WALLA WALLA, Wash. -- Kristen Berndt and Corina Gabbert top a group of five Whitman College players named to the All-Northwest Conference women's soccer teams.
Berndt, a senior forward who led Whitman in scoring in each of her four seasons, was named to the All-NWC First Team for a third consecutive season. Gabbert, a sophomore who played as a midfielder and forward, made the first team after earning second-team honors a year ago.
Courtney Porter, a sophomore goalkeeper who led the NWC in shutouts this fall, was voted to the second team. Two Missionary defenders, junior Sarah Nostdal and first-year player Kate Newman, received Honorable Mention recognition.
Despite playing limited minutes early in the fall because of chronic knee problems, Berndt rolled through her senior season with 13 goals and four assists, finishing third in the conference scoring race with 29 points. "I still can't believe Kristen had her best scoring season while playing through such pain," Whitman coach Scott Shields said. "It really is quite unbelievable. Her injuries forced Kristen to become more of our field general. Her leadership, vision on the field, and scoring ability make her one of the most impressive players we have ever had."
"I can't say enough about Kristen," Shields added. "Words don't do justice to everything she has done for our soccer program over the past four years."
Berndt tallied all but one of her 2007 goals and all of her assists against NWC opponents. In conference games only, she ranked second in scoring, and she led the league in game-winning goals with six. She finished her Whitman career with 44 goals and 14 assists, good for 102 points. Those are the highest individual scoring numbers in more than two decades at Whitman.
Berndt was twice named NWC Offensive Player of the Week during each of her last two seasons. In a vote of teammates, she also was named Whitman's Best Offensive Player as a senior and junior. A history major, Berndt is a graduate of Mout Si High School in Snoqualmie, Wash.
Gabbert finished her sophomore campaign as Whitman's second-leading scorer with nine goals and two assists. She was named NWC Offensive Player of the Week in mid-October after scoring all three of Whitman's goals in two weekend victories.
"Corina is one of those players who can help take your team to a higher level," Shields said. "Her passion for the game is tremendous and her desire to win is contagious. She was a vital part of our success this season, even though she didn't have the most goals or assists. She drew the attention of all our opponents, allowing her teammates to step up and win games. She is a handful for opposing defenders -- a truly gifted player."
Gabbert, a graduate of Catlin Gabel School (Portland, Ore.), plans to pursue medical school studies after Whitman.
Porter, in her first season as the Missionary starting goalkeeper, posted shutouts in eight of Whitman's 20 games. She missed a ninth shutout because she was pulled midway through the second half of Whitman's 6-0 rout of Lewis & Clark. She earned NWC Player of the Week honors three times during the season, and she was named Whitman's Most Valuable Player in a vote of her teammates.
"Courtney deserves this (all-conference honor) and then some," Shields said. "She is one of the biggest reasons we had such a great season. She will develop into the best overall goalkeeper I have had here at Whitman. This season was her coming out party."
A year ago in her first season at Whitman, Porter (Inglemoor High School, Bothell, Wash.) started four games at keeper and posted two shutouts.
Nostdal (Walla Walla, Wash., High School) and Newman (Sammamish High School, Bellevue, Wash.), were two of the Missionary defenders who shared in Porter's shutouts. Nostdal also contributed three assists while Newman had one.
Nostdal, a sociology and environmental studies major, has "shown more improvement as a player than anyone I have ever coached," Shields said. "Sarah came through in a big way for us this season. She went from being a role player the past two years to being a solid starter this fall. She also is one of the athletic players I have ever recruited to Whitman."
Newman, who was named Most Improved by her teammates, had an "incredible season," Shields said. "Winning a starting spot at the start of the season was a tremendous accomplishment for Kate, but then she got stronger every week. She is most likely one of the fastest players in the conference, especially among the defensive backs. The sky is the limit for Kate for the next three years."
Other Missionaries winning team awards are junior Molly Gordon, Most Inspirational, and Kristen Mittelsteadt, Best Defender.
Gordon, a junior midfielder, pyschology major and graduate of Kentlake High School (Kent, Wash.), fought through injuries this fall to make three assists. "Molly is a creative influence on the field and an absolutel comedian off the field," Shields said. "She has a story or a joke for the team at every practice. It's hard to tell a joke around Molly because she knows all the punchlines.
"But, more importantly, Molly is always there for her teammates when any of them need to talk," Shields said. "Molly is extremely compassionate. This award is a very deserving one."
Mittelsteadt, a junior biology major and graduate of Woodinville, Wash., moved from midfielder to defender this season to help fill holes left by graduation last spring. "Kristen was our most solid defender all season," Shields said. "She has great speed and very high technical ability. I feel she was most definitly overlooked by our conference when it came to the all-conference voting. She is a quiet player but a true leader by example. She gave our back line the maturity it needed this season."