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November 7, 2007 Spokane, WA – Saint Martin’s garnered one second team Great Northwest Athletic Conference All-Star member along with three honorable mentions. Jessica Wilson leads the way with her second team nod while Kayci Donatelli, Trisha Halvorson, and Ashley Biral were all honorable mention. Wilson, a junior defender from Redlands, CA, led the Saints with three assists this season. “Every now and then, you find a player who has a great natural instinct to play the game. Jessica is one of those 1/10000 players that has tremendous natural ability,” said head coach Rob Walker. “If you put Jessica into a race with an opponent or a teammate, she may not win on speed alone, but if a ball is involved, Jessica is rarely ever beaten, in the air or on the ground. This seems like such a simple to thing to find in a player, but it is truly a remarkable talent and I am so proud of her play and so proud of her first year here for us as our Captain. The GNAC is a great soccer conference and Jessica fits right into the quality without a doubt.” Donatelli is a freshman midfielder from Federal Way, WA. She posted a team high five goals and had a .500 shots on goal percentage. “As a freshman, Kayci was asked to be a target in the middle of the field. As a ball winner, she won well over half the contested service played in her direction and towards the end of the year added a couple of goals to the effort as well,” said Walker. “Kayci’s determination and competitiveness make her a strong player for us from the start of any game through to the finish. With work in the off season in mobility, distribution and defending, she should be an even stronger presence for us next year.” Halvorson, a junior midfielder from Burien, WA, had four goals for the Saints with a .667 shots on goal percentage. “Trisha played with great versatility for us playing in all three lines of the team: in defense, in midfield and on an occasion or two up front. She is tactically very astute and a great winner of the ball in 1 v 1 situations,” added Walker. “Above all, her work rate is infectious and her desire to win games makes her dangerous for us from any position. Trish’s desire to compete was cut short during the season with two injuries which kept her out of some games where she was dearly missed.” Biral, a junior transfer forward from Castle Rock, WA, also posted four goals for Saint Martin’s along with one assist. “The ability to run all day is right in Ashley’s wheel house. As a front player, Ashley has lead our line from our first game and has never wavered in her effort to provide us with a good target up front,” said Walker. “She has often worked alone or with just one partner up front and has always brought a bit of bite and tenacity that can’t be coached. What can be coached though are some little tactical and technical tricks of the trade and Ashley is picking those up well and should have a terrific second season with us next fall.”
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