WVU to Battle Kentucky
September 10, 2008 03:00 PM | General
September 10, 2008
GAME NOTES
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The No. 14-ranked West Virginia University women’s soccer team will host Southeastern Conference foe Kentucky in a nationally-televised contest on Thursday, Sept. 11, at 8 p.m. at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium.
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| West Virginia playrs celebrate freshman Chelsey Corroto's first career goal against Towson earlier this year.
All-Pro Photography/Dale Sparks photo |
The contest will be broadcast live by the Fox Soccer Channel, and has been designated as the National Soccer Coaches Association of America College Soccer Game of the Week. It is the first of four matches this season for the Mountaineers that will be televised.
“Oh, it’s huge,” said midfielder Lisa DuCote of WVU’s national exposure. “It’s a big deal because it’s the first time in a while that we’ve played on TV. Our parents who can’t come don’t have to feel guilty by not coming. We get to showcase our program across the country; even the Canadian channels can watch.”
The Mountaineers have fared well against SEC opponents since their inauguration into BIG EAST soccer in 1996. WVU is 5-1-0 against SEC schools, including an all-time 1-0 series record against Kentucky and a 3-0 series record against Tennessee.
WVU faced the Wildcats in its only contest at the Kentucky Invitational to open the 2004 season, winning 3-2 in double overtime.
For DuCote, the only member of the team who faced the Wildcats, WVU’s last bout against Kentucky provided an eerie memory for the fifth-year senior. Although the Mountaineers emerged victorious, the midfielder injured her knee in her first career start in the opening minutes of the contest. The injury forced her to miss nine matches and ultimately redshirt her first year.
“It’s more about playing there,” Ducote said of her injury at Kentucky in 2004. “But once you get over that barrier of getting injured, it’s a huge excitement to play them. I can show them what I can do and be a threat.”
Now joining DuCote are a band of Mountaineers that possess some of the best talent the youthful women’s soccer program has ever seen.
Senior defender Greer Barnes comes in leading the Mountaineers after collecting the BIG EAST Conference Defensive Player of the Week. She earned more accolades at last weekend’s Tennessee Lady Vols Classic when she was selected as the Defensive Most Valuable Player and landed a spot on the All-Tournament Team.
Barnes has been the stable force for WVU’s back line, contributing mightily to the stifling defense that has allowed WVU to give up less than one goal per game. She has registered 10 shots, including one shot on-goal, and is extremely versatile because she works well on both ends of the field.
Not to be outdone, senior forward Deana Everrett has helped lead WVU’s offensive attack by tying for the team lead with two goals and boasting a team-best five points overall. She also has nine shots on goal, proving her ability to attack the net and consistently put pressure on opposing defenses. She was recently named to the 11-person TopDrawerSoccer Team of the Week, and picked up the overall MVP award at last weekend’s classic.
A shining component to this season’s squad has been the play of sophomore forward Megan Mischler. The Moon, Pa., native has four points on two goals and already has 16 shots. She has created a solid 1-2 punch with Everrett to lead WVU’s front line, and posted five shots on-goal last weekend to earn the Offensive Most Valuable Player award.
WVU posts a 3-1-1 record on the young season, while Kentucky has a 1-3-0 mark thus far. The Wildcats are coming off a 4-0 loss against No. 5 North Carolina, and have dealt with a difficult slate in the early going by losing matches to No. 12 Duke and No. 8 Texas.
The Mountaineers are coming off a successful trip at the Lady Vols Classic, where they went 1-0-1 after defeating No. 20 Tennessee, 1-0. WVU also played a 1-1 draw to Washington State in its second match of the weekend.
Kentucky is led by sophomore forward Laura Novikoff, who stands at 6-foot-3 and is an imposing offensive threat for the Wildcats in front of the net. She has five points on two goals and one assist, and has posted a team-best six shots, including four shots on-goal.
Returning to the Wildcats is redshirt sophomore forward Giuleana Lopez, who was a 2006 Freshman All-American but was forced to sit out last season due to offseason knee surgery. She led the Kentucky in scoring in 2006 with 25 points on 10 goals and five assists, but has only played in two of four games this season.
With Thursday night’s contest giving the opportunity for soccer fans across the country to see the Mountaineers in action, players such as DuCote look to come out with an extra boost of intensity knowing that they are representing the BIG EAST Conference on national television against a well-known SEC school.
“It’s a huge deal,” Ducote said of battling for conference supremacy. “Last year in the NCAA tournament only two or three BIG EAST teams got seeded. The better we do out of conference, the stronger our conference looks and then we can get more chances to play in the NCAA tournament.”
Thursday night’s contest also marks the first of three “Dollar Days” at Dick Dlesk Stadium. All tickets, hot dogs, popcorn and Coca-Colas will be available for purchase for one dollar.
