Wait Almost Over For Women's Soccer Team
8/21/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Aug. 21, 2002
It has been a long offseason for the TCU women's soccer team. After ending the 2001 campaign with a six-game losing streak, the team and head coach David Rubinson have been anxious to return to the pitch.
"We've been looking forward to playing again every day since last November," Rubinson said. "August 30 has been penciled in on our calendar for a long time. We are ready to get back to winning form this season."
The winning form the Frogs are looking to regain was prevalent in the team's four straight victories just prior to the late-season slide. It was a tough, injury-plagued season, which started when top player Sherry Dick injured her knee in the preseason and missed the entire campaign.
The Horned Frogs finished the 2001 slate with a 7-11-0 record overall, and went 3-7-0 in their first season in Conference USA. TCU wound up finishing 10th in the 14-team league.
But now, Dick, a former first-team all-conference player, and the TCU women's soccer team are bracing themselves for a strong comeback.
The league's coaches have picked TCU to place ninth in the conference this season, but the Horned Frogs have their sights set much higher. The Frogs have a burning desire to advance to the Conference USA Tournament, something the team failed to do in 2001. This year, the league's top eight teams will compete in the postseason tourney, with a berth in the NCAA Tournament at stake.
In order to put more wins in the 'W' column, TCU must improve its offensive output. The Horned Frogs were shut out in six contests on the year, including three of their last four matches. On the flip side, the Frogs blanked just one opponent in their 18 matches.
In addition to Dick, TCU seniors Nicole Carman, Brenda DeRose, Alecia Grieshaber and Lori Robbins will lead this 2002 Frog squad. All five seniors possess extensive collegiate experience and will be called upon to guide the rest of the team, which is comprised of five juniors, five sophomores and 11 freshmen.
Carman had an outstanding 2001 season, tallying seven goals to finish second on the team with 14 points. DeRose started 17 games in the back for the Frogs, and will anchor the TCU defense once again. Grieshaber, a fellow defender who was plagued by injuries in 2001, also has starting experience, a necessity when forming a staunch backline.
Meanwhile, Robbins was one of just three players who started all 18 games a year ago, and posted one goal and one assist from her midfield position. As a sophomore in 2000, Dick led the team with 10 goals and 21 total points. She was a preseason all-league pick in 2001 prior to sustaining her knee injury.
"This is a really great group of seniors," Rubinson said. "I am looking forward to watching them lead this team. They all have special abilities both on and off the field."
The Frogs' leading scorer from a year ago will return for her sophomore campaign. Laura Greenberg, who earned freshman all-conference honors, scored a team-high 16 points on a team-best eight goals to pace TCU.
Other potent goal scorers returning include junior midfielder Jenny Swanson (3 goals, 5 assists) and junior forward Rebecca Repasky (3 career goals), who will look to make plays up top.
Sophomore Cara Toulouse (1 goal, 5 assists), a playmaker in the midfield, figures to be a player who can get the ball to the Horned Frog forwards. She finished tied for second on the team in assists as a freshman. TCU also returns junior defender Julie Vaughn, who saw action in 14 matches last season.
TCU will have a new netminder this season, as junior Ruth DeJong will battle transfer Christina Bobb for the starting goalkeeper spot. DeJong did not see any game action a year ago, while Bobb played previously for the University of Arizona.
Unfortunately, preseason injuries are again a story, as sophomore midfielder Bara Gunnarsdottir and junior defender Adrianne Jett already have been lost for the season. The duo combined to play in 32 games last season, starting 20 times.
"We're going to have to overcome this adversity," Rubinson said. "Everybody must step up and do a little more to help the team."
Included in that group is a bevy of true freshmen. Molly Hicks, Moran Lavi, Kristi Nebozuk, Jennifer Schroeder, Lauren Siepiela, Casey Sturm, Suzie Walker, Elizabeth Walsh, Jessica Walters, Courtney Wells and Brianne Yeary all will have plenty of chances to secure playing time during the season.
"This is a talented group," Rubinson said. "It will be interesting to watch their progress. If they can adjust to the college game quickly, they will become valuable contributors to this team."
Perennial power Marquette has been chosen as the preseason favorite to take home the C-USA crown for the fourth time in the league's history. Other strong C-USA teams include Cincinnati and Charlotte.
TCU opens its season with a match against Mississippi State on Friday, August 30 in Waco, Texas, as part of the Baylor Labor Day Classic.
And finally, that long wait for Rubinson and his players will be over.
