9/2/25

SCRANTON, Pa. -- Last week, Lackawanna College women's soccer gathered for its annual media day, and the Falcons are hot with anticipation ahead of their 2025 campaign.

Lackawanna College returns a few key contributors from last year's team, brings an influx of new faces, and also has a new leader, as coach Juan Almonte takes over the reins and starts his first season as head coach.

The cupboard wasn't bare for coach Almonte, as Lackawanna College returns top-scorer Melanie Shumway (Rome, PA), multi-sport athlete Lindsey Tasker (Clarks Summit, PA), and midfielder Stephanie Cruz (Scranton, PA) from last year's team that finished 2-5-0. Shumway had a team-best eight goals last season from her forward spot. That was good enough for fifth in all of Region XIX Division II, despite playing in just six of the seven games for Lackawanna last year. Shumway is a speedy, fiery forward whose breakaway pace was something opposing defenses had a tough time handling. She enters this season with sky-high optimism for both herself and her team.  



Tasker, who played most of last season as the goalkeeper, returns this season to play a more prominent role in the offense, handling the midfield for the Falcons. Despite being anchored to the net last year, Tasker was second on the team with three goals, excelling as the spot-kick specialist for Lackawanna College. The Clarks Summit native, who also plays softball for Lackawanna College, enters this season hoping to contribute much more in the way of offense. 



Cruz is a diminutive but industrious midfielder, constantly pushing the Lackawanna attack forward and trying to win possession quickly when its lost. She, along with Tasker and Shumway, will look to their new teammates for help to keep Lackawanna competitive this season.

New to the team this year are a pair of keepers, Madison Kattner (New Ringgold, PA) and Elizabeth DePrimo (Dunmore, PA). Kattner is a two-sport athlete, participating in basketball this season, as well, and both she and DePrimo can play out in the field for the Falcons. Kattner is listed as a forward, while DePrimo can be a defender. Another defender is Kayley Petrin-Pettit (Sparrowbush, NY), a 5-foot-5 defender that will look to anchor the middle for Lackawanna. Other defenders include: Kathryn Tarnalicki (Wilkes-Barre, PA), Cyrah Bihler (Hamlin, PA), and Michelle Pastuizaca (Nanticoke, PA). Pastuizaca is another two-sport athlete at Lackawanna College, and will participate as a women's wrestler this season.

In the midfield, new faces include Niamaya Amaro (Taylor, PA), Yatzley Silva (New York, NY), Peyton Butz (Pottsville, PA), and Lilyan Prussia (Moscow, PA). Butz can also be a forward for the Falcons. She had five goals in nine games in her senior season at Schuylkill Haven HS, helping the Hurricanes to a 15-3-1 record last fall. Prussia is a solid midfielder out of North Pocono HS, and she's excited to contribute to the cause this year for Lackawanna.



Head coach Juan Almonte is in his first season in charge of the Falcons. Almonte, hired in July, hit the ground running to shore up a squad he believes can be competitive. His previous head coaching experience includes a two-year stint as the head coach at East Stroudsburg South HS for the boys team, but he also has college coaching experience, serving as the volunteer assistant coach for both Marywood and East Stroudsburg Universities in the last year. Almonte, a full-time pastor, has an impressive resume of international coaching credentials, earning his FAW/UEFA C-Certificate last year, and working towards his UEFA B-Liecense. 

His assistant coach is Gregory Swatt. Swatt was previously the head coach at Pocono Mountain East HS, where he is currently employed. 

The Falcons begin their regular season slate on Wednesday, September 3rd, with a home contest against Sussex County CC at 3:30pm ET at Schautz Stadium, which will once again serve as the home field for the Falcons. Their first road contest will be as part of a doubleheader with the men's team up at Monroe CC in Rochester on Saturday, September 6th. They have home-and-homes scheduled with Mercer County CC, Essex County College, and Sussex, all as part of Region XIX Division II play. They also have non-conference games with PSU Scranton, Union College (NJ), Brookdale CC, and Hagerstown CC. You can see the full schedule HERE.