Marquette University Athletics
Golden Eagles Look To Even It Up
8/31/1999 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Aug. 31, 1999
MILWAUKEE, Wis.
THE WEEK AHEAD Markus Roeders? Marquette women?s soccer team (0-2) looks to bounce back from a tough opening weekend with two more strong non-conference foes this week. The Golden Eagles host the Evansville Purple Aces at Valley Fields on Friday, Sept. 3, at 7 p.m. (CST). Marquette then heads south for a match in Knoxville, Tenn., against the University of Tennessee Lady Vols on Sunday, Sept. 5, at 1 p.m. MU will try to recover from the worst start since the program?s debut season in 1993.
LAST WEEK Marquette opened its 1999 season on the road in Champaign, Ill., last Friday, Aug. 27. The Fighting Illini had momentum on their side with a new head coach and new field, and jumped on the Golden Eagles early before winning 3-1. Marquette made its 1999 Valley Fields debut against cross-state rival Wisconsin on Sunday, Aug. 29. In front of a Valley Fields-record crowd of 1,278 for the women?s team, the Badgers and Golden Eagles put on a spirited battle with UW earning a 2-1 win.
A LOOK AT EVANSVILLE Coach Mick Lyons? Purple Aces (1-0-1) have been the class of the Missouri Valley Conference over the past few seasons. Evansville has captured the past three MVC Tournament Championships as well as the 1997 and 1998 regular-season titles. They also are coming off their first-ever appearance in the NCAA Tournament. So far this year, the Aces have defeated Wright State 1-0 in Dayton, Ohio, on Aug. 27, and tied Kentucky 1-1 (ot) in Lexington, Ky., on Aug. 29. Lyons? squad is lead by two-time MVC Player of the Year Krissy Meek, the second-leading scorer in school history. Meek was third on the team with 17 points a year ago and tallied the game-winner against Wright State in UE?s season-opener. Last year?s leading scorer, senior striker Jennifer Lembeck, and sophomore defender Krista McKendree joined Meek on the 1998 All-MVC First Team. Sophomore Beth Csukas has taken over goalkeeping duties. Lyons is in his seventh season at Evansville, where he has compiled a 70-43-14 (.606) mark. Evansville has never lost to Marquette, holding a 5-0-1 series edge over the Golden Eagles.
A LOOK AT TENNESSEE The Lady Vols are looking to move up in the Southeastern Conference this season after a 12-8 finish a year ago. Head coach Charlie MacCabe is 29-29-1 in his three years in Knoxville. MacCabe has nine starters and eight of his top scorers returning from a year ago, including leading scorer Allison Campbell, a 5-9 sophomore striker who netted 46 points a year ago. Starting keeper Ellen Dean, who went 11-5 with 66 saves and a 1.62 goals against average, also is back. Sunday?s game will be the first between UT and Marquette.
HEAD COACH MARKUS ROEDERS Markus Roeders has a 45-15-7 (.724) record in his fourth season as head coach at Marquette. He led the Golden Eagles to back-to-back C-USA regular-season championships in 1996-97 and has guided the Golden Eagles to three consecutive trips to the C-USA Tournament championship game. Effective Sept. 1, he will start a three-year term as a member of the NCAA Division I Women?s Soccer Committee. A 1990 graduate of UNC Asheville, Roeders earned the 1996 C-USA Coach of the Year Award. Prior to taking over the reigns of the women?s program, Roeders served for two years as assistant coach for the Marquette men?s team under his collegiate coach Steve Adlard. Roeders played his final two seasons at UNC Asheville and was team captain as a senior. He is assisted by Frank Pelaez and Dan Holcomb.
IN THE POLLS Several Marquette opponents were ranked in the national preseason polls: Santa Clara is ranked #1 by Soccer America, Soccer Buzz and SoccerTimes, and #2 by the NSCAA. Northwestern is #18 by Soccer America, #19 by SoccerTimes and #20 by both the NSCAA and Soccer Buzz. Wisconsin received votes in both the NSCAA and SoccerTimes poll.
RAY OF LIGHT Senior midfielder Kelly Roethe (Wauwatosa, Wis. / Divine Savior-Holy Angels) tallied assists on both Marquette goals during the opening weekend?s action. The three-time All-C-USA First Team selection is MU?s all-time leading scorer with 92 points. She is also the Golden Eagles? all-time leading goal scorer (36) and is ranked among the program?s all-time assists leaders (20).
INSTANT OFFENSE Junior striker Katherine Ward (Trumbull, Conn. / Trumbull) picked up where she left off last season. After a breakout sophomore season in which she tallied 20 points off the bench, Ward has moved into a starting role this season and netted the first Golden Eagle goal of the season at Illinois last Friday. The 5-9 Ward converted a Kelly Roethe pass into a goal at the 58:29 mark to put Marquette on the scoreboard.
FRESHMAN FLASH Forward Kate Gordon (Sioux City, Iowa / North) had an impressive debut weekend for the Golden Eagles. The 5-5 freshman collected the first goal of her collegiate career on a four-yard chip off a Roethe cross against Wisconsin. She continually stretched the Illinois and Wisconsin defenses with her speed and is tied for the team lead with six shots and two points.
MARQUETTE SOCCER ON THE NET The Marquette women?s soccer website contains all of the most recent information on the Golden Eagles. Weekly media releases, current statistics and results, Conference USA standings and game stories and reviews can be found at: http://www.gomarquette.com
FOR MORE INFORMATION Contact Marquette assistant sports information director Josh Sutter at (414) 288-6980 or at: joshua.sutter@marquette.edu
