College rivals confront at U.S. U20 Camp

College rivals confront at U.S. U20 Camp
April 30, 2011

CARSON, California – There was supposed to be awkward vibes, underlying tension and bitter resentment.

When Notre Dame’s Mandy Laddish and Stanford’s Emily Oliver were both called into U.S. U20 Women’s National Camp – which is joined in concurrent camps with the U23 and U17 U.S. Teams - this week it dredged up bittersweet memories.

Bitter for Oliver, who had to watch her Cardinal team fall short in the National Championship Game yet again this past December. And sweet for Laddish, whose Fighting Irish captured the title at the expense of Stanford.

Oh, it’s on. These two just hate each other and you know it.

notre dame womens college soccer player mandy laddishMandy Laddish
“I love Emily,” said Laddish a key Notre Dame midfielder.

What?

“I have known her since we both played on regional teams. It’s great. It’s really nice to be able to be her teammate while we’re here.”

Well, that’s disappointing. What had the makings of the perfect melodrama of national team beef turns out to be nothing more than a boring plot twist.

These two actually like playing with one another. It’s like that national championship game never happened.

“We pretty much pull ourselves away from college when we’re here and focus on the camp and getting better,” said Oliver, Stanford’s starting goalkeeper. “We’ve made a few jokes about the rivalry here and there but that’s it.”

Laddish and Oliver are a part the contingent of college players at U20 camp this week that includes: Florida State’s Kassey Kallman, Duke’s Mollie Pathman, Wisconsin’s Catie Sessions, Washington’s Lindsay Elston, San Diego State’s Megan Erskine, Missouri’s Dominique Richardson and Wake Forest’s Katie Stengel.

You would think that each would feel just a tad bit threatened by one another, looking over their shoulder as the college season looms. But in watching them interact and compete against opposing teams it’s clear that – for at least this week - a peace treaty has been reached.

“Here, we’re all just one big team,” Oliver said.

Added Laddish, “I love to come to these camps. It’s great to play and work with all these great players.”

I wonder how the rest of the Notre Dame team feels about this.

U.S. U20 Women’s National Camp Roster

GOALKEEPERS (3): Emily Oliver (Stanford; Flossmoor, Ill.), Abby Smith (Dallas Texans; Dallas, Texas), Abby Steele (Mustang SC; Santa Rosa, Calif.)

DEFENDERS (9): Kori Chapic (Cleveland Cobras; Russell, Ohio), Megan Erskine (San Diego State; Ventura, Calif.), Arin Gilliland (Kentucky; Wilmore, Ky.), Julie Johnston (Santa Clara; Mesa, Ariz.), Kassey Kallman (Florida State; Woodbury, Minn.), Abigail Lutzenkirchen (North Atlanta SA; Marietta, Ga.), Mollie Pathman (Duke; Durham, N.C.), Dominique Richardson (Missouri; Fullerton, Calif.), Catie Sessions (Wisconsin; Madison, Wis.)

MIDFIELDERS (7): Morgan Brian (Ponte Verde Storm; St. Simons Island, Ga.), Kaysie Clark (KC Select Scream; Liberty, Mo.), Lindsay Elston (Washington; Sammamish, Wash.), Juliann Jeffrey (Yale; Richardson, Texas), Sarah Killion (Fort Wayne Fever; Fort Wayne, Ind.), Mandy Laddish (Notre Dame; Lee’s Summit, Mo.), Samantha Mewis (Scorpions SC; Hanson, Mass.)

FORWARDS (7): Kelly Cobb (Cook Inlet Velocity; Chugiak, Alaska), Shea Groom (KCFC Intensity; Liberty, Mo.), Stephanie McCaffrey (FC Stars of Mass.; Winchester, Mass.), Kylie McCarthy (So Cal Blues; Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.), Taylor Smith (Solar Red 94’s; Fort Worth, Texas), Katie Stengel (Wake Forest; Melbourne, Fla.), Chioma Ubogagu (Dfeeters 93; Coppell, Texas)

U.S. U23 Women’s National Camp Roster

GOALKEEPERS (3): Bianca Henninger (Santa Clara; Los Gatos, Calif.), Chantel Jones (Virginia; Midlothian, Virginia), Jillian Mastroianni (Boston College; Durham, Conn.)

DEFENDERS (9): Cloee Colohan (Portland; West Point, Utah), Katie Deines (Washington; Issaquah, Wash.), Camille Levin (Stanford; Newport Coast, Calif.), Mariah Nogueira (Stanford; Westminster, Calif.), Alyssa Pember (Boston College; Northport, N.Y.), Toni Pressley (Florida State; Melbourne, Florida) Ashley Rape (Duke; Dallas, Texas), Morgan Stith (Virginia; Montclair, N.J.), Kika Toulouse (Virginia; Arlington, Virginia)

MIDFIELDERS (7): Vanessa DiBernardo (Illinois; Naperville, Ill.), Katy Frierson (Auburn; Homewood, Ala.), Tori Huster (Florida State; Cincinnati, Ohio), Jordan Jackson (Nebraska; Overland Park, Ks.), Meghan Toohey (Michigan; Philadelphia, Pa.), Erika Tymrak (Florida; Lakewood Ranch, Florida), Ingrid Wells (Georgetown; Upper Montclair, N.J.)

FORWARDS (5): Melissa Henderson (Notre Dame; Garland, Texas), Laura Heybour (Michigan State; Hudsonville, Mich.), Merritt Mathias (Texas A&M(w); Birmingham, Ala.), Stephanie Ochs (San Diego; San Diego, Calif.), Casey Short (Florida State; Naperville, Ill.)

U.S. U17 Women’s National Camp Roster

GOALKEEPERS (2): Jane Campbell (Concorde Fire; Kennesaw, Ga.), Claire Wheatley (Solar SC; Shepton HS)

DEFENDERS (7): Morgan Andrews (FC Stars of Massachussets; Milford, N.H.), Maddy Bauer (Slammers FC; Newport Beach, Calif.), Zoey Goralski (Team Chicago Academy Botafogo; Naperville, Ill.), Madi Hall (Colorado Rush; Lakewood, Colo.), Lauren Kaskie (Neusport FC; Las Vegas, Nev.), Shea Newman (FC Stars of Massachusetts; Medfield, Mass.), Micaela Powers (Ohio Galaxias FC; Beavercreek, Ohio)

MIDFIELDERS (7): Joanna Boyles (CASL; Raleigh, N.C.), Rosie Dimartino (Albertson Fury; Massapequa, N.Y.), Lindsey Lane (Freestate Elite; Lusby, Md.), Gabby Miranda (Colorado Rush; Highland Ranch, Colo.), Morgan Stanton (Colorado Rush; Lakewood, Colo.), Andi Sullivan (Bethesda SC; St. Lorton, Va.), Kaitlyn Wong (MLVA Lightning; Sunnyvale, Calif.)

FORWARDS (7): Ellie Boon (Columbia Timbers Premier FC; Washougal, Wash.), Emily Bruder (Utah Avalanche; Sandy, Utah), Cameron Castleberry (CASL Spartan Elite; Raleigh, N.C.), Darian Jenkins (Sparta United; Riverton HS), Kayla Mills (Slammers FC; West Covina, Calif.), Amber Munerlyn (So Cal Blues; Corona, Calif.), Toni Payne (BUSA Elite; Birmingham, Ala.), Becca Schoales (Crossfire Premier; Port Orchard, Wash.)

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