University of Tennessee Athletics
2002 SEASON OUTLOOK
August 06, 2002 | Soccer
Aug. 6, 2002
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In the development of every athletics program, there are hurdles and obstacles that must be overcome in the quest to reach the top of the league standings and national polls. Since taking over the coaching reins prior to the 2000 season, University of Tennessee Women's Soccer Head Coach Angela Kelly has transformed the Lady Volunteers from a squad projected to finish near the bottom of the Southeastern Conference into a club expected to challenge for the league title.
While moral victories were counted in the past as a sense of accomplishment, a renewed attitude has taken hold during Kelly's tenure. As the outset of the 2002 campaign approaches, Tennessee's coaching staff and student-athletes have employed the mantra of "Whatever It Takes" toward climbing the rungs of success in the Division I soccer world.
When the Orange and White notched a school-record 12 triumphs and finished second overall in the SEC during Kelly's inaugural year at the helm, the accomplishments on the field eventually paved the way for the nation's fifth-ranked recruiting class, according to Soccer Buzz Magazine, to enroll at the University for the 2001 fall semester. This influx of talent paid immediate dividends for the Lady Vols, as three newcomers earned All-SEC accolades and All-Central Region recognition, culminating in the program's initial berth into the NCAA Tournament. Tennessee found itself among the national rankings throughout most of the fall and came up one win shy from wresting the conference regular-season crown from kingpin Florida.
Boosted by the return of 20 letterwinners, including all 11 starters, from a squad that reeled off a team-best seven straight wins and knocked off several ranked opponents, UT appears to have the pieces in place to continue its upward progression. Another demanding slate against an assortment of national foes will require strict attention to detail and long hours toiling within the Tennessee Soccer Complex, with the ultimate objective remaining increased success in the postseason. Aided by a trio of fellow All-Americans who serve as her assistants, Samantha Baggett and Scott Blount, as well as volunteer assistant Siri Mullinix, Kelly and her staff recognize the heightened expectations entering the season.
"Although we still have a very young team in terms of our roster, a considerable amount of these players have gained valuable experience over my two years as head coach," said UT's mentor. "While I was excited to have everyone back training during the preseason, I am eager to develop what should be the most talented core of student-athletes we have put on the field in the seven years I have been associated with Tennessee's program."
The Lady Vols' strategy for the '02 campaign is well calculated: contend for the program's first SEC title and secure a return trip to the 64-team NCAA field. Throughout the spring scrimmages and into the summer workouts, everyone clad in the Orange and White recognized the tremendous opportunity lying before them as another soccer season commences. It is now time to see which players will step to the forefront to take Tennessee to an even higher level.
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| FORWARDS |
When Kim Patrick arrived on campus in January 2001 after transferring from the University of North Carolina, where she earned two NCAA championship rings, people wondered what a change of scenery might do for the sharp-shooter from Pleasanton, Calif. All of those questions were answered emphatically when Patrick compiled a dizzying array of statistics en route to perhaps the greatest offensive season in Tennessee's soccer history. With 31 points on 12 goals and seven assists, including a school-record 11-match point streak, she was selected first-team All-Central Region by Soccer Buzz Magazine and chosen second-team All-Central Region by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA). En route to first-team All-SEC accolades, Patrick nailed down the second spot in the league statistics in points (20) and goals (eight) and was third in assists (four) during the nine conference matchups. Honored as the UT Daily Beacon's Female Athlete of the Year for 2001-02, the forward next hopes to conclude her college career with a berth on the All-America lists as she works toward a fourth-straight NCAA appearance.
Limited to just seven matches after breaking her left foot in mid-September, junior Rhian Wilkinson looks to be hitting on all cylinders up top this fall. The first Lady Vol to be tabbed as the SEC's Freshman of the Year, the crafty Canadian from Baie d'Urfe, Quebec, set the precedent for Patrick by leading UT in every offensive category as a rookie in 2000, when she piled up 33 points on 12 goals and nine helpers. A former Freshman All-American and All-Central Region pick from Soccer Buzz, Wilkinson has her sights set upon returning to the All-SEC ledger as well. Having both players healthy will be a luxury for Coach Kelly and a nightmare for rival defenses.
Sophomore Lyndsey Patterson, selected to the U.S. Under-21 National Team Pool after participating in a training and evaluation camp in late April at the Olympic Training Center in California, will try to springboard off a freshman season in which she started all 18 matches and registered eight points on two goals and four assists. The Puyallup, Wash., native tied for third on the Lady Vols with 46 shots and netted the club's fastest goal from the start of an outing - 29 seconds into UT's clash with eighth-ranked Florida on Oct. 19.
Following an up-and-down season that saw her compete in six matches, junior Erica LaShomb is aiming to regain the form she exhibited as a freshman when she chipped in 10 points on four goals and a pair of assists. One of six seniors who will suit up for Kelly's crew this season, Cameron Conway hopes to conclude her career with a flourish after being moved from the back to become a front-runner.
Local products junior Nikki Bratta and sophomore Mimi Couns hope to carve their own niches in the lineup. One of the most fit players on the Lady Vols, Bratta enjoyed a terrific spring of practice and is eager for a chance to showcase her talents. Meanwhile, Couns strives to find the touch that enabled her to pop in 18 goals when she was a senior at nearby Farragut High School.
"2002 will be an interesting season for us offensively," predicted Kelly. "Seeing that we did not lose one starting player from our lineup, we seem to have the experience necessary to make even greater strides with our production. We will look to improve daily in practice and by facing the best competition possible. I feel that Kim, Lyndsey and Rhian are three of the top strikers in the country and should create problems for opposing defenses with their dynamic attack."
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| MIDFIELDERS |
Another strength for the Lady Vols will be a talent-laden midfield headlined by a pair of All-SEC and All-Central Region performers, Keeley Dowling and Sue Flamini, who will each be entering her sophomore campaign. Dowling spent her summer serving as captain for the U.S. U-19 National Team and recently competed at the FIFA Under-19 World Championship in British Columbia, Canada. As a rookie, she became the first Lady Vol to achieve first-team All-Central Region recognition from the NSCAA, was chosen as a second-team Freshman All-American by Soccer Buzz Magazine and was a second-team All-Central choice and an All-Freshman Central Region pick by the publication. A second-team All-SEC choice, Dowling ranked second on the Orange behind Patrick with 23 points on nine goals and five assists.
Flamini was one of 12 finalists for Soccer Buzz's Freshman of the Year and imprinted her stamp on the publication's honorable mention All-America list. Recognized as the first UT soccer player to be named as a first-team Freshman All-American, she also garnered first-team All-Central Region accolades and first-team All-Freshman Central honors from Soccer Buzz. A first-team All-SEC and NSCAA second-team All-Central Region selection, an unprecedented Lady Vol double, Flamini registered 22 points on eight goals and six assists in '01, including both of her team's goals in the SEC Tournament.
Voted as the squad's co-Most Valuable Player, Kayla Lockaby looks to have an even greater impact as a sophomore. In her maiden season, the Hamilton, Ohio, native bounded into UT's lineup to start every match and tallied seven points on a couple of goals and three assists. Returning to form after missing the majority of the 2000 season with knee problems, senior Jen Laughridge will be counted upon to lead by example in her final season in orange. Hailing from Wilson, N.C., she occupies the second slot on the program's all-time list with 20 assists and looks to provide UT with similar offensive numbers as last season, when she was fourth on the club in scoring.
Senior Tara Minnax appears to have overcome the effects of a torn anterior cruciate ligament suffered in October 2000 that was aggravated last summer, causing her to miss the entire 2001 season. A fixture on the school's all-time list with 38 points on 14 goals and 10 assists, Minnax has spent long hours preparing for what she intends to be a sterling capper to her Lady Vol career. Junior Marie-Eve Nault, who forms the other part of UT's 'Canadian Connection,' looks to improve on a steady '01 and nail down a starting spot after tallying match-winners against league foes Arkansas and LSU.
Completing Kelly's stable of midfielders are sophomores Kristin McGrath and Ashley Dawes. McGrath saw time in 11 matches as a rookie and the combination of her fitness and speed could lead to an increased role. Dawes has improved steadily since arriving in Big Orange Country and her technical ability could earn her some regular playing time.
"With the insertion of Tara back into our midfield, we should become even more formidable," noted Kelly. "Although we have a trio of sophomores leading the way, this group of women will be the foundation for our team and will battle for the entire 90 minutes."
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| DEFENDERS |
With three returning starters among its defensive corps, Kelly and her staff look to blend experience and youthful exuberance to form a solid foundation. Additionally, a pair of newcomers poised to earn playing time should give UT the depth it may have lacked last fall. Bolstered by juniors Tracy and Carie Swibas and sophomore Lindsey Wiest, the Lady Vol defensive unit aims to improve upon its stingy season-low performance of yielding 28 goals (1.5 per match).
Having started all 38 matches in her collegiate career, Tracy Swibas has progressed into one of the top defenders in the SEC. Chosen as the squad's co-Most Valuable Player in a vote by her teammates, an accolade she shared with Lockaby, the Lakewood, Colo., native also took home her team's Defensive MVP award. Her leadership and excellent distribution will be critical in the Lady Vols' ascent to the top.
Not to be overshadowed by her sister, Carie Swibas joined Wiest as the only UT players to compete in all 1,740 minutes on the pitch last season. She received the Coaches' Award and displays a level of intensity and aggressiveness that has become her trademark on the field. Recruited to Tennessee as a forward following a record-setting prep career, Wiest's shift to the back resulted in her becoming one of the Orange's most reliable players. Having taken a medical redshirt in 2000, the Toms River, N.J., native rebounded from a torn ACL to pick up the Most Improved Player honors en route to starting berths in every outing.
Sophomore Marisha Crowe, a transfer from Florida State, hopes to forge her own identity as a member of the Orange and White. Hailing from Cordova, Tenn., she saw time in 14 matches two seasons ago for the Seminoles and was a four-time all-state and all-region selection at Germantown High School. Meanwhile, freshman Talia Wright arrives in Knoxville after winning a pair of state titles in 1999 and 2001 at The Baylor School in Chattanooga and finishing as the runner-up in 2000. A seven-year member of Tennessee's Olympic Development Program, she hopes to work her way into UT's rotation.
"Historically, this group has been a godsend to our team by stepping up big in many matches for us," acknowledged Kelly. "Carie, Lindsey and Tracy are all 'gamers,' athletes who constantly give an all-out effort for however long it takes to overcome the opposition. I look forward to watching them demonstrate their willingness to win this fall."
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| GOALKEEPERS |
Tennessee has a talented core of goalkeepers, including two players with extensive playing experience and a freshman who will give the Lady Vols tremendous depth at this position. The return of senior Ellen Dean to the lineup has been eagerly anticipated, as the Memphis, Tenn., native sat out last fall recovering from a broken leg. As a junior in 2000, she equaled her own team record of 11 victories and rated third in the league with 97 saves. The keeper enters her final season holding program bests in saves (250), starts (49), wins (28), and shutouts (10.1) and is second in goals against average (1.65)
While Dean was on injured reserve, Cori Stevens seized the opportunity to become UT's last line of defense. After missing the 2000 campaign following a transfer from the University of Massachusetts, the junior was instrumental in the Lady Vols' run to the NCAA Tournament. Starting 17 matches and clocking 1,650 minutes in net, a single-season record, Stevens' 97 saves were second in the SEC and her 0.95 GAA in league action was also the runner-up in that category. Now a senior, she hopes to show the flashes of brilliance that led to three shutouts and a six-match winning streak in '01.
Incoming freshman Vanessa Phillips-Bosshart became Coach Kelly's first-ever signee between the pipes and boasts impressive credentials from an outstanding prep career in Connecticut. An all-state, All-Hartford Courant, and all-conference selection in net for Rockville High School as a senior, she also helped the Loomis Chaffee School to the New England Championship in 2000 and a pair of Founders League titles. In addition, she is a member of the 2002 Under-19 regional pool. Rounding out the quartet of goalkeepers is junior Connie Pullum, who anchored Farragut High School to regional titles in '96, '98 and '99 and was also chosen as the Knoxville Interscholastic League's Player of the Year as a senior.
"I am extremely excited about Ellen's return," stated Kelly. "She has trained diligently this spring and seems to be back in top form, which she will need to be to compete with Cori and Vanessa for the starting role. Once again, it should be a heated battle for playing time. Whenever you can create a fiercely competitive environment, it will help each individual excel and reach her own potential."
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| SCHEDULE |
The most challenging non-conference slate in the program's history will put the Lady Vols to the ultimate test, but it will hopefully prepare the team for a second-straight NCAA Tournament berth. Tennessee will meet nine squads that reached the 2001 NCAA event, including national champion Santa Clara and semifinalist Florida, while two other clubs, Clemson and Stanford, also finished in the final NSCAA poll.
Kelly's charges will kick off their seventh season of competition on Aug. 30 in Durham, N.C., against Duke. The Blue Devils and Lady Vols played through four sudden-death overtime periods in Chapel Hill, N.C., last November before Duke prevailed on penalty kicks. Two days later, the Orange heads to SAS Stadium in Cary, N.C., for a clash with the Wolfpack of North Carolina State in the teams' initial meeting on the pitch.
The Big Orange will begin its eight-match home schedule by hosting Arkansas State of the Sun Belt Conference on Sept. 6 and Ohio Valley Conference representative Murray State on Sept. 8. A trip to Clemson, S.C., to face Western Carolina and the host Tigers will follow over Sept. 13-15. Ranked seventh at the time, CU upended Tennessee in double-overtime in Knoxville last season and eventually reached the third round of NCAA action before succumbing to Florida.
South Alabama makes its first foray to the Tennessee Soccer Complex on Sept. 20 before UT wings its way out to Santa Clara, Calif., in mid-September for tilts with Stanford and Santa Clara. Seeded fifth at NCAAs, the Cardinal suffered a 1-0 loss to Texas A&M in the third round to finish with a 15-4-2 mark. Meanwhile, the Broncos claimed the Women's College Cup for the first time with a 1-0 shutout of powerhouse North Carolina on a goal by All-American Aly Wagner. SCU compiled a 23-2 record to become just the fourth team other than the Tar Heels to bring home the NCAA hardware.
Following their jaunt out to the West Coast, there will be no rest for the Lady Vols, as Auburn and Alabama will roll into Knoxville over Oct. 4-6 to begin the league schedule. UT will be looking to avenge a 2-1 setback to the West co-champion Tigers, who reached the SEC Championship match and later earned their first NCAA berth.
After a mid-week tilt in Winston-Salem, N.C., against NCAA participant Wake Forest on Oct. 9, Tennessee will entertain Eastern Division adversaries Vanderbilt and Kentucky on Oct. 11 and 13, respectively. The Lady Vols posted road victories over the Commodores and Wildcats for the first time in '01.
Soon after, the team embarks on another road trip with stops in Gainesville, Fla., and Columbia, S.C., to meet divisional rivals Florida and South Carolina on Oct. 18 and 20. Despite an overtime defeat to UT, the Gators captured the league's regular-season and tournament crowns and advanced to the Final Four before falling to eventual champ Santa Clara in overtime.
The Lady Vols will continue their journey by visiting the Magnolia State over Oct. 25-27 for encounters versus reigning Western Division co-champion Mississippi State and Ole Miss. Tennessee will conclude its regular season against Georgia on Nov. 1 at the UT Soccer Complex. The Bulldogs spoiled the Orange's bid for its first SEC crown and the top seed for the postseason with a 2-1 win in the regular-season finale in Athens last November. Soon after, the 2002 SEC Tournament will be contested in Oxford, Miss., for the first time from Nov. 7-10.
Anticipating an assortment of imposing challenges in its way throughout the upcoming season, the University of Tennessee is prepared to take up the gauntlet and rise to the occasion no matter what situations might develop over the course of the campaign. Under Kelly's guidance and bolstered by a roster brimming with talent, these Lady Volunteers plan to do "Whatever It Takes" to make their postseason visions a reality.
