Head coach Marty Ziesemer announced the first wave of his recruiting class for next season with a quartet of high school seniors from four different west coast states.
Corban's Ziesemer Signs Quartet for '09 Season
SALEM, Ore. – Fourteenth-year head coach Marty Ziesemer announced Wednesday the signing of four recruits for the upcoming 2009 season, as he inked a quartet of high school seniors – Melissa Berry (El Cajon, Calif. ), Emily Tsugawa (Gladstone, Ore.), Tabor Tingstad (Wasilla, Alaska), and Allison Knotts (Battle Ground, Wash.) – to Letters of Intents.
"This is a great group of first signees that will provide for us in many ways," stated Ziesemer. "They are all quality young ladies who will enhance our team both on and off the field. I expect them to provide us with additional depth in our program, while also competing for playing time with the quality group of players that we have returning. I am pleased with this group and expect great things from them in their time as Warriors!"
Berry, a 5-foot-4 defender from Christian High School in Southern California, helped lead the Patriots to 15-4-1 win-loss record that included a perfect 7-0-1 mark in Delphic League play. As the top-seeded team, Berry helped lead Christian into the Division VII CIF Southern Section Semifinals before the Patriots fell to eventual champions Alverno, 4-1, at the Home Depot Center. Berry was named as the team captain prior to her senior season, while also earning back-to-back all-academic honors for her work in the classroom. Aside from his prep career, Berry was also a member of the San Diego United Futbol Club's Under-18 team.
Tsugawa, a 5-foot-4 midfielder from Gladstone High School, is coming off a senior season in which she scored 27 goals and handed out 16 assists in helping lead the Gladiators to the third round of OSAA state tournament before falling to eventual state champions Philomath, 1-0. Thanks to her effort during her final prep season, Tsugawa earned all-league honors for the fourth straight year and was named league Player of the Year. A two-time all-state 1st team member, Tsugawa was also a two-time team captain and a member of two league championship teams.
Tingstad, a 5-foot-4 defender from Wasilla High School, helped lead the Warriors into the state tournament as a junior. As the final wall of defense for Wasilla, Tingstad notched one goal and seven assists during her senior season en route to being named as a member of the All-Northern Lights Conference 1st team. A two-time team captain, Tingstad also earned back-to-back defensive MVP honors for the Warriors following her sophomore and junior seasons. Along with her high school accomplishments, Tingstad also competed for Matanuska Soccer Club and helped lead the team to the state championship in 2007 and also earned MVP honors in '05 & '06.
Knotts, a 5-foot-9 defender that played soccer at Battle Ground High School, helped lead the Tigers to an 11-4-3 win-loss record as a senior before falling to Heritage, 2-0, in the quarterfinals of the district playoffs. Knotts also helped lead Battle Ground to a third place finish in league play as a senior.
Corban is coming off an '08 campaign in which the Warriors went 8-11-1 overall and 4-5-1 in Cascade Collegiate Conference play, while also advancing to the semifinal of the conference tournament. Ziesemer will be welcoming back 20 players from last season's roster that includes leading scorer Brittany Bowman, who registered a team-high 8 goals, 7 assists, and 23 points as a freshman.