out nine times, making an improvement on the offensive end of the field a priority for 2010.

"With losing so many one-goal games last year, the lack of scoring was a key part in that," LaRoche said. "I feel like with the class we brought in, we have fixed that problem and can get all of our dangerous players on the field."

One of the biggest changes the Big Red will make this season is moving senior co-captain Lena Russomagno up top from her traditional position in the midfield. Russomagno has shown a knack for finding the back of the net, having scored six goals as a freshman in 2007 and recording nine goals in her career.

"Lena's had some injury problems in the past, and this is a way to use her experience and keep her on the field longer," LaRoche said. "She can be a leader to a young group of forwards and help them learn the nuances of goal scoring."

Joining Russomagno up top is junior Brook Chang, who found the back of the net four times as a freshman before tallying just one assist last season.

"Brook's been playing phenomenal, and I feel like this is her year to bloom as a definite All-Ivy honors candidate," LaRoche said.

A trio of sophomores bring speed and technical ability to the lineup, with Megan Crowell - who can also move back into the midfield if needed - and Maneesha Chitanvis both gaining a great deal of experience a year ago. The third sophomore, Moonie Mancho, saw limited time a year ago, but has come into camp looking like a totally different player. Joining the battle for playing time up front are a pair of freshmen in Caedran Harvey and Rachel Schlobohm, both of whom bring tremendous speed to the Big Red attack.

THE SCHEDULE
Cornell's pre-Ivy League schedule will present its share of challenges to what is still a very young team. After opening the season with a pair of home games against Delaware and Delaware State, the Big Red will take to the road for each of the next three weekends, not playing at Berman Field again until facing Penn on Oct. 1. In between, Cornell will play six games away from home, though five of those six will still be played in the state of New York, leaving only for a trip to Bucknell on Sept. 19.

"This was one of the most difficult schedules to put together," LaRoche said. "We're away a lot, but we're staying in New York, and there's not one team on the non-league schedule that we cannot beat if we're playing our best."

Included in the schedule is a trip to the Colgate Raider Invitational on Sept. 10 and 12, where Cornell will face St. Bonaventure and Seton Hall. Other non-league games include trips to Binghamton, Manhattan and Colgate.

Cornell will play four of its seven Ivy League games at home this season, opening with a matchup against Penn on Oct. 1. Yale, Princeton and Dartmouth will also make trips to Berman Field, as Cornell closes out the season with three of its last four games at home.