Jayhawks Return Home for Two
Sept. 13, 2006
LAWRENCE, Kan. –
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JAYHAWKS RETURN HOME
After claiming a pair of wins over of the weekend, the University of Kansas women’s soccer team (4-1) returns to the friendly confines of the Jayhawk Soccer Complex for a pair of non-conference contests this weekend. The Jayhawks will play host to Pepperdine University at 5 p.m., Friday and Central Florida on Sunday at 1 p.m. The Jayhawks will celebrate Youth Soccer Month by offering $2 admission to all youth players in uniform for both matches.
SCOUTING THE WAVES
Pepperdine (3-1-2) enters the weekend undefeated in its previous four matches, after defeating Tulsa Sept. 8 and tying Wisconsin on Sunday.
Sophomore Emily Wynne leads the Waves’ offense with 12 points (4 goals, 4 assists), while senior Lindsey Redlin has two goals and five assists on the year.
In net, sophomore Kayla Stolte has started all six matches and has an 0.69 goals against average and a .826 save percentage in 518 minutes.
Head coach Tim Ward is in his ninth season with Pepperdine and has led the team to a 102-46-19 record. Ward’s team returns seven starters and 20 letterwinners from last year’s squad which advanced to the “Sweet 16” round of the NCAA Tournament.
The Waves won the only previous meeting between the teams, 3-2 last season in San Diego.
Pepperdine on the web: www.pepperdinesports.com
SCOUTING THE KNIGHTS
UCF, who will play at Florida State today, enters the week with a 3-2-1 record after defeating UNLV on Sept. 8 and falling to Arizona State on Sunday.
Sophomore midfielder Hanna Wilde leads the UCF offense with five points (2 goals, 1 assist), while junior Jessica Hallgren and senior Roberta Pelarigo have each scored two goals.
Junior goalkeeper Jennifer Mantis has started all six matches for the Knights and has a 1.12 goals against average and a .759 save percentage in 560 minutes this season.
Head coach Amanda Cromwell is in her seventh season at UCF and has a record of 104-49-5 at the school. Cromwell’s team returns seven starters and 12 letterwinners from last year’s squad, which fell to UTEP in the semifinal round of the Conference USA Tournament.
KU has won both previous meetings between the schools, including a 1-0 triumph in Lawrence in 2003.
UCF on the web: www.ucfathletics.com
LAST TIME OUT
Freshman Shannon McCabe’s goal with 26 second remaining in regulation gave Kansas a 4-3 come-from behind victory over No. 12 Duke at the UAB Classic at West Campus Field in Birmingham, Ala. The Jayhawks, who defeated Alabama on Friday, won the tournament with two triumphs over the weekend.
Down 2-0 early in the second half, the Jayhawks scored four times in the final 24 minutes. The barrage ended with McCabe’s first career goal. The freshman made a long run to into the box following a goal kick and a pass from fellow freshman Monica Dolinsky. McCabe beat her defender to the ball and flipped a shot over the keeper from just inside the 18-yard box.
On Friday evening, Emily Strinden provided the game-winner in the 94th minute as KU downed Alabama, 2-1.
NATIONAL ATTENTION
For the first time since last October, the University of Kansas soccer team is receiving attention in the national polls. The Jayhawks earned a top 25 ranking in two different polls on Monday.
KU is ranked 18th in the country in the latest Soccer America top 25 and 20th in this week’s Soccer Times national poll. The No. 18 ranking is the highest achieved by the Jayhawks in any poll since the end of the 2004 season.
FIVE JAYHAWKS HONORED
Five different Jayhawks were honored for their play at the UAB Classic this weekend. Freshman Monica Dolinsky, sophomore Missy Geha, freshman Shannon McCabe and sophomore Jenny Murtaugh were named to the all-tournament team. Senior Holly Gault was named the tournament’s MVP by vote of the coaches.
This marks the second time in as many weeks that the Jayhawks have had three or more players on an all-tournament team. Sophomore Jessica Bush, Dolinsky and Estelle Johnson were named to the Cal Invitational All-Tournament team last weekend.
FAB FOUR FRESHMEN
A big reason for KU’s success over the weekend at UAB Classic was the play of four fabulous freshmen. Forwards Kim Boyer and Shannon McCabe, midfielder Monica Dolinsky and defender Estelle Johnson all played integral roles in the Jayhawks’ success over the weekend.
McCabe scored her first career goal, the game-winner against No. 12 Duke, while Boyer recorded her first career point, an assist on Dolinsky’s game-tying goal against the Blue Devils.
Dolinsky, who is seventh in the Big 12 in scoring, tallied two goals and an assist over the weekend, while Johnson provided solid defense, playing nearly every minute in the tourney.
All four freshmen started against No. 12 Duke on Sunday.
THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME
The Jayhawks are riding a pair of impressive streaks heading into their home dates with Pepperdine and UCF this weekend.
KU is in the midst of a six-match home win streak, dating back to Oct. 7 of last season. Since the beginning of the 2003 season, KU is 24-3-1 in matches played in Lawrence.
The six-match win streak is tied for the fourth longest in school history. The longest, an eight match win-streak, took place during the 2004 and 2005 seasons.
GAULTING HER WAY INTO THE RECORD BOOKS
Senior forward Holly Gault is nearing the school’s top 5 in three career offensive categories. With her two goals against No. 12 Duke, Gault is now sixth in Kansas soccer history in career goals (13) and seventh in career points (40).
The 5-foot-6 forward is two points away from tying former teammate Jessica Smith’s career total of 42, and five away from Natalie Hoogvald’s total of 45 career points.
LOOKING AHEAD
After a pair of home matches this weekend, the Jayhawks will open play against Big 12 opponents in the Sooner state. The Jayhawks will travel to Oklahoma State on Sept. 22 for a 7 p.m. match and to Oklahoma Sept. 24 for a 1 p.m., contest.
