2002 Tulsa Women's Soccer Season Outlook
7/26/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
July 26, 2002
The 2002 campaign has the makings of a banner season for the Tulsa Golden Hurricane women's soccer team. Tulsa returns five of its six leading scorers from the 2001 team and will look to be a very offensive and attack-oriented team this season. An added bonus for TU is the fact that for the first time since the 1997 season, the Hurricane returns a healthy and experienced goalkeeper.
TU returns 13 total letterwinners, including nine starters and welcomes another strong recruiting class consisting of eight newcomers to the 2002 squad. Although this year's recruiting classes from around the nation have yet to be ranked, Tulsa's 2002 class will look to follow the 2000 and 2001 classes, each of which received top-25 rankings in the Central Region and were also recognized on the national level.
Last season, Tulsa finished 9-9-2 overall and 4-4 in Western Athletic Conference play for a fifth-place finish. After posting a second-place conference finish in 2000, the Hurricane will look to re-enter the WAC title race in 2002 and complete its quest for the school's first WAC Championship and NCAA Tournament bid.
As TU begins its seventh season as a WAC member and its 15th year of existence, the Golden Hurricane is led by three experienced and proven seniors in Julie Twellman, Marcie Ferguson and Liz Benoist.
Twellman is one of the school's most prolific scorers and enters her final season with 54 career points, while Ferguson has defined her career with a knack for scoring big goals in big games. In her third season at TU after transferring to Tulsa from Springhill College, Benoist has developed into one of the team's most dependable defenders. Together, this class has registered 30 victories over the past three seasons, including the school's second-best in 2000 with a13-6-1 record.
"We have an excellent group of experienced returners coming back for the 2002 season," Gore said. "Our recruiting class has made us a better team overall. Now it's just a matter of how quickly the newcomers and the returners jell in order for us to reach our potential. We also need to have an injury-free season this year."
Forward
Over the past three seasons, the forward spot has not only been one of the most productive positions, but has often served as the strength of the team. In 2000, Tulsa led all WAC teams in goals, assists, points and goals per game. An abundance of the scoring was produced by former standout Melissa McCormick (1998-2001) and Twellman. The duo combined to score 29 goals and earn 21 assists for 79 points during the 2000 and 2001 seasons. Last season, McCormick closed out her stellar career with a team-best nine goals and five assists for 23 points, while Twellman suffered from nagging injuries for much of the season and never quite got on track.
With the departure of McCormick, a bevy of players will be lining up to fill the scoring role she vacated and compliment Twellman at the head of the Hurricane attack.
Twellman, who enters her final season with 21 goals and 12 assists for 54 points, ranks ninth on TU's career goals list and 10th in scoring and assists. A two-time all-WAC second-team performer in 1999 and 2000, she was named to the Soccer Buzz Central Region Third Team as a sophomore. Twellman, who led Tulsa in goals and points during her first two seasons, has started 45 of 52 career games played.
After a six-goal and six assist season for 18 points as a sophomore, Ferguson failed to find the scoring column last season. She begins her senior season with nine goals and six assists for 24 career points and will look to challenge for a starting role.
Competing for a starting spot is sophomores Holly Lorman and Kim McNally. Last season, Lorman started all 20 contests and chalked up a productive freshman season with six goals and one assist for 13 points, which was good enough for third on the team. Lorman is a very versatile player who will see time as a forward or midfielder this season.
McNally started 10 of 18 games during her first season and finished second on the team in goals and scoring with eight goals for 16 points. She scored at least one goal in six of TU's final nine games, including a season-best four straight games with at least one goal during the middle of conference season.
Also looking to make an immediate impact on the frontline is a trio of freshmen. Canadian native Danielle Fauteux, along with Kaia Knutson and Rachel Lavender will each push the upperclassmen for playing time in 2002.
"Julie is coming off an injury-plagued year, but we look for her to have a great season and I think she will play an essential part of our team's success. Marcie had a very productive sophomore season and has been a clutch player at times. I expect her to contribute quite a bit this season. Holly is a very versatile player who could start as a forward or midfielder, while Kim is a proven scorer," Gore said.
"Danielle has Canadian National Team credentials and has been successful at every level she has played. Kaia is a freshman who could play at forward or as a midfielder. She's a speedster, one of the fastest on the team, and she is a very intelligent player. Depending on our system, Rachel might play up front or in the midfield area," Gore added.
Midfield
Tulsa's midfield could turn into the most competitive position on the team with as many as nine players possessing the ability to earn a starting assignment or play quality minutes. With an abundance of returners and newcomers, the midfield could potentially turn out to be the strength of the Golden Hurricane this season.
Headlining the list of returners is two-year starter Emily Trost, a junior who has started 39 of 40 games. Trost has been a mainstay in the TU midfield throughout her career and has posted career numbers of seven goals and four assists for 18 points. Last season, she accounted for two goals and two assists for six points.
Following Trost is classmate Staci Morgan, who turned in the best season of her two-year career in 2001. Morgan chalked up four goals and four assists for 12 points while starting 19 of 20 games. Two of her four goals came on game-winners against Vermont and Rice. After beginning her collegiate career as a defender, Morgan has developed into an excellent midfielder.
Another junior, Katie Schlecht, is also a returning starter in the midfield. A two-year starter, Schlecht has earned starts in 39 of 40 games and has been a key cog in the middle over the last two seasons. She begins her third season at TU with two goals and five assists for nine points.
After starting 10 of 19 games last season, sophomore Alexis Arment will look to increase her playing time and earn a starting spot in the midfield. A year ago, Arment notched just one goal, but gained significant experience with an abundance of playing time.
Along with Lorman, who will see time in both the forward and midfield, a total of four freshmen will also compete for playing time. The four freshmen include Owasso, Okla., native Jamie German and Broken Arrow native Ashley Rickner, as well as Knutson and Lavender, both of whom could play in the midfield and at forward.
"I look for our midfielders to be the strength of the team. I want them to control our possessions and lead the team. Emily is a two-year starter who we expect to continue to develop as a playmaker. She is a tenacious defender with a very good work ethic. Staci has great athleticism and has become an attacking threat. Alexis is coming off a great spring season where she showed solid improvement. I expect her to be a 'blue chip' player this season and move into a starting role. Katie is a big leader on our team. She's very versatile and can play where ever we need her," Gore said.
"Jamie is a highly-touted player who should see major minutes during her first season. Ashley is an exciting left-sided player who should also receive quality minutes," Gore added.
Defender
This season, Tulsa's backline will be anchored by three returning starters, including Benoist, junior Keely Flynn and sophomore Monica Karriker.
Benoist will play either in the center or on the right side of the formation and provide stability to the defense. Benoist has played in 36 games with 13 starts. Last year, she earned starting assignments in 12 of 20 games and picked up an assist in the WAC Tournament.
Flynn gained valuable experience as member of the 2002 Oklahoma Outrage, a W-League member of the United Soccer League, this past summer. Last season, Flynn started 17 of 20 games in the TU backfield and tallied three assists. She has earned 29 starts in 39 career games played and has one goal and three assists for five points. A kicking specialist, Flynn picked up all three of her assists last season on corner- and freekicks.
Although she didn't reach the scoring column as a freshman, Karriker's hard work paid off with starts in 18 of 20 games on the Hurricane defense.
Competing with the three returning starters for playing time will be the freshmen duo of Gina Gaston, a Norman, Okla., native, and Carrie Schnarre. With thin depth on the defensive side, both players will no doubt be given the opportunity to play and contribute right away.
"I feel very good about our defenders. Liz is a senior with excellent speed and I think she will solidify a starting role. Keely is a returning left-side defender who contributed major minutes last year and I think she will give us big contributions this season. Monica is coming off an excellent spring campaign and should be a starter once again," Gore said.
"Gina is another freshman speedster. She is an excellent man-to-man marker who will be counted on to play significant minutes. Carrie is a versatile player who can play at any spot in the back," Gore added.
Goalkeeper
For the first time since the 1997 campaign, Tulsa has a healthy goalkeeper returning to the lineup. Sophomore Abby Fahrig is the first healthy Hurricane goalkeeper to return for the following season since Melissa Mitchell started from 1994-97. Fahrig started all 20 games as a freshman and tallied 116 saves, the second-best single-season mark in school history, posted four shutouts and completed the season with a 1.82 goals-against-average. She was the only TU player to garner WAC Player of the Week honors last year and was also named to the Soccer Buzz Elite Team of the Week.
Two years ago, Pam Devore gained the starting role as a freshman and helped lead TU to the WAC Championship game. However, after several knee injuries Devore played just nine minutes in the season opener last season and will miss this season as well with another knee injury. During her only full season at TU, Devore collected 109 saves, which ranks third on TU's single-season chart, registered six shutouts and completed the season with a 1.30 GAA.
With Devore sidelined for the season, freshman Kelly Wilson will begin her college career in a position to not only to compete for playing time, but challenge for the starting spot as well.
"Pam Devore had a great spring before suffering her latest knee injury. She will be greatly missed. Abby is a returning starter who played in 20 games as a freshman. She is an experienced player and will continue to develop and push for a starting spot. Kelly comes from a very good club system where she has not only played at a high level, but has been successful at the same time. I expect her to challenge for the starting position right away. She has the ability to have an immediate impact on our team," Gore said.
"With only two players, the goalkeeper position should be one of the most competitive spots on the team and that competition should help develop both players," Gore added.
