Page 6
Friday, September 14, 2001
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Women’s soccer faces tough opponents
Photo by Jessica Webb
Junior Michelle Vander Vart moves toward the hall at a recent game at
Clemson University.
Courtesy Sports Info
The women’s soccer team tackles a
difficult Division I schedule this year in
their quest for a third-straight winning
season.
Only once before in Gardner-Webb’s
soccer history has the women's program
posted consecutive winning seasons.
The Runnin’ Bulldogs won 11
games last year and have posted 24 vic
tories over the past two seasons. A solid
core of juniors returns to lead the young
squad into a highly-competitive
Division I schedule.
Junior tri-captains Amber Bolick,
Dawn Zimmerman and Melissa “Mo”
Austell, along with scoring stars Kim
O'Brien and Michelle Haas have spear
headed Gardner-Webb’s success since
arriving on campus in 1999.
Third-year skipper Kevin Mounce
hopes that a capable crop of newcomers
will blend with the veteran core to raise
the teams level of play.
“This year we will again look to
improve,” Mounce said. “We have a
great core of players who have played
with one another for a couple of years
now and, with the addition of some tal
ented freshmen, the future seems to get
a little brighter each day.”
Mcunce made several adjustments
during spring practice and expects the
Bulldogs to be improved defensively.
“Our defense has to get better,” he
said. “I think they will after a solid
showing in the spring. Our schedule
demands that each player in the back
must improve for us to compete at the
highest level.”
In only the second year of transition
to NCAA Division I, and the final year
as an independent, Gardner-Webb
beefed up its schedule considerably.
Not shying away from competition, the
Bulldogs will battle 17 Division I foes
in 2001.
Highlights
RECORD: 2-3
Southern Miss. 1
GWUO
Southern Miss, squeaked by the Lady
Bulldogs despite a great defensive effort.
Hilary George kept the game close with
8 saves.
Clemson 4
GWUO
Clemson’s Heather Beem scored twice
as the Tigers dominated GWU, outshoot-
ing them 32-1. GWU goal keeper Hilary
George had 7 saves.
GWU 2
Campbell 1
Elizabeth Kier’s goal in the 82nd
minute broke a 1-1 tie and gave GWU a
win to start the season. Amber Bolick
also scored for the Bulldogs.
Highlights
RECORD: 1-4
Georgia State 3
GWU 2
A late goal lifted Georgia
State past GWU. Brian
Wentzel and Manny Trujillo
recorded goals. Rio Oros had
5 saves.
GWU 2
Radford 1
Sergio Lozano scored the
game winning goal in over
time to push the Bulldogs
past Radford for their first win
of the season. The GWU
defense only allowed five
shots on goal.
WIntiirop 4
GWU 2
Sophomore Brian Wetzel led
GWU with a goal and an
assist in the loss. Rio Oros
made 8 saves.
Wofford 3
GWU 1
Manny Trujillo put GWU
ahead 1 -0 at half, but Wofford
reeled off 3 goals in the sec
ond half to pull to victory.
Men looking for a better season
Christi Hallis
Pilot staff
The 2000 Gardner-Webb men’s
soccer season, according to their 2-
17 record, was not a successful one.
Despite last year’s struggles with a
young team and difficult schedule,
the returning 2001 team has a posi
tive outlook for this season.
Defender and co-captain of the
team. Sophomore Tommy Boynton
thinks the trials of 2000 were bene
ficial.
“We had a losing season last
year, a difficult season. But I think
we really learned a lot, and we’re
excited to be playing big teams like
Clemson, Wake Forest and USC.
We hope this experience will help us
with a bid when we enter the
Atlantic Sun Conference next year,”
Boynton said.
Co-captain Manny Trujillo
echoed Boynton’s excitement.
“Last year was rough, but I think
we’ve really grown as a team.
We’ve gelled together and learned
how to play.”
Some of last year’s standouts
who return to dominate this year are
scoring threats Darnell Carroll and
Sergio Lozano. Lozano anticipates
a successful season. “We’ve got a
pretty good team, and we’re strong
offensively and defensively—we
just have to play as a team,” he said.
“We’ve got a pretty
good team, and we’re
strong offensively and
defensively—we just
have to play as a team.”
~Sergio Lozano
The veterans anticipate that this
year’s additions will only help to
strengthen the team. Troy Steffen, a
goalkeeper from Georgia, plans to
get some time and experience in the
net.
Freshmen midfielders Matt
Clement, Chris Williams and Carlos
Rameriz promise to bring speed and
stamina to the field. Tony Hull, a fresh
man from Pennsylvania, will add depth
and sfrength to the defense.
Bryan Kelly, a transfer from
Scotland, is also an exciting addi
tion to the team. A striker, who
Trujillo calls “an excellent scorer;
very composed” adds an exciting
offensive element.
All of these elements—the
learning experience of last season
teemed with the new faces and huge
schedule of the current season—will
no doubt create a thrilling year for
the Bulldogs.
The men plan to be a standout
team at Gardner-Webb this year, and
hope to win the National Christian
Collegiate Athletic Association
(NCCAA) Championship.
“Men’s soccer, even though we
are a young team (90% sopho
mores) play more Top 25 teams than
any other team here at Gardner-
Webb,” Trujillo added.
Sophomore defender, Todd
Ulrich said, “This year, standout
players need to step up and role
players need to live up to their
expectations. We’re really excited
about this season.”