Freedom W-League side add nine more to summer roster

The Washington Freedom have added nine players to their W-League team for the 2009 season.  Eliza Bennett-Hattan (Syracuse University), Linda Cords (Boston University), Jordan Grant, Meghan Lenczyk (University of Virginia), Caitlin Miskel (University of Virginia), Alyssa Pont (Princeton), Kika Toulouse (University of Virginia), Katie Watson (Old Dominion University), and Jessie Wolfe (Richmond University) have been added to the club’s roster, with play scheduled to begin in May. 
 
"We are excited to have these elite college players join our club,” Freedom Head Coach Jim Gabarra said.  “We believe that they will have a good experience here with the Freedom. Our goal is to return them to their respective colleges as better players and help them develop into professionals after they are finished with college.”
 
Bennett-Hattan was part of the 2008 Washington Freedom W-League team that won the Northeast Division and Eastern Conference titles. She holds the record for career shutouts in Syracuse women’s soccer history.  In 2006, Bennett-Hattan set the Syracuse single-season records for goals against average (0.94) and save percentage (.862).   
 
Cords previously played for the Freestate Shooters, an affiliate team of the Freedom, under current W-League assistant coach Win Puffer.  In 2008, Cords earned America East All-Conference First Team honors.  As a freshman in 2007, she was named to the America East All-Rookie Team, named to the Soccer Buzz All-Northeast All-Freshman Team, was the team’s Rookie of the Year, and was the only freshman to start all 21 games.
 
Grant has played for the Washington Freedom’s U-20 and W-League squads.  She was a U-20 All-Tournament Team selection from the Freedom in 2008. Grant was a member of the McLean Freedom, which was a regional finalist squad in 2008. In high school, Grant earned 2007 Second Team All-Met honors.
 
Miskel started in all 23 games for Virginia in 2007 and was second on the team in assists (6), three of which came on game-winning goals.  In 2006, Miskel was named to the Soccer Buzz Freshman All-Mid Atlantic Region team.  During high school, she was an NSCAA All-American, as well as a two-time Gatorade Florida Player of the Year.
 
Pont garnered First-Team All-Ivy League honors in 2008. She led the conference in goals against average (0.50) and save percentage (.862). Pont’s goals against average ranked 9th nationally and her save percentage ranked 13th.
 
Toulouse appeared in 20 games for Virginia in 2007. In high school she was named to the NSCAA All-Region team and was a two-time First Team All-Conference selection. Toulouse has also trained in Sao Paulo, Brazil on various occasions.
 
Watson has played for both the Washington Freedom U-20 and W-League teams.  She first attended Marshall where she led the Thundering Herd in goals (6), assists (4) and points (15).  She transferred to ODU after her freshman year where she became their first ever Scholar All-American.  She ranks among ODU\'s all-time best players, tied for 7th in career points (42), 9th in career goals (14), and 3rd in career assists (14).
 
Wolfe played for Damascus Spirit of Freedom, a youth team the Washington Freedom provided coaching support to. Wolfe was also a 2004 Washington Freedom reserve player.  At Richmond, Wolfe led her team in shots, assists, goals, and points.  She received All-Rookie, All-Conference, All-Tournament and All-State honors.