The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, August 13, 2004, Page C5, Image 23

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Women’s soccer sets sights on NCAA tournament this season BY TERENCE WASHINGTON Til K (IAHECOCK The USC women’s soccer team is set to start up a new season, re turning 13 players from last year’s squad that finished 10-8-3 with a record of 6-2-1 at home. The 2003-04 team had a tough loss to Tennessee in the first round of the SEC tournament, and this year’s team is looking to improve on last season’s SEC record of 3-4 2. The Gamecocks return six players at the defender position, including redshirt senior Sarah Lentz, who was awarded second team All-SEC honors last season. Last season, Lentz had two game winning goals. Other defenders returning include sophomores Jenna Ball and Erin Geldhof, ju niors Kimmy Criss, Jackie Welch and redshirt junior Stacey Zelek. Freshmen at the defender posi tion are Kim Gillespie of Mauldin and Kali Neumann of Marietta, Ga. Junior Abi Markham and sophomore Lauren Skinner will return at the midfielder position. They will be joined by freshmen Whitney Briggs of Alpharetta, Ga., Katie Derden of Boise, Idaho, Annie Galloway of Spartanburg, Sara Jane Harris of Inman, Ashley Kirk of Macon, Ga., Stacy Maxwell of Atlanta, Ga., and Erin Sullivan of Woodhaven, Conn. Sophomore and former SEC All-Freshman Team honoree M. A. Foster returns at the forward po sition with seniors Ashley Gosnell and Ashley Williams and sopho mores Jessi Swaim and Amanda Thurber. Freshman forwards are Courtney Cobbs of Houston, Texas, and Lexi Randazzo of ’ Avon, Conn. Foster led the team ’ with 12 points last season, includ- 1 ing two game-winners. All three Carolina goalkeepers t this season will be freshmen. The ] Gamecocks lost last year’s goalie ] Elise Matthews, who allowed 19 1 goals in 21 garties and had 80 ] saves. The goalkeepers this year l will be Laura Armstrong of Greenwood, Monica Sanchez of i Tampa, Fla., and Lindsay 1 Thorstenson, also from Marietta, Ga. Third-year head coach Shelley Smith and the Gamecocks open i the season at home against Georgia State on Aug. 27. The rest ] of the non-conference schedule in- : eludes games at home against Houston, Iowa State, Clemson and Charlotte, and away games at Fames Madison, Furman and /irginia, where the Gamecocks vill also play Maryland in the ournament. SEC play begins at Auburn and Alabama, with other iway games at Vanderbilt, Kentucky and Arkansas. USC will )lay Georgia, Tennessee, Mississippi, Mississippi State, ;SU and Florida at Stone Stadium. The Gamecocks have a strong •ecruiting class and are looking o build on their success with Smith. USC was one of the most mproved teams in the nation dur ng Smith’s first year as head :oach. The team has been build ng on that success ever since and lopes to add another winning sea son to the record books. Comments on this story?E-mail gamecocksports@gwm.sc.edu FILE PFIOTO BY MARK SCHILLING/THE GAMECOCK Sophomore forward M.A. Foster should build on a successful freshman year In which she earned SEC All-Freshman honors. Men’s soccer team faces difficult path in 2004 BY JIM ROCHE TIIEUAMECOCK The USC men’s soccer team will face a tough season in 2004. The Gamecocks will face eight teams in the regular season that played in the NCAA tournament in 2003, and they will do it with just one se nior. USC lost its lone senior from last year’s squad, midfielder Jack Cummings, who made the All South region team in 2003. Cummings played in 16 games and scored four goals and one assist. Two of those goals were game win ners and came against Charlotte and Appalachian State. The Gamecocks return star goalie Brad Guzan. Guzan played in all 18 games in 2003 while recording 69 saves and eight shutouts. He also finished the sea son with a 0.96 goals against aver age and was one of two freshmen selected to the All-South region team. Guzan finished up his sum mer by being selected to the Premier Development League’s li man All-League team while play ing for the Chicago Fire Reserve. Guzan allowed just five goals and posted eight shutouts. USC finished the 2003 season with a 9-7-2 record. The Gamecocks open their 2004 sea son with two home games, the first against ACC powerhouse Virginia in an exhibition Aug. 26 and the second against William & Mary Sept. 1 in the season opener. Carolina heads to Jacksonville Sept. 5 before returning home to play host to the 18th annual Adidas-South Carolina Gamecock Classic. In this event, the Gamecocks will play Bucknell Sept. 10 and Portland, an NCAA participant in 2003, Sept. 12. The Gamecocks will then head dff on a four-game road trip that includes a stop in Pennsylvania Sept. 17-19. USC will play in the University of Pennsylvania Tournament against Penn Sept. 17 and Princeton Sept. 19. Carolina then wraps up the month by visiting NCAA participant Wake Forest Sept. 24 and Davidson Sept 29. USC plays home to in-state rival Clemson Oct. 10 at 2 p.m. The Gamecocks head to Charleston Nov. 7 to play College of Charleston and close out the season at home against Florida International Nov. 14. Carolina added a new coach to its staff in 2004 with assistant coach Bert Molinary. Molinary joins head coach Mark Berson’s staff after spending eight years as Hampden-Sydney College’s head coach. Molinary went 94-57-6 at Hampden-Sydney, the best in school history. Molinary will help in recruiting, administration and player development. “We are very pleased to have Bert join our staff,” Berson said. “He brings a wealth of experience after six years as an assistant and eight years as a head coach in col lege soccer. Bert is a tremendous recruiter and a tireless worker, who has been a proven winner at the collegiate level.” The Gamecocks look to start their season off strong at home against Virginia in an exhibition game Aug. 26 at 7 p.m. Comments on this story?E-mail gamecocksports@gwm.sc.edu Ulz?lK f° ^pBriiofin STERLINGUMVERSITY C/f/l/'f/es> inclorfecf UJz>3^er/tVv)®r pr/V^rfe f - 4- Pecfroom^ fctf-n/'-She-W •/tpzrt~fTnenf3 Shcfffle fo t/SC fp^^ Tzinn/Qg pool f -jh°f TiMb f/fne^S Cenfer (ex=>Z>) M Nz»f/onz»l<5-M*ir«f pcf. lit/: uwuvSf'erl/Qshott^' 13.00)11 ftn»t ->f«rliQ3o<^->®i'j-e.ri/n3tio!<^.<Q? So are we. Canterbury of Columbia An Episcopal ministry with young adults http://web.sa.sc.edu/coc Come join us for an informal Episcopal worship service, a home-cooked meal and a fun and informative gathering. Tuesdays - 6:30 p.m. Trinity Cathedrals Keenan Chapel In the block of Marion, Senate, Sumter and Gervais Streets Walk through the parking lot on the corner of Marion and Senate Streets and through the courtyard; Keenan Chapel is at the back of the courtyard. Contact Amanda Goldson, 803.269.9268, agoldsol@yahoo.com Welcome Week Activities Monday, August 16 11:00 a.m. 1:00 p,m, tie-dyeing pillow cases for the local children’s hospital; meet on Greene Street in front of the Russell House Tuesday, August 17 - 6:30 {MU. welcome back worship; Keenan (Tape!, Trinity Cathedral Wednesday, August 18 * 6:00 p.m. picnic and kickball with homemade ice cream on the Horseshoe ^ Tuesday, August 24 6:30$Mn. > The Gospel ActorAfag to the Simpsons, Keenan Chapel, Trinity Cathedral