MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (September 4, 2008)– The 13th-ranked West Virginia
University women’s soccer team travels to Knoxville, Tenn., to
participate in the First Tennessee Lady Vols Classic on Sept. 5-7. The
Mountaineers will square off against No. 20 Tennessee and Washington
State in the two-game road tournament.
WVU takes on host Tennessee on Friday, Sept. 5, at 8 p.m., and
Washington State on Sunday, Sept. 7, at 11:30 a.m. All games will be
played at Regal Soccer Stadium with Illinois being the fourth team in
the weekend classic.
“The reason behind scheduling these tough early season tournaments is
to simulate what it’s like in the NCAA tournament,” Head Coach Nikki
Izzo-Brown said. “We are in an away venue and playing some of the top
teams in the country. This gives our ladies a chance to see what it
takes to win in a tough environment.
“And playing another set of quality teams this weekend let’s us know
where we need to improve ourselves.”
Tennesseeis 1-2-0 on the young season and coming off a 1-0 loss to
soccer-power North Carolina. The Lady Vols are led by forward Kylee
Rossi and goalkeeper Jaimel Johnson, both 2008 Preseason All-SEC
selections. Rossi is UT's all-time leading goal scorer and is a two-time
SEC Offensive Player of the Year. Johnson joins Rossi as returning
All-Americans after posting 11 shutouts a year ago.
“They’re coming off a close match with North Carolina which caught a
lot of people’s attention. They are a talented team with good players at
every position,” Izzo-Brown explained. “They are athletic and
aggressive; just a good Top 25 team. They have a tough goalkeeper in net
and it will be tough to get behind her.”
WashingtonStateis 1-0-2 on the season following a pair of draws at the
JMU/Comfort Inn Invitational. The Cougars are led by U-20 national team
player Kiersten Dallstream. As a sophomore, Dallstream led WSU’s
offensive attack with 10 goals and 24 assists. Between the posts for the
Cougars is sophomore Lindsay Parlee.
“Washington State is an underrated team. Right now they haven’t lost
and everything we’ve heard about them is that they are very good,”
Izzo-Brown said. “I had Dallstream at the U-20 national team camp and
she is a very good player. Sunday’s match isn’t any easier for us.”
The Mountaineers are 1-0 all-time against Tennessee with the lone WVU
win coming back in 2003. Washington State is the third first-time
opponent on WVU’s schedule this season.
Fans can follow the action for both contests via GameTracker by logging
on to MSNsportsNET.com.
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (Sept. 4, 2008) - The West Virginia University
men’s soccer team will play in its first game of the University of
Akron Classic on Friday, Sept. 5, at Lee Jackson Field in Akron, Ohio.
The Mountaineers’ first game in the Classic comes against No. 5 Akron
at 7:30 p.m.
The Mountaineers’ (0-1-1) second match of the Classic is slated for
Sunday, Sept. 7, against Wisconsin-Green Bay.
West Virginia finished the West Virginia University Classic on Sunday,
Aug. 31, with a double-overtime scoreless tie against Duquesne. The
Mountaineers played aggressively in all 110 minutes of action and put
pressure on the Dukes with numerous scoring chances, but had trouble
solving Duquesne’s goalkeeper, Chris Torres. Sophomore goalkeeper Zach
Johnson recorded four saves and a shutout in the contest. WVU outshot
the Dukes, 13-9.
The Zips are 1-0-1, posting a 3-0 win against then third-ranked Notre
Dame. Recently, Akron went in double-overtime with then seventh-ranked
Indiana, ending in a scoreless draw. Returning to a lethal lineup are
Steve Zakuani and Anthony Ampaipitakwong, both 2007 College Soccer News
All-Freshman Team honorees. Zakuani and Ampaipitakwong each have a goal
and assist this season. Goalkeeper Evan Bush is perfect in 200 minutes
between the posts, not allowing a goal to slide by and making seven
saves in two matches.
Wisconsin-Green Bay is 0-2 this season after falling at Michigan, 4-3,
and at Oakland, 1-0. The Phoenix are led by Tosaint Ricketts, who leads
the team with two goals and seven shots. Goalkeeper Adam Stikl has
allowed five goals in 180 minutes of play.
Amongst the players WVU will be without entering the Classic are senior
Donald La Guerre, juniors Chase Dewese and Tony Lindroos, sophomore Dan
Hagey and freshman Connor Gorman.
Akron leads West Virginia, 6-2, in the all-time series, while the
Mountaineers and the Phoenix will be meeting for the first time.
