University of Tennessee Athletics
Game Notes: Lady Vols vs North Carolina
September 25, 2001 | Soccer
Sept. 25, 2001
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Reigning NCAA Champion #1 North Carolina Rolls into Knoxville to Challenge #16 Lady Vols
Tennessee (4-2) faces its sternest test to date on Wednesday night, when the premier team in Division I women's soccer, #1 North Carolina (5-0), arrives in Knoxville for a 7:30 p.m match. The Tar Heels have claimed 16 of the 19 NCAA titles and have yet to be scored upon this season. Meanwhile, the Lady Vols are completing its arduous stretch of three straight encounters with ACC competition after edging #16 Wake Forest and falling to #7 Clemson.
All About the Polls
The consensus number one in every soccer poll imaginable, North Carolina will become the fifth ranked team that the Lady Vols have faced this year. Previously, the Orange upset #13 Brigham Young (2-1) and was blanked by #19 Southern Cal (1-0) during its opening weekend in Provo, Utah. Last week, UT stopped the 16th-rated Demon Deacons (2-1) but came up short in the second 15-minute overtime period against the seventh-ranked Lady Tigers, 4-3.
In 2000, UT played just two members of the Top 25 at the time of the match all season, falling to #1 North Carolina (6-1 on Sept. 3) before upending SEC rival #15 Kentucky, 3-2, on Oct. 15.
Future Tennessee foes that are found within the various polls include league opponents Kentucky (#10) and Florida (#20). UT will face the Wildcats in Lexington on Oct. 14 and host the five-time defending league champion Gators on Oct. 19 in a match to be telecast on FOX Sports Net South.
A Familiar Place for Carolina
Once again, the Tar Heels will represent the highest-ranked squad that the Lady Vols have hosted at the UT Soccer Complex. When #1 UNC last visited East Tennessee on Oct. 4, 1998, it used two goals from Laurie Schwoy to hand the Lady Vols their worst defeat at home, 6-0. That outing was part of the inaugural First Tennessee Bank Classic, in which Tennessee and Vanderbilt represented the SEC versus ACC opponents North Carolina and Virginia. Tar Heel forward Cindy Parlow, a two-time winner of the prestigious Hermann Trophy given to the nation's top player, was chosen as the MVP of the tournament.
All-time, the Lady Vols are 4-9 (.308) versus Top 25 foes at home, including an 0-6 record against Top 10 opponents. UNC, Clemson and Virginia are three members of the ACC to carry a lofty ranking onto UT's home turf, as the Lady Tigers held the seventh spot nationally on Sunday, while the Cavaliers were ranked 10th when they handed the hosts a 4-3 defeat on Oct. 2, 1998.
Wilkinson Lost for Remainder of 2001 Campaign
The Lady Vols received some unfortunate news on Tuesday afternoon when it was determined that sophomore forward Rhian Wilkinson suffered a broken left foot during the Lady Vols' contest against seventh-ranked Clemson. Tests conducted by the UT Medical Staff yesterday confirmed the injury along her fifth metatarsal, sidelining Wilkinson for the remainder of UT's action this season.
Wilkinson had started all six matches up front for the Lady Vols and had tallied goals in victories over James Madison and Rutgers and was credited with the winning assist in Tennessee's season-opening upset of #13 Brigham Young.
Last Time Out: UT Couldn't Trap the Tigers
It took 115:33 of action on Sunday afternoon, but the #16 Lady Vols wound up on the short end of a 4-3 score against #7 Clemson at the UT Soccer Complex. The home team out-shot its guests by a 32-13 margin, but the Lady Tigers fought back on three different occasions to escape with the triumph on a "Golden Goal" by freshman Paige Ledford. Head coach Angela Kelly offered the following post-match comments:
"Clemson was down by a goal several times in the match, so the credit goes to them for finding a way to win. Once again, my team demonstrated resiliency against a top-notch opponent. I mentioned earlier in the season that we were taking baby steps toward becoming women on the soccer field. Today was another step in that direction. We received tremendous performances from the majority of our players, as they all showed their hearts this afternoon despite the defeat."
Patrick Picks Up Some Recognition
After notching a goal and a pair of assists and attempting a school-tying 12 shots in the gut-wrenching loss to #7 Clemson on Sunday, junior forward Kim Patrick was named to the Soccer Buzz National Elite Team of the Week as announced by Soccer Buzz, an on-line magazine devoted solely to women's college soccer. For her efforts, the Pleasanton, Calif., native was also chosen as the Lady Vol Athlete of the Week in a vote taken by the media relations staff.
"I am very excited for Kim that she is finally starting to get into a rhythm as a new Lady Vol," said head coach Angela Kelly. "I have the feeling she still has many more dynamic games ahead of her. Kim has an uncanny knack for being in the right place at the right time and is a consummate goal-scorer."
Patrick joins freshman Sue Flamini as the first Lady Vols to be receive the weekly honor from Soccer Buzz. The transfer from North Carolina paces the Big Orange with 30 shots and now ranks third on the squad in scoring with seven points on two goals and three helpers. As a member of the Tar Heels, she earned national championship rings in 1999 and 2000.
Last season, Patrick registered 24 points on nine goals and six assists and was named all-tournament at the Women's College Cup for the second straight campaign. As a rookie in '99, she led the Atlantic Coast Conference in scoring with 42 points and in goals with 18 and earned a plethora of individual accolades. The forward was tabbed an Honorable Mention All-American by College Soccer Online, a Soccer Buzz first-team Freshman All-America selection, a second-team All-Southeast Region choice by Soccer Buzz and she was selected to Soccer Buzz's Southeast Region All-Freshman Team.
Interesting Turn of Events
Before Angela Kelly took over the reins of the Lady Vol soccer team, the Orange and White was a dismal 2-18 (.100) against schools ranked in the Top 25. Since the start of the 2000 campaign, UT has forged an even mark of 3-3, with wins over #13 Brigham Young (2-1 on Sept. 1, 2001), #15 Kentucky (3-2 on Oct. 15, 2000) and #16 Wake Forest (2-1 on Sept. 20, 2001). During that span, Kelly's charges have fallen to #1 North Carolina (6-1 on Sept. 3, 2000), #7 Clemson (4-3 in double overtime on Sept. 23, 2001) and #19 Southern Cal (1-0 on Sept. 3, 2001).
New Faces Getting It Done for Big Orange
With seven newcomers in its starting lineup, people have certainly seen a different Tennessee women's soccer team than in recent seasons. In fact, the quintet of Keeley Dowling (3G, 2A, 8 pts.), Sue Flamini (4G, 3A, 11 pts.), Kim Patrick (2G, 3A, 7 pts.), Lyndsey Patterson (1G, 1A, 3 pts.) and Kayla Lockaby (1G, 2 pts.) accounts for 79 percent of the team's goals, 74 percent of the points and 64 percent of the club's assists.
Analyzing the Tar Heel Juggernaut
Following its blistering conquests of Georgia (9-0) and Missouri (7-0) on Sept. 21 and 23, respectively, North Carolina is cruising along with a 5-0 record. The 'Heels have recorded shutouts of #20 Texas (1-0), Charlotte (5-0) and #8 Penn State (3-0), in rolling up a 25-0 disparity in goals. Additionally, UNC has out-shot its foes by a staggering margin of 105-21. Carolina's roster reads like a who's-who of U.S. National Team members, All-Americans and All-Atlantic Coast Conference performers, not to mention yet another solid recruiting class for head coach Anson Dorrance. Easily acknowledged as the top coach in the world of collegiate soccer, Dorrance has amassed a 492-22-11 (.948) record in his 23 years as the lone Tar Heels' mentor since the infancy of the school's program in 1979. UNC has claimed 12 straight ACC Tournaments and has reached the Final Four of the NCAA Women's Soccer Tournament every year it has been held.
As expected, Carolina remains the consensus number one in all of the recognized polls this week. Those polls include the National Soccer Coaches Association of America/adidas National Rankings, SoccerTimes.com College Coaches Division I Women's Soccer Poll, Soccer Buzz, Soccer America Women's Top 20, and CollegeSoccer.Com National Media Poll.
A whopping 18 different players have figured in UNC's offensive production, headlined by sophomores Alyssa Ramsey (six goals, five assists, 17 points) and Elizabeth Ball (four goals, two assists, 10 points). Freshman Anne Morrell, a current member of the U.S. National Team, has taken 17 shots to lead the 'Heels and the rookie has eight points on two goals and four assists. Senior Danielle Borgman was the 2000 Defender of the Year by Soccer Times, while classmate Jena Kluegel was a first-team All-American from several publications last season.
Junior goalkeeper Jenni Branam (0.00 GAA, five saves, 3.6 shutouts, 336 minutes) is a member of the U.S. National Team who has earned five caps. The Placentia, Calif., native missed a large part of last season when she was training in Australia as an alternate member of the 2000 U.S. Olympic Team. In addition, the duo of Kluegel and sophomore Catherine Reddick missed time this season while participating in the U.S. squad's training camp over Sept. 4-16 in preparation for the 2001 Nike Cup.
Fun While It Lasted
In the teams' encounter on Sept. 3, 2000, in Chapel Hill, N.C., Erica LaShomb gave the Lady Vols a quick 1-0 lead, but the talented Tar Heels responded with six straight goals to seal the victory. After being blanked in its previous three meetings, the Knoxville clan headed into the break knotted at one with UNC. Future Lady Vol Kim Patrick would deliver a pair of goals against the Orange, giving her a total of four career goals in two games versus UT. The victory was also the 200th on hallowed Fetzer Field for the Tar Heels in their 22-year history, while Anson Dorrance was coaching the 500th match of his career.
First Time for Everything
Until Erica LaShomb found the back of the net at 39:44 last season, Tennessee had gone close to three and half matches without scoring on the staunch North Carolina defense -- a span of 309:44 without hitting pay-dirt. Surprisingly, that is not the Lady Vols' longest drought against any opponent, as they went 315:20 without cracking the scoreboard at the hands of Florida between a goal at 67:25 by Natalie Balash on Sept. 29, 1996 until a tally by Jen Laughridge at 22:45 on Oct. 15, 1999. In between, the Gators pitched shutouts of 3-0 on Nov. 7, 1996, at the SEC Tourney, 4-0 in Knoxville on Oct. 17, 1997, and 4-0 in Gainesville on Sept. 11, 1998.
Glad to See They Turned It Around
From North Carolina's lofty expectations, the 2000 regular-season had to be termed disappointing by its usual standards. The Tar Heels dropped matches to #4 Clemson (2-1 on Sept. 13), #23 Florida State (3-2 in double overtime) and Wake Forest (1-0 on Oct. 27) and failed to capture the ACC's regular-season crown for just the second time since the 1988 season. Entering the postseason with a 13-3 mark, Carolina reeled off eight straight triumphs to claim the ACC and NCAA Tournament crowns. In its conference event, UNC dispatched N.C. State (5-1) and the 16th-ranked Seminoles (3-0) before bouncing Duke in the final, 4-0. At NCAAs, the Tar Heels stormed past the Demon Deacons (5-0), #14 Virginia (2-1) and #13 Connecticut (3-0) to reach the Final Four in San Jose, Calif. At the Women's College Cup, UNC made second-half comebacks to overcome #1 Notre Dame and #10 UCLA by identical 2-1 margins to once again become the national champions.
Trivia Question Answers
Since the NCAA Tournament began in 1982, only three schools other than North Carolina have worn the mantle of being called the national champion: Florida, George Mason and Notre Dame. On Nov. 24, 1985, the Patriots of George Mason claimed the title on their home field with a 2-0 shutout of UNC. The University of Notre Dame, ranked ninth nationally, shocked the Tar Heels in the NCAA semifinals held at Fetzer Field on Dec. 1, 1995, by winning on an own goal, 1-0. The defeat ended a run of nine straight NCAA championships for Carolina, as the Fighting Irish would go on to upend Portland in overtime to grab the brass ring. The Gators became the first Southeastern Conference program to claim the top spot with a 1-0 shutout of UNC on Dec. 6, 1998, in Greensboro, N.C. UF tallied the match-winner during the opening 10 minutes and withstood a 21-6 onslaught in shots by the 'Heels.
Clicking Through the Turnstiles
Similar to the Lady Volunteer basketball team's appearances around the country, when the North Carolina women's soccer squad shows up at an opposing venue, large crowds are almost certain to follow. When the Tar Heels ventured into Knoxville on Oct. 4, 1998, a gathering of 2,091 turned out to see UNC blank the Orange, 6-0. That attendance figure represents UT's second-largest ever, behind the 2,631 fans who witnessed the inaugural match in school history, a 9-0 pummeling of Chattanooga on Aug. 30, 1996.
Leaving a Lasting Impression
As a result of its record-breaking performances over the years, Carolina can also take credit for occupying plenty of space in its opponents' media guides. Tennessee's brochure is no exception. In delivering UT's worst loss in its existence, a 8-0 shutout on Sept. 5, 1997, the Tar Heel offense etched its place into the top spot in shots (37), points (29), corner kicks (14) and assists (13). Robin Confer was a one-woman wrecking crew that night, setting a record against UT with eight points on two goals and four assists. Not to be outdone, Meredith Florance, the 2000 Honda Award winner for soccer, registered a hat trick for UNC. North Carolina is responsible for the Lady Vols' worst defeat at the Tennessee Soccer Complex, set during the encounter between the clubs in 1998. The 'Heels scored six times on 18 shots to notch the most goals allowed by the Orange at home. For the record, the visitors from Chape Hill lit up the board at 16:25 (Cindy Parlow), 41:07 (Rebekah McDowell), 44:50 (Danielle Borgman), 51:30 (Laurie Schwoy), 52:02 (Rakel Karvelsson) and 64:49 (Schwoy). The tandem of Siri Mullinix and Kristin DePlachett combined for one save to share the whitewash of the home team.
Did the Lady Vols Abandon the Southeastern Conference?
Tennessee is wrapping up three consecutive outings against schools from the Atlantic Coast Conference, arguably the top league in Division I women's soccer. Wake Forest, Clemson and North Carolina each advanced to the 2000 NCAA Tournament, which saw the Demon Deacons fall in the second round to UNC and the Tigers reach the Elite Eight before succumbing to UCLA, 2-1. The Tar Heels carried the banner for their conference once again by claiming the Women's College Cup.
A Homecoming of Sorts
Two players on the Lady Vol roster call the Tar Heel state home: junior midfielder Jen Laughridge (Wilson) and junior goalkeeper Cori Stevens (Greensboro). North Carolina does not boast anyone from Tennessee on its current squad, although Anson Dorrance has eight home-staters on his team.
Looking to Buck the Trend
With Carolina's visit, the Lady Vols will be aiming to improve upon their 2-9 (.182) record against squads from the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Orange has fallen to North Carolina four times, Virginia twice and Clemson twice over its six-year existence. However, Tennessee has split its two encounters with Florida State, losing to the Seminoles in 1996 (5-0) and returning the favor on Senior Day in '97 (4-1). Last Thursday night, UT was able to hold off ACC member Wake Forest, 2-1.
UT Picks Up Number Six
The Lady Vol soccer team has been fortunate to taste the fruits of victory in its openers at the Tennessee Soccer Complex. Here's a rundown of the Knoxville clan's activity over the six season debuts before its home crowd:
Aug. 30, 1996: 7-0 rout of Chattanooga in what was the first-ever match for the Lady Vols. Whitney Rayburn's seven-point effort paved the way for the easy win, as UT out-shot the Mocs by a 33-1 margin.
Aug. 29, 1997: 3-0 blanking of Memphis behind a goal and an assist by midfielder Holly Kimble and a shared shutout by Kim Hull and Sarah Shivley.
Sept. 1, 1998: 5-1 triumph over Chattanooga that featured five different goal-scorers and four points by Shayna Teutsch (1G, 2A).
Sept. 5, 1999: 4-2 edging of Marquette as Laura Lauter found the back of the net twice and Allison Campbell chipped in with a goal and an assist.
Sept. 1, 2000: 5-1 caging of the Arizona Wildcats as Tara Minnax scored the opening goal and handed out a pair of assists. Rhian Wilkinson also had two helpers in addition to scoring her first goal at home.
Sept. 20, 2001: 2-1 decision over Wake Forest behind solid goalkeeping provided by junior Cori Stevens and steady defense by Carie and Tracy Swibas, as well as Lindsey Wiest. Rookies Keeley Dowling and Kayla Lockaby scored in their home debuts.
Flamini Racked Up Individual Accolades
Having keyed the Lady Vols' drive to the crown of the JMU/Comfort Inn Invite, freshman Sue Flamini was named as the SEC Player of the Week on Monday, Sept. 10. The midfielder became only the second UT rookie to earn kudos from the league office, as current sophomore Rhian Wilkinson was chosen on Oct. 30, 1999, following match-winners against Georgia and Northwestern. The midfielder from Cranford, N.J., was also named as the UT Daily Beacon's Athlete of the Week, the Lady Vol Athlete of the Week and she earned a spot on Soccer Buzz Magazine's Elite Team of the Week.
In victories over host James Madison (4-2) and Rutgers (3-0), Flamini registered six points on two goals and a pair of assists and was chosen as the event's MVP. The 5-3 midfielder notched a goal and two helpers versus the Dukes, while her corner kick to classmate Keeley Dowling at 78:25 served as the go-ahead tally. Flamini later added an unassisted effort with 3:04 remaining to provide the Lady Vols with the two-goal margin.
Dazzling Debut
Head coach Angie Kelly started seven newcomers, including five freshmen, in the Lady Vols' season-opening upset of #13 BYU on Sept. 1. Remarkably, two of these rookies scored against the Cougars, becoming the fifth and sixth UT players to tally in her first outing. Keeley Dowling tickled the twine at 5:18, while Sue Flamini beat keeper Jennifer Waldron at 78:49. Dowling's score was the earliest for a rookie, barely topping Whitney Rayburn's successful shot at 5:35 versus Chattanooga on Aug. 30, 1996.
Block-Buster Rookie Premieres
Whitney Rayburn -- Aug. 30, 1996 -- Notched a hat trick (goals scored at 5:35, 23:04, 28:02) and an assist in UT's first match in school history, a 7-0 drubbing of Chattanooga. 2,631 spectators attended the contest at the UT Soccer Complex, still an attendance record for the Lady Vols.
Melissa Covington -- Aug., 30, 1996 -- Netted a goal and had a pair of helpers in the whitewash of UTC. The Nashville native put up 22 points on nine goals and four assists in her first year.
Tara Minnax -- Sept. 1, 1998 -- Delivered a goal at 19:20 in a 5-1 win over Chattanooga by connecting from 18 yards out. The current Lady Vol senior is taking a medical redshirt in 2001.
Allison Campbell -- Sept. 1, 1998 -- The "Franchise" would jump-start her first season by converting a feed from Laura Lauter at 76:36 versus Chattanooga. The forward would go on to set season scoring records in points (46), goals (17) and assists (12) en route to second-team All-SEC and second-team Freshman All-American accolades.
Keeley Dowling -- Sept. 1, 2001 -- One of the most highly-regarded Lady Vol rookies ever, the midfielder from Carmel, Ind., received a direct kick from Jen Laughridge that propelled UT to a 1-0 advantage over 13th-rated BYU.
Sue Flamini -- Sept. 1, 2001 -- The midfielder unleashed a rocket from just outside the box to give the Orange a 2-0 cushion over the Cougars. The goal was set up by last season's top rookie, Rhian Wilkinson.
2000 Season Rewind
The Lady Vols are coming off their most successful campaign in school history. Projected to finish 12th in the Southeastern Conference preseason poll released by the coaches, the Big Orange tied a program best with 12 victories and produced a second-place finish in the league with a 7-2 mark. UT's previous high water points in SEC action were five wins (1998 & 1999) and a fourth-place standing in '98.
Unfortunately, the season ended on a down note for the Lady Vols, as they were blanked by Vanderbilt at the SEC Tourney, 2-0. Tennessee wound up tied for 10th in Soccer Buzz's Central Region poll.
Crew Chief of the Lady Vols
A new era for the University of Tennessee women's soccer program was ushered in on Jan. 4, 2000, as Angela Kelly was promoted to become the second head coach in school history. She is 16-10 (.615) overall and 7-2 (.778) in SEC play. Serving as an assistant at the inception of the Lady Vol program, Kelly arrived at UT in January 1996 after a distinguished playing career at the University of North Carolina. While in Chapel Hill, she helped the Tar Heels to four national championships and a staggering record of 97-1-1.
Here Come the Blue-Chippers!
Tennessee's recruiting class was rated fifth in the nation according to Soccer Buzz Magazine. Coach Kelly signed four student-athletes to letters of intent for the upcoming season and boosted the team's offense with the transfer of Kim Patrick from NCAA champion North Carolina.
"We are extremely pleased with our class - not only are the incoming players very athletic and talented, they are tremendous people who will become great spokeswomen for the University of Tennessee and our sport," said Kelly. "In total, we are bringing nine players, with the four scholarship signees having received national recognition as high school and club standouts. However, I expect the five walk-ons to contribute significantly in different ways. I am excited to see the immediate impact that this freshman class will make on our squad."
Editor Randy Diggs wrote: "The Lady Vols jump into soccer's elite with an eye-popping class of recruits. Keeley Dowling, Sue Flamini and Kayla Lockaby all were Parade Magazine and NSCAA All-Americans as well as U.S. Youth National Team players. UNC transfer Kim Patrick makes Tennessee an instant threat to anyone's schedule."
Virginia was hailed as having the top class, while UNC, Texas and Santa Clara rounded out the top four. Georgia was the next highest SEC school found in the ratings, as the Bulldogs came in at #16.
Youth Movement Continues for UT
During the spring workouts, Tennessee had four players listed on the active roster who would be seniors during the 2001-02 school year. Now, the number of healthy individuals is one: Sharon Holmes. Projected starting goalkeeper Ellen Dean broke her leg over Memorial Day weekend, midfielder Tara Minnax re-injured the knee in which she suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament last fall, and goalkeeper Kim Sgarlata separated her shoulder at the outset of double-sessions in mid-August. Dean and Minnax will be lost for the campaign, while Sgarlata is out indefinitely. As a result, Kelly and her staff are working with a group that includes three juniors, eight sophomores and eight freshmen.
Looking into the Crystal Ball...
The Lady Vol soccer team was tabbed to place second in the SEC's Eastern Division in the coaches' poll released on Aug. 23. Florida was selected as the favorite to claim the 2001 women's soccer title in the SEC, marking the seventh consecutive year that the Gators have been picked by the coaches to win the crown. Coming off its fifth straight SEC title in 2000, UF earned nine first-place votes to earn the league's automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament, topping the Lady Vols, who received three votes. The Gators were selected as tops in the East with 64 total points. In the West, reigning champ Ole Miss was the clear favorite with 63 points. Points were compiled on a 6-5-4-3-2-1 basis for each division, though each coach was not allowed to vote for his or her own team. The '01 version of the poll was a lot kinder to the Lady Vols, as the team received 53 points, a far cry from the 19 points it received last year.
Stingy "D"
Over 20 matches in 2000, the Orange and White's defense yielded just seven goals within the opening 45 minutes and did not allow any opponent to score more than once. Through six matches in 2001, Tennessee has yet to surrender a goal during the first half. BYU scored at 85:41 (Kim Devine), USC netted the lone goal of the match at 72:31 (Shannon Cross), James Madison tallied its scores at 52:51 (Marisa Lemme) and 63:06 (Jamie Miller), Rutgers was blanked, Wake Forest connected at 78:53 (A.B. Robbins) and Clemson delivered goals at 48:41 (Deliah Arrington), 66:28 (Tatum Clowney), 86:48 (Arrington) and 115:33 (Paige Ledford).
Gaining International Exposure
Freshman midfielder Keeley Dowling serves as the captain of the United States Under-19 team, while sophomore forward Rhian Wilkinson and sophomore midfielder Marie-Eve Nault are members of the Canadian Youth National Team. In addition, rookie midfielders Sue Flamini and Kayla Lockaby are on the U.S. Under-18 contingent. Until this group arrived on the scene, Lady Vol midfielder Kendyl Michner had been the only player to represent UT on the national stage, as she competed for the Mexican National Team in the 1999 World Cup.
Around the League This Weekend
Below is a composite schedule of where the other 11 SEC schools are in action over the next few days:
Sept. 26: Vanderbilt at Memphis, Alabama A&M at Mississippi
Sept. 28: Arkansas at UW-Green Bay, Florida State at Florida, Eastern Michigan at Georgia, Arizona State at Kentucky, Alabama
A&M at Alabama, Duquesne at Mississippi State, UTEP at Mississippi, North Carolina at Auburn
Sept. 30: Arkansas at UW-Milwaukee, South Carolina at Florida, New Mexico at Kentucky, UT-Martin at Alabama, UTEP at Mississippi State, Duquesne at Mississippi
Stevens Among the Conference Leaders
Starting goalkeeper Cori Stevens has totaled 38 saves to rank first within the SEC in that category as of Sept. 25. The junior is ninth in goals against average (1.43) and is tied with four other players for sixth in shutouts with a donut of RU. Tennessee's Ellen Dean, sidelined for 2001 while recovering from a broken leg, established a single-season record in 2000 with 97 saves. Dean placed third in the league in saves, behind Georgia's Nicole Williams (122) and UF's Jordan Kellgren (106).
Quick on the Trigger
Tennessee junior forward Kim Patrick established a new UT Soccer Complex record with 12 shots on Sunday afternoon against Clemson. The dozen attempts matched the school standard set on Oct. 9, 1998, by Allison Campbell at East Tennessee State.
Variety is the Spice of Life
With its 4-3 setback in sudden-death on Sunday, UT fell to 6-4-2 overall in extra time. The loss was the first for the Orange at home in OT, as it had topped Vanderbilt (Oct. 13) and Georgia (Oct. 27) in 2000.
SEC Opener Looming for UT
The Lady Vols will enjoy a nine-day layoff before facing Western Division rival Auburn in both schools' league opener on Oct. 5. Tennessee will also visit Alabama in its swing through Dixie that weekend.
Current Streaks and Trends
The Lady Vols are 1-1 at the UT Soccer Complex this season and are 30-17 (.638) overall in their lair...UT will soon hit the road for four SEC matches before hosting Florida on Oct. 19...The Gators have won 46 straight league affairs (the national record is 55 by North Carolina)...Against its upcoming foes Auburn, Alabama, Vanderbilt and #10 Kentucky, the Orange sports just a 1-6 (.143) road mark, holding a 3-2 overtime win over the Tigers on Sept. 12, 1997...Sophomore Marie-Eve Nault has assists in her last two outings...Lyndsey Patterson picked up the first three points of her career against Clemson...Soccer legends (and UNC alumni) Mia Hamm, Kristine Lilly and Tisha Venturini will attend Wednesday night's match.
