Page B4 / Friday, August 29, 2008
SPORTS
JThe Pendiiiu
Elon is where Neal always wanted to
convinced our styles would be
the best thing for the tonight’s first game
The Elon women’s soccer team saw an early exit from the SoCon tournament season at the hands of UNCG. This
seLon, under new guidance and with what they say is increased motivation and dedication, the Phoenix hopes to climb
the SoCon standings for a higher finish.
Michelle Longo
Sports Editor
In just five years, the lady Phoenix has seen three
head coaches, the latest addition to that list being
Chris Neal, who came in after the resignation of
former coach Chris Webb. Although Neal may have
come in like the others, he does not want to go out
like they did, or as quickly.
With Neal’s hiring, a usually rocky road may have
just flattened out for the women’s soccer team.
“The overall dedication and drive to the game is
110 percent more than usual,” senior goalkeeper Lizz
Johnson said. “Team morale and chemistry is there
this year, with both the team and the coaches.”
A fresh start after a tumultuous season is just
what the players are looking for, and Neal is prepared
to give it to them.
“1 was hired to improve the team’s record and
competitiveness, to win games and graduate players,
Neal said. “1 am happy as long as the girls are having
a good experience.”
Neal comes to Elon after spending the previous
seven seasons as an assistant coach at his alma
mater, UNC Wilmington. During that stint, UNCW
compiled a 70-5S-8 record. Before coaching the
Seahawks, Neal enjoyed successful campaigns as the
head coach of men’s soccer at Pfeiffer University and
assistant men’s coach at Augusta State University.
“As an [assistant] coach, if you are looking to
become a head coach you keep your eye on certain
jobs and see how things develop. And Elon was
always one of those places I had wanted to head
coach at,” Neal said. “It worked out perfectly.”
Joining Neal on the sidelines is assistant coach
Stuart Horne, who has been with the program since
2005. When Webb resigned, Horne did not leave Elon,
expressing his interest to stay involved with the
program and its new coach.
“Many coaches have an issue with not bringing
in their own assistants and dealing with any past
and present issues,” Neal said. “But I did not think
there was a better candidate than [Horne] and I was
team.”
At Augusta, Neal helped the Jaguars improve
from a 7-8 record to a 14-6 slate in just one year. Last
season, Elon finished S-12-2 overall and 3-6-1 SoCon.
They were barely able to clinch eighth place, the last
spot for a chance at post-season play. The Phoenix
lost in the first round of the tournament to UNC
Greensboro, ending its rollercoaster season.
A turn-around resembling that at Augusta is what
the Phoenix players and coaches are hoping for come
In addition to coaching, Neal has the desire
to teach others how to coach. Since 2001, he has
served as the state technical director of the National
Soccer Coaches Association of America. In this role,
he is responsible for organizing advertising and ,
instructing a variety of coaching education courses ^
for hundreds of youth, high school and college
coaches.
Under new guidance, offensive power should no longer doom Elon
Michelle Longo
Sports Editor
After an almost miraculous
upset victory in the first round
of the Southern Conference
tournament last season, the
women’s soccer team is eager
to get back on the field and
prove itself tonight against in
state rival N.C. State at 7 p.m.
Under guidance from new
head coach Chris Neal, the
team is feeling rejuvenated
and ready to capitalize on the
opportunities that lie ahead.
“Everyone has been
excited throughout and we
are learning a lot as a team
on and off the field,” senior
Kerri Spears said. “Everyone is
really ready to take on.”
Last season, the Phoenix
had a rollercoaster year, never
consistent in play or results.
Eventually, it was the team’s
lack of offensive power that
came back to haunt it in the
end.
The team finished the 2007
season with a 5-12-2 overall
and a 3-6-1 SoCon record,
good enough for eighth place
in the standings and the last
slot for a bid to the league’s
post-season.
There, they were
confronted by a challenge; the
first place, undefeated UNC
Greensboro Spartans. Elon’s
defense came alive as they
successfully defended the
goal, allowing the Spartans
only one goal, although
they controlled the ball for
more than 85 minutes of a
90-minute game.
Despite the bittersweet
ending to the season, Elon is
a young team and did not lose
a single starter going into the
2008 campaign.
Early last season, Elon
played three consecutive
Atlantic Coastal Conference
teams, including Duke
University, Virginia Tech and
N.C. State. The Phoenix lost all
three games, but the last game
against N.C. State proved to be
especially heartbreaking.
After a scoreless 90
minutes, the two teams
headed into overtime, anxious
for a victory and just one
goal. Just 56 seconds in, an
own goal doomed Elon and
the team picked up its third
consecutive loss.
Tonight, the invigorated
women’s team travels to N.C.
State for its season opener and
something of a redemption
game.
“We’re not really that
nervous," senior Katina Boozer
said. “If anything, we are
more confident because we
have played them before so we
know we can win this time.”
SoCon play begins on Sept.
26 for the Phoenix when it
travels to Birmingham, Ala.,
to take on the newest SoCon
member, Samford University.
Elon will greet the school
into the tradition-rich
conference as the Phoenix and
Bulldog collide for Samford’s
first ever SoCon competition.
League play continues for
the rest of the season with
10 bouts until the conference
tournament begins. The
maroon and gold don’t get
another shot at UNCG until
the regular season finale on
Oct. 30.
“We are not trying to
conquer the world before N.C.
State,” Neal said. “We want
to be playing the best soccer
when SoCon games come and
have a legitimate chance to
improve our record in the
SoCon. There are a lot of
things we do well, but some
we need to get better as a team
and every time we step onto
the field we will improve one
of them.”
Elon tied Radford
University 2-2 in their only
preseason exhibition gamea
week ago. The Phoenix wk
first to score as Molly Calpin ^
smashed a pass from Boozer
into the far corner of the net.
Boozer, the team’s leading
scorer last season with seven
goals, picked up the assist.
The Highlanders took
control in the second half to
grab the lead but the Phoenix
never gave up, scoring the
game-tying goal in the 82nd
minute.
“The team displayed a verv
high level of character and
fight," Neal said. “We were
very unfortunate to be down
and it was an example for the
team overcoming adversity r
very early in the season. To
come back from a goal so late
in the game, as a coach, it was
fantastic to see.”
2008 Women’s Soccer Game Schedule:
DATE
OPPONENT
LOCATION
8/29
North Carolina State
Raleigh, N.C.
8/31
Maryland
College Park, Md.
9/3
High Point
HOME
9/7
Old Dominion
Norfolk, Va.
9/12
Garner-Webb
Spartanburg, S.C.
9/14
Winthrop
Spartanburg, S.C.
9/19
Maryland-Baltimore County
HOME
9/29
Samford
Birmingham, Ala.
9/28
Chattanooga
Chattanooga, Tenn.
10/3
College of Charleston
HOME
10/5
The Citadel
HOME
10/10
Appalachian State
Culowhee, N.C.
10/12
Western Carolina
HOME
10/17
Furman
Greenville, S.C.
10/19
Wofford
Spartanburg, S.C.
10/23
Davidson
HOME
10/26
Georgia Southern
HOME
10/30
UNC Greensboro
HOME
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