Pryor, Snyder, and Dudek Named Women’s Soccer All-Conference

By: Laura Chapman
Assistant Sports Information Director
chapmal@juniata.edu • juniatasports.net
Photo: JD Cavrich Photography 

TOWSON, Md. – The Landmark Conference announced the 2013 Women's Soccer All-Conference selections today and three member of the Juniata College women's soccer team were selected to the Second-Team. Senior Paula Pryor (Westbrookville, N.Y./Burke Catholic) is receiving her second all-conference honor; senior Alicia Snyder (Jonestown, Pa./Northern Lebanon) becomes just the second women's soccer player to be awarded all-conference distinction all four years of her career, and junior Lillian Dudek (Downington, Pa./Upattinas School) is receiving her first all-conference accolade.

"I think the statement that the conference made was acknowledging the immense talent that Alicia has, and the immense talent that Paula and Lillian have," said head coach Scott McKenzie.

Pryor finished Landmark play in a three-way tie for the most goals scored at 15. She topped the total points standing with 37 and was fifth in the league in assists with seven. Pryor and Snyder are tied for fourth in conference play with three goals and Snyder is fifth in conference play in total points (7). Dudek started all 19 games for the Eagles this season and anchored a defense that was second in the league for fewest goals against in league play (6).

 "It's certainly a recognition for Alicia that not only is she incredibly talented, but she's incredibly consistent with that talent," said McKenzie. "It's one of only a very small number that have received all-conference recognition each year of their career. You can be good once, but Alicia has been good over a long period of time and now Paula with her second recognition. I think for both of them it's a tremendous recognition of their hard work and for Lillian as well. For Lill, being a defending player where it's not stat driven, it's attitude and commitment driven, to be recognized is a comment from the other coaches that she is working hard. Those hard hours of practice and training and dedication are being rewarded."

The Eagles finished the regular season 14-4, 4-2 in league play, and clinched second place in the conference standings on the last day of league play with a 3-0 win over Drew University. The Rangers returned to Huntingdon just four days later to face Juniata in the Landmark tournament and came away with a 3-2 double overtime win and went on to defeat The University of Scranton and win their first conference title. The Eagles have since earned an Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division III South Championship berth and face Grove City College this afternoon at 2 p.m. in first-round play.

"I feel very good for all three of those athletes," said McKenzie. "I think we probably could have made a decent case for more of our student-athletes to be recognized and I think we could have made an equal case for the three who were recognized to be recognized as first-team players. They forced our opponents to play differently."

Pryor earned Landmark offensive player of the week honors on November 4, and freshman Devin Kos (Bellefonte, Pa./Bellefonte Area) and junior Katie Szczur (Johnstown, Pa./Richland) both earned defensive player of the week accolades, October 14 and September 23 respectively, with Szczur also earning ECAC South player of the week.

"The differences in the conference are very small," said McKenzie. "If one chooses to look at a second-team versus a first-team with anything other than there are just a lot of good players in this conference then I think they are making a mistake. I think there are a lot of good players in this conference. I think the difference between Alicia, Paula, and Lilly, and anyone on the first-team is a matter of one point of view, on one specific day, during one specific moment, because really, if you add all the first-teamers and the second-teamers together you've got one heck of a group that's very good, committed, and deserving of the recognition."

The three all-conference selections mark just the fourth time Juniata has received more than two all-conference nods in one season. The 2013 Eagles have already set the program record for wins in a single season, conference wins in a season, and total goals scored in a season.

"When you take a look at a team that finished second in its conference, a team that beat the eventual conference champion, receiving three second-team selections, it's a very loud statement from our conference that we're a pretty darn good team," said McKenzie. "That there are no superstars on this team that carry it. That the team itself is very solid top to bottom. It's something we've been telling our athletes from day one, that we are a good team. This is not the Boston Red Sox or the Los Angeles Dodgers that buy talent. We are talent top to bottom. I choose to look at what the conference has done with its all-conference voting to support that theory - that we are a top to bottom strong team."

For the full Landmark release, click here.

Follow Your Eagles! Stay up-to-date on your Juniata College Eagles by following us on twitter (@JuniataEagles) and on Facebook (Juniata Eagles).