Marquette University Athletics
Women's Soccer Opens New Season Against Big Ten Teams
8/24/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Marquette to co-host Milwaukee Cup
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The Marquette women?s soccer team begins its 2005 season taking on a pair of teams from the Big Ten. The Golden Eagles will tangle with Illinois in the season opener on Friday, August 26 at 8:15 p.m. and meet Northwestern on Sunday, August 28 at noon at Engelmann Field.
Both matches are part of the Milwaukee Cup, a tournament co-hosted by Marquette and Wis.-Milwaukee. UWM will play Northwestern at 6 p.m. at Valley Fields on August 26 and will take on Illinois following the Marquette/Northwestern matchup.
This is the sixth year of the Milwaukee Cup. Last season, Marquette split its matches, losing to Indiana, 4-0, and defeating South Dakota State, 1-0. Only once has Marquette won both matches in the Milwaukee Cup, defeating Tennessee and Wisconsin in 2000.
Illinois is coming off its most productive season in school history. The Fighting Illini advanced to the NCAA Quarterfinals last season, winning the Big Ten Tournament in the process.
Illinois comes into the 2005 season ranked 13 by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America and ranked 23 in the SoccerBuzz preseason poll. The Fighting Illini are coming off a 16-6-2 season, but must fill the shoes of second-team All-America selection Tara Hurless. Hurless scored 12 of the Illini?s 43 goals last season. Jessica Bayne is the Illini?s leading returning scorer, tallying 19 points last season.
"Illinois will be a very good test for us," head coach Markus Roeders said. "It will give us a good opportunity to gauge where we are as we look forward to the BIG EAST."
Marquette meets Northwestern on a neutral pitch for the first time in the soon-to-be seven meeting history. The Wildcats had a solid team a year ago, posting a 10-8-2 mark with a 5-4-1 league record.
Northwestern returns a potent scorer in sophomore Kelsey Hans. She tallied 15 goals and two assists in her freshman season to prove her ability as a striker. She will be a key mark for the Golden Eagles in the meeting. Northwestern also has a solid goalkeeper in net returning for the 2005 season. Junior Whitney Jones returns after a 73 save season. She also had a 1.28 goals against average in 2004.
"We have the benefit of seeing Northwestern on Friday night, so we will know better how to approach them by Sunday," Roeders added. "They are not as athletic as Illinois, but they still have lots of dangerous areas. We will see a lot of similar play out of Northwestern that we will see out of Illinois. After this weekend we will know a lot more about our team."
One obstacle Marquette will face as it kicks off its season is injuries. Several players are fighting nagging issues and won't be available for all or portions of the action this weekend. According to Roeders, Kristie Matola and Ashley George will be unavailable the Milwaukee Cup. Michelle Martin, Courtney Sinsky, Sarah Uyenishi, Lauren Weber and Lindsay Michuda ? all starters in 2004 ? will be available in sparse amounts. Each of those players sat out the Saint Louis exhibition contest. Roeders said more underclassmen and players with less experience will be relied on for time this weekend.
"Our veterans that played were solid against Saint Louis," Roeders said. "We are going to have to look to players like Heather Goranson, Julie Thompson and Meghan Connelly early on. The benefit of these injuries is that when we get back to full strength, we are going to have some depth. As a coach, I like where we are on each of our lines from goalkeeper to forward when we are all healthy."
Roeders welcomes five newcomers to his 2005 squad, all having an ability to contribute early thanks to the roster depletion.
The most valuable of the newcomers is goalkeeper Laura Boyer. She comes to Marquette after spending two seasons at Iowa State, one of which was a redshirt year.
"We're excited to get her on the team with her experience," Roeders said. "She spent the spring here and knows the team. We will rely on her to provide leadership."
Forward Michelle Compty is injured heading into the year, but Roeders is high on her ability.
"She brings a spark when she is on the field," Roeders said. "She's got great drive and passion. She's a small player who plays big. She was very successful on the club level and I expect she can make the transition to the college level."
Katie Kelly was the Missouri Player-of-the-Year last year and brings a wealth of club experience to Marquette.
"She's a very talented outside back that can move up to the midfield," Roeders said. "She's very versatile and strikes the ball very well. The big thing with her is that she is a defender, but she can assist the attack area as well."
Allison McBride, a local product from Divine Savior-Holy Angels, joins a long line of DSHA players who came to Marquette and were successful. She is a tall forward that provides difficult marking ability.
"She has a left foot that is a strength," Roeders said. "She really likes to go forward. I'm excited about her potential. She is a different type of player."
Kaley Connelly joins older sister Meghan on the MU roster. Roeders said she might be a significant contributor in 2005.
"Of all of the newcomers, she might surprise the most," Roeders said. "She is a terrific athlete who can play any midfield position, but can also play in the back and in the front. How quickly she can adjust and develop will be key for her."
Also joining the team is transfer Allison Mallums. She will have to sit out a year per NCAA regulations, but she was a strong attacker that earned NAIA Honorable Mention All-America status after a 41 goal sophomore season. She is familiar with some members of the team, playing club with Ashley Baird, Britni Benage and Boyer on the U23 amateur national championship team.
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