The Spokane Shine of the Women’s Premier Soccer League (WPSL) have announced the signing of several players for the 2012 WPSL season. In preparation for the 2012 season, Shine has added Washington native Maggie Schrader, returning defender Morgan Roesler, Roesler’s South Carolina State University (SCSU) teammates Darci Nicole Smith and Kaitlynn Penner, defender Lisa Robertson and midfielder Alyssa Saucedo to the team.
Center back Schrader, who grew up in Spanaway and attended Clover Park High School, is a senior at University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio, Texas. Incarnate Word is a NCAA Division II school in the Heartland Conference. Schrader was the 2009 Heartland Conference Defender of the Year and was named to All-Conference First Teams in 2007, 2009 and 2011.
Roesler returns for her second stint with Shine after playing her junior year with the South Carolina Lady Bulldogs. The Ontario, Canada, native played 17 matches in 2011 and scored two goals for SCSU. Fellow junior Smith, who was scheduled to play for Shine in 2011 but missed the season due to a knee injury, also played 17 games with one goal. The third Lady Bulldog, Penner, is a sophomore who started 14 matches for SCSU.
Another international player joining Shine will be Robertson of the Scottish Premier League. Robertson played with the Hibernian Ladies team that won the 2011 Scottish Cup and has played with the Scottish U-19 Women’s National Team. A tough, gutsy defender with the ability to go up the middle, Robertson has 26 caps.
The latest to sign with Shine is Alyssa Saucedo, currently a freshman at New Mexico Highlands University. Saucedo is a midfielder who started every game for the Cowgirls in 2011. She is expected to bring the same level of dedication and play as former Cowgirls Shannon Delarosbil and Julissa Rodriguez, who both played with Shine last year.
Shine will kick off their season on the road against Eugene Metro FC on June 1 and Oregon Rush on June 2. The team will return to Joe Albi Stadium on Friday, June 8, when they host Issaquah FC. Spokane plays in the Northwest Division of the WPSL under the direction of head coach Jason Quintero. In two years with Shine, Quintero has led the team to an overall 12-10-2 record and two second-place finishes.
