LOUDONVILLE, NY – Siena Women’s Soccer junior goalkeeper Taylor Dorado has been named the 2018 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Goalkeeper of the Year. The Guilderland, New York standout was also named a First Team All-MAAC selection, and headlined Siena’s honorees which included Second Team All-MAAC backs Madi Belvito and Amanda Holtzman and MAAC All-Rookie Team selection Ashleigh Sarafin.

Dorado becomes the third player in program history to be named MAAC Goalkeeper of the Year, joining Noel Cox (2002) and Taylor Booth (2014). Dorado tied her own program single-season record with her fourth MAAC Defensive Player of the Week honor yesterday, which also increased her program career record total to eight weekly awards. She has tied both the program career (19) and single-season (eight) records for shutouts this fall, while ranking second in the MAAC in shutouts (28^th nationally), saves (100 – 19^th nationally), and save percentage (.862 – 22^nd nationally), and third in goals against average (0.85). The junior currently stands second in program history in career goals against average (0.97), tied for second in both wins (28) and save percentage (.831), and fifth in saves (250).

Other 2018 MAAC Women’s Soccer major award winners included Madie Gibson (Offensive Player of the Year), Jessica Johnson (Defensive Player of the Year), and Jill Conklin (Rookie of the Year) all of Monmouth, and BSN Sports MAAC Coach of the Year Leigh Howard from Marist.

A native of Syracuse, New York, Belvito earns All-MAAC acclaim for the first time in her career. The junior has helped anchor a Siena defense which has tied a program single-season record with nine shutouts, and which currently ranks second in the MAAC with a 0.86 team goals against average. Belvito has started all 19 matches in which she has appeared so far this season at left back, and dished out a key assist in the Saints’ come-from-behind MAAC Quarterfinals victory over Quinnipiac Sunday.

A Preseason All-MAAC selection, Holtzman earns All-MAAC honors for the third time in her four seasons. Previously named to the MAAC All-Rookie Team in 2015 and a First Team All-MAAC honoree in 2017, the senior was also tabbed a United Soccer Coaches Third Team All-Region honoree last fall. Holtzman has combined with Belvito and Dorado to anchor the Saints’ stout defense. Holtzman has appeared in all 20 matches and made 19 starts at right back, and assisted on the game-winning goal in Siena’s victory over Rider earlier this month.

This marks the 18^th consecutive season in which the Saints have had at least one freshman receive MAAC All-Rookie Team recognition, following Sarafin’s honor. The Landing, New Jersey native was tabbed the MAAC Rookie of the Week Oct. 15 after scoring goals in victories over Saint Peter’s and Rider. Sarafin has seen action in 19 matches including five starts thus far this fall, and is tied for second on the team in both points (eight) and goals (three).

The Saints also excelled in the classroom once again, where they tied last year’s program record with 15 MAAC All-Academic Team selections. To be eligible for the MAAC All-Academic Team, a student athlete must have completed at least two semesters at their current institution and hold a cumulative grade point average of 3.20 or higher. Siena’s honorees were seniors Gabby Albano, Holtzman, Lindsay Mulligan, Kamryn Peffley, and Meghan Riccardi, juniors Belvito, Dorado, and Haleigh Schanz, red-shirt sophomore Amber Alfonzo, sophomores Ryan Augstell, Darby D’Angelo, Deanna Lomino, Jayanna Monds, and Rachel Sullivan, and red-shirt freshman Sophia Dimkopoulos.

Fresh off their 2-1 overtime win in the MAAC Quarterfinals over sixth seeded Quinnipiac Sunday, the third seeded Saints continue their quest for the program’s third MAAC Championship when they travel to Poughkeepsie to battle I-87 rival and No. 2 seed Marist in the semifinals Thursday night at 7 p.m.

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