MORAGA, Calif. - With a wrap on the 2024 season, the Saint Mary's women's soccer team matched the program record set in 2001 with 15 points in conference play. Throughout the year, there was much growth and development that allowed the team to reach this accomplishment and be considered one of the best teams down the stretch of the season. 

BY THE NUMBERS

Leading the Gaels offensively this season was junior forward Tessa Salvestrin as she ended the season with eight goals, three assists, one game winner, 19 points and over 1,000 minutes of action. Salvestrin ranked inside the top-ten in four different offensive categories including fifth in the WCC in goals (8). Salvestrin also finished fifth in shots on goal (27), fifth in points (18), seventh in total shots (49) and was named to the All-WCC Second Team. 

Goalkeeper Kate Plachy played all 90 minutes in 16 of the 17 matches. The redshirt freshman finished the season with 56 saves and recorded a season high six saves three different times. She ranked inside the top-ten in the conference in total saves, goals against average and finished second with six shutouts. Her six shutouts also cracked the program single-season top-ten, putting her in a tie for eighth place along with former Gaels keeper Taylor Poland. 

As a whole, the Gaels have scored 52 goals over the last two seasons, which happens to be the most goals over a two-year span since 2017 and 2018 where they combined for 64 goals. Over the last two seasons, head coach Theresa Romagnolo has accumulated 17 wins which is the largest win total over a two-year span since 2001 and 2002, when former head coach Paul Ratcliffe won 24 games for the Gaels. After completing this season, Romagnolo has recorded seven or more wins in three of her last four seasons with the team, bringing her total to 36 wins over five seasons as the women's soccer head coach. 

WCC ON THE RISE

The West Coast Conference was as tightly contested as it has been in recent memory, with as many as eight teams in contention for the league title heading into the final week of the season. Additionally, Santa Clara and Pepperdine earned bids into the NCAA Tournament representing the 33rd consecutive season the WCC has had multiple NCAA bids.  

Romagnolo continued to put together quality league finishes, adding her fourth four-win conference season of her tenure. The Gaels also stood as one of the best teams in the WCC in the final month of the season, finishing with a 3-1-1 record in their final five games.  

AWARD WINNERS

The West Coast Conference announced their All-Conference and All-Academic awards after the conclusion of the 2024 season. Saint Mary's matched their 2023 total with four Gaels being named to the All-Conference team. Sophomore Sydney Middaugh and the team's leading goal scorer Tessa Salvestrin earned a spot on the All-WCC Second Team. Both players were crucial for the Gaels offense with Middaugh playing in 18 matches, scoring four goals and recording three assists while Salvestrin led the Gaels in several offensive categories and scored a career high eight goals. 

Savannah Schwarze and Khalia Gathright earned Honorable Mention for their first All-Conference selection of their careers. Schwarze scored a goal and led the team with four assists and Gathright made her Gaels debut this season after transferring from Washington State. She anchored the Gaels backline starting in 17 games and tallying over 1,300 minutes of action.   

Junior defender Alessandra Towle was the only Gael to earn a spot on the WCC All-Academic Team with six others being named to the Honorable Mention list. This is her first WCC All-Academic selection of her SMC career. Towle was a vital member of the Gaels backline and was a box-to-box player all season. The Junior recorded seven 90-minute matches with an additional six games reaching over 70 minutes. She has shown her excellence both on and off the field as she maintained a 3.765 GPA majoring in Health Science. 

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