On Tuesday, May 9, 2017, Upper Moreland seniors Kim Benge, Samantha Cancel and Christina Kane were recognized for committing to continue their soccer careers at the collegiate level. To view photos of the event, please visit the Photo Gallery at the following link: http://photos.suburbanonesports.com/g/050917_signings_-_mjs
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Kim Benge – Cabrini University (Soccer)
Major: Undecided
Final list of colleges: Cabrini, Immaculata
Reasons for choosing Cabrini: “I could see myself there. When we went there in the fall, the trees were just so pretty. I have a lot of trees in my backyard, and it just reminded me of being at home. My mom makes a joke all the time about it.”
What was the progression that led you to competing in soccer at the collegiate level? “I have been playing sports all my life. I play three sports, so I played them all year round. I really stuck with soccer all throughout high school. I played basketball in school, but I stopped playing outside of school. I played soccer outside of school.”
Coach Lisa Benvenuto says: “Kim’s positioning in the net was key to many of our wins. She has an innate ability to read shooters and the flight of a shot and has hands of steel. She is fearless in goal and will do whatever it takes to keep the ball from going in the net.”
About Kim:
Favorite food: Steak
Favorite movie: The Mummy
Favorite music: Country
Samantha Cancel – Gwynedd Mercy University (Soccer)
Major: Occupational Therapy
Final list of colleges: Gwynedd Mercy, Cabrini, Bryn Athyn, Neumann
Reasons for choosing Gwynedd Mercy: “I chose Gwynedd because when I went for a sleepover, I felt welcomed by the team and the coaches. I liked how it was close to home but not too close, and it had my major, which was occupational therapy.”
What was the progression that led you to playing soccer at the collegiate level? “I have been playing soccer since I was five, but I didn’t really think much of it until my sophomore year when my club team started doing college showcase tournaments. They said – reach out to colleges, and I saw that the colleges actually came out and gave me feedback. I realized I had the talent to play in college.”
Coach Lisa Benvenuto says: “As central defender, Sam’s footwork strength and ability to shut down an attack is her strength. She reads the offense well and knows the strengths and weaknesses of her opponents. She is able to take the ball off of any attacker’s foot and distributes the ball to our offense superbly. She has great field vision and leads by example on the field.”
About Samantha:
Favorite food: Smoothie Bowls
Favorite movie: Split
Favorite music: All music
Christina Kane – Penn State Brandywine (Soccer)
Major: Special Education
Final list of colleges: Penn State Brandywine, Shippensburg, Millersville, California (Pa.)
Reasons for choosing Penn State Brandywine: “Penn State is huge in my family, and I’ve always loved everything about it. As soon as the Penn State coach talked to me, I knew it was the college for me. My family and I are very close, so when I was picking a college, I knew I wanted to be close enough so they could come watch me play.”
What was the progression that led you to competing in soccer at the collegiate level? “I’ve always had the passion for soccer, and I love playing the sport. I’ve always hoped to be given the opportunity to play at a higher level. I’d like to thank my parents and two coaches in particular, coach Knoll and coach Elison, for believing in me when nobody else did and for pushing me to never give up. As my one coach always said, ‘Failure is not an option – if you want it, go and get it.’”
Coach Lisa Benvenuto says: “Christina’s greatest strength is her speed. She is small and quick and is able to beat defenders and get the ball into the back of the net. She is also good at reading the flight of incoming crosses and putting herself in the right spot to score.”
About Christina:
Favorite food: Steak
Favorite movie: Miracle
Favorite music: Anything
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