University of Tennessee Athletics
2003 SOCCER SEASON PREVIEW
August 21, 2003 | Soccer
Aug. 21, 2003
The word kaleidoscope is derived from three Greek words meaning see-beautiful-form. This type of device is often employed as a tool for relaxation and meditation and can be described as a form of art that presents an endless variety of shapes and color combinations that can stir an individual's imagination. Bringing together a unity of light, color, form and motion in one instrument, the kaleidoscope is continuously creating a dizzying array of images right before a viewer's eyes.
Entering her fourth year at the helm of the University of Tennessee's soccer program, Head Coach Angela Kelly has overseen a rapid ascent into the upper echelon of the Southeastern Conference and the NCAA. Inheriting a team that had never claimed a postseason match or advanced to the NCAA Tournament, Kelly's efforts during her tenure have brought the Lady Volunteers to unprecedented heights on the pitch. Comparable to the turning of a kaleidoscope constantly producing new patterns that stimulate visual sensations, Kelly and her assistants, Samantha Baggett and Scott Blount, have added an assortment of pieces to fashion an improved product on the turf each year.
Last season, UT climbed not only into the top 10 of the national rankings but also captured its initial Eastern Division and SEC Tournament championships on its way to the school's maiden Sweet 16 appearance in the Women's College Cup. A barrage of records fell by the wayside, as the Orange finished 18-6-1 overall and established single-season standards for victories (18), longest unbeaten streak (nine), longest winning streak (eight), best home record (9-1) and fewest goals allowed (26), and tied the mark for shutouts in a season (seven). With one All-American, four All-Central Region performers and a total of five All-SEC recipients back in the fold, optimism is running high in Big Orange Country.
As she guides Tennessee into the 2003 campaign with heightened expectations, Kelly is fortunate to have a "Kaleidoscope of Talent" dotting her roster. Bolstered by the return of 18 letterwinners, including seven starters, from a squad that made a name for itself nationally against a demanding schedule, UT appears to have the talent in place to continue its upward progression. Adding a cache of eight newcomers, a recruiting haul rated as the 17th-best in Division I and the third-best in the Central Region by Soccer Buzz Magazine, should point the Lady Vols toward achieving their third-straight NCAA trip this fall.
"Although last year was a tremendous season for our program, as a group we still realize the importance of working extremely hard day-in and day-out to achieve our goals," acknowledged Kelly. "With a bit of added success, there comes more pressure, and I trust that my young ladies will understand and pursue the season with an increased sense of urgency."
FORWARDS
After spending her summer training with the Canadian National Team and representing her native country at the 2003 Pan Am Games in Santo Domingo, senior Rhian Wilkinson aims to carry the momentum from her international experience into a stellar conclusion to her Lady Vol career. Sidelined for the majority of her sophomore season with a broken left foot, the striker from Baie d'Urfe, Quebec, returned with a vengeance last fall to join Kim Patrick up top and provide Tennessee with one of the most potent offensive combinations in the nation. The dynamic duo accounted for 64 points on 20 goals and 24 assists, while each athlete reaped all-league and all-region recognition.
With her former running mate now observing the action from the sidelines as UT's student assistant coach during her off-season from the San Jose CyberRays of the Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA), opponents will turn most of their attention to containing Wilkinson. In receiving first-team All-SEC honors for the initial time in '02, the crafty Canadian led the conference with a school-record 15 assists and netted eight goals for 31 points to place fourth in the SEC scoring race. Chosen first-team All-Central Region by Soccer Buzz and as a second-team honoree by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA), Wilkinson aims to depart Rocky Top as the program's all-time scoring leader, a perch well within her grasp.
An honorable mention All-SEC pick last season, when she tallied career highs in points (18), assists (10) and goals (four), junior Lyndsey Patterson hopes to provide a consistent spark to the offense. Having shown a penchant for clutch performances, such as potting match-winners versus N.C. State and Auburn and the Golden Goal against Kentucky in the semifinals of the SEC Tournament last November, the Puyallup, Wash., native was second on the squad with 61 shots. Her assist total was the third-best single-season effort at UT and left her tied for second in the league statistics behind her teammate.
Seniors Nikki Bratta and Erica LaShomb look to finish up their time in Orange by contributing valuable minutes for Coach Kelly. Bratta, who became just the second Lady Vol soccer player tabbed to the SEC's At-Large Good Works Team for her work in the Knoxville community, again demonstrated throughout the spring that she was the fittest player on the club. Meanwhile, LaShomb looks to regain the form of her debut season, when she contributed 10 points and scored against top-ranked North Carolina. Junior striker Mimi Couns, a local product from Farragut, enjoyed a tremendous spring practice and also aims to crack the rotation.
Highly-touted incoming freshmen Kristen Doukakis and Emily Redberg are expected to add scoring punch immediately for Tennessee. A native of Highlands Ranch, Colo., Doukakis powered ThunderRidge High School to two consecutive state championships and three-straight conference crowns and collected numerous awards as a prep. During her final season, she registered 52 points on 22 goals and eight assists to graduate as her school's all-time leading scorer. Selected to the 2003 All-Colorado "Best of the Best" by the Denver Post and Rocky Mountain News, as well as earning first-team all-state kudos for the third time, Doukakis was a unanimous pick as the Continental Conference's Player of the Year.
A four-year starter at Champlin Park High School hailing from Brooklyn Park, Minn., Redberg was a three-time all-conference selection who snared all-state honorable mention accolades in both 2000 and 2001 before achieving all-state status as a senior. In her final campaign, she was chosen to the NSCAA/adidas All-Midwest team, earned second-team All-Metro honors and was one of four players named to the all-star squad at the Senior Classic Invitational. Additionally, her Tsunami Sota club team advanced to the title match of the Snickers National Championships each of the past two years, placing second each time.
"Rhian's international experience will only help her anchor our stable of forwards," said Kelly. "Depending on the system we decide to play on any given day, we could see numerous combinations of forward lines within our roster. However, I do expect each player to have a greater focus in the attacking third."
MIDFIELDERS
A formidable asset for the Lady Vols will be their midfield, which returns three starters and will be boosted by the presence of several talented rookies. After tripling her offensive output last year and leading UT with four match-winners, including the decisive score in the NCAA second-round decision over No. 22 Cincinnati, Kayla Lockaby looks to bring her game to a higher level as a junior. During a spectacular 2002 campaign, in which she achieved third-team All-Central Region and honorable mention All-SEC recognition, in addition to grabbing the team MVP award for the second-straight year, Lockaby rated third on the squad with 23 points on eight goals and seven helpers.
One student-athlete primed for a breakout season is junior Sue Flamini, who accomplished the trifecta of reaping first-team Freshman All-America, first-team All-Central Region and first-team All-SEC honors during a phenomenal rookie season in 2001, when she was one of 12 finalists for Soccer Buzz's Freshman of the Year. Responsible for setting up the Golden Goal that clinched the SEC Tourney title, the Cranford, N.J., native kicked off NCAA play at the UT Soccer Complex with a pair of scores in the 5-0 conquest of Furman and finished her second year with six assists.
Juniors Miriam Bennett and Ashley Dawes will also throw their names into the midfield mix for Coach Kelly and her staff. Bennett earned a roster spot during walk-on tryouts in the preseason last summer and was able to find the back of the net in her first attempt as a collegian against Arkansas State on Sept. 6. Meanwhile, Dawes came on strong during the middle of her sophomore campaign to earn starting assignments versus South Carolina, Mississippi State and Mississippi. A stellar spring could pave the way to an increased role for the Waukesha, Wis., native.
A quartet of freshmen, headlined by United States Under-17 National Team member Ali Christoph, looks to make a seamless transition from high school to the Division I level. Although she did not compete in soccer while attending the Columbus School for Girls, Christoph was chosen as a youth All-American by the NSCAA as a member of the Ohio Premiere club team. She was one of the youngest players in the nation invited to participate in the adidas Elite Soccer Program in 2001 and 2002 and took part in the McDonald's All-American High School Soccer Games in Charleston, S.C., this past June.
A four-year starter who was the top scorer at Lake Zurich (Ill.) High School throughout her prep career, Jenny Jeffers racked up all-state, all-area, all-sectional and all-conference honors several times. In addition, her Sockers Futbol club team captured the 2003 U.S. Youth Soccer National Championship in March at a tournament in suburban Dallas. The Lady Vols' first signee from the Sooner State, Stephanie Lovely brings a level of enthusiasm that should lift her teammates' spirits on a daily basis. A four-time all-city choice at Edmond Memorial High School, she picked up all-district honors three times and was the MVP of a Lady Vol summer camp session held in 2002. Marchele Patterson decided to follow in her sister Lyndsey's footsteps in donning a UT uniform and has fashioned an impressive resume of her own. A first-team all-conference choice on three occasions, Patterson captained her Puyallup (Wash.) High School team as a senior and was named second-team all-area as well as her club's top player.
"Our midfield is the area where we possess the most depth," noted Kelly. "I look forward to seeing the mentality and rhythm developed from the central midfield throughout each match. People will see everything from Kayla, who has one of the best work rates I have ever seen, to Sue, who has progressed into one of the best distributors who has come through our program. The integration of the new players, including Ali and Jennifer, will be crucial to what we hope to accomplish this fall."
DEFENDERS
With four seniors and a returning All-American among its defensive corps, Kelly and her staff look to build upon the foundation of a 2002 season in which Tennessee surrendered a mere 26 goals (1.04 per match) and limited its opponents to 8.2 shots per outing. Junior Keeley Dowling, who served as one of the captains of the U.S. Under-19 National Team that won the gold medal at the inaugural FIFA Under-19 World Championships in Canada last September, hopes to enhance her reputation as one of the NCAA's top defenders. Voted as the Lady Vol program's initial All-American by several organizations, the Carmel, Ind., native's list of accomplishments as a sophomore was unparalleled in the annals of women's soccer at the University. Despite missing the first two matches of the season due to the international competition, Dowling earned all-tourney at three different events and was responsible for the Golden Goal that delivered the SEC Tournament trophy to Knoxville.
One of four Lady Vols to start all 25 matches in '02, senior Marie-Eve Nault garnered her club's Defensive Most Valuable Player hardware. Remarkably, six of her nine career goals have been the difference for a Tennessee victory, including her team's lone goal versus Georgia in the SEC quarterfinal. The standout from Trois-Rivieres, Quebec, was also responsible for feeding Wilkinson with the overtime tally that sealed the Eastern Division crown.
The trio of seniors Carie and Tracy Swibas and Lindsey Wiest, with a combined total of 126 career starts between them, should provide degrees of depth and experience in the back not seen in previous years. Carie Swibas really came into her own last season as an integral part of a contingent responsible for seven shutouts, and her 54 starts now rank 10th on the all-time list at UT. Her sister Tracy was penciled into the opening lineup during 15 outings and delivered an important assist in the 3-2 edging of archrival Alabama.
With her array of offensive talent, Wiest can be used either as a defender or inserted up top as a forward. In fact, her first goal as a Lady Vol came late in regulation against N.C. State last September and spurred a 2-1 triumph at SAS Stadium. A pleasant surprise for Coach Kelly and crew in '02, junior Kristin McGrath saw time in 20 matches and chipped in a couple of goals during encounters with league rivals Alabama and Florida.
Junior Marisha Crowe, who transferred from Florida State prior to last season, hopes to overcome the injury bug and make a positive contribution this time around. Meanwhile, sophomore Talia Wright aims to increase her productivity after taking home Most Improved Player honors as a rookie.
The third jewel from Canada that Kelly has uncovered during her tenure is freshman Melissa Amado, a member of Canada's Under-16, Under-17 and Under-19 National Teams. Having trained with her country's full National Team on several occasions, the rookie from Surrey, British Columbia, possesses a tenacious style that will boost Tennessee from the moment she arrives on campus.
"It is my belief that you have to possess a certain mentality to play defense, and each of my defenders shares a similar mind-set," said Kelly. "I look for them to be a solid, cohesive unit with a good tactical understanding of the game in front of them. Keeley will serve as our anchor and will be surrounded by several experienced players as well as newcomer Melissa Amado."
GOALKEEPERS
For the first time in five years, Tennessee will enter the campaign without an established presence in net following the graduations of Ellen Dean and Cori Stevens. A four-year starter whose name is scrawled throughout the Lady Vol record book, Dean is currently on the development roster of the WUSA's Atlanta Beat, while Stevens assists the club as a manager while she pursues her master's degree at the University. Under the tutelage of goalkeeping coach Blount, sophomore Vanessa Phillips-Bosshart, Kelly's first-ever signee between the pipes, and freshman Kirby Zwickel will serve as UT's last line of defense.
Following an outstanding prep career in Connecticut, where she was an all-state, All-Hartford Courant, and all-conference selection in net for Rockville High School as a senior and also helped the Loomis Chaffee School to the New England Championship in 2000, Phillips-Bosshart saw time in just one match as a rookie. However, she gained valuable experience by playing the balance of the Orange and White's spring schedule and worked diligently on her strength and conditioning to make her transition into the lineup much easier.
A recent graduate of North Central (Ind.) High School, Zwickel was a four-time Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference selection who earned all-state accolades twice and was voted honorable mention the other two occasions. The Indianapolis native picked up all-district accolades three years in succession, was chosen to the All-Super Teams as both a junior and senior and was a member of the Carmel Cobras club team that claimed seven state titles.
"We will start the '03 season with two very eager and qualified goalkeepers," stated Kelly. "Coming off a tremendous spring in which she increased her vertical jump four inches and developed tactically with Scott's help, Vanessa appears to have the inside track to the starting job."
SCHEDULE
Another grueling slate assembled by Coach Kelly will challenge the Lady Vols and hopefully ready the team toward securing a third-straight NCAA Tournament berth. Tennessee will meet eight programs that advanced to last year's Women's College Cup, including five teams that finished in the final NSCAA/adidas poll: No. 12 West Virginia, No. 16 Richmond, No. 23 Brigham Young, No. 24 Maryland and No. 25 Charlotte.
The Orange and White will kick off its eighth season of competition at home for the first time since 1998 when UC Santa Barbara visits the UT Soccer Complex on Aug. 29. Following its inaugural meeting with the Gauchos, who were the runner-up in the Big West Conference last fall, Kelly's club will welcome Fresno State of the Western Athletic Conference two days later.
"Starting with our opening weekend, we are looking at what I consider to be one of our toughest schedules," said Kelly. "It will be exciting for our fans and players to open at home, as everyone will be ready and raring to go. Looking through our opponents, there are a lot of intriguing matchups for us - from Brigham Young and UNLV on one road trip to William & Mary and Maryland two weeks later."
"I personally feel that we are a member of one of the strongest women's soccer conferences in the country," Kelly confirmed. "Every school is raising the bar and is committed to winning. We start with our first two league weekends at home and then end with a very difficult stretch of five-straight road contests, so we definitely have our work cut out for us."
The Big Orange will journey to face Mountain West Conference champion Brigham Young in Provo on Sept. 5, before heading to Las Vegas for a meeting with UNLV on Sept. 7. The following weekend, Kelly and her squad will welcome three fellow 2002 NCAA participants into Knoxville for the First Tennessee Lady Vol Classic over Sept. 12-14. The University of Denver will meet Charlotte to begin the tourney on Sept. 12, with the hosts taking on Richmond in the nightcap. The Spiders captured the Atlantic-10 Conference and won a pair of NCAA matches before falling to eventual national champion Portland in the round of 16. Two days later, Denver and Richmond will tangle before Tennessee wraps up the event against the reigning Conference USA champion 49ers, who hosted the first two rounds of NCAA play after going unbeaten during the regular season.
Tennessee will travel into Atlantic Coast Conference country in mid-September for the University of Maryland/adidas Classic on Sept. 18 and 20, where it will face first-time foes William & Mary as well as the host Terrapins. UM succumbed to Final Four participant Penn State in the second round of NCAAs, while the Tribe was defeated by Wake Forest in the opening contest of the Big Dance. In addition, the schedule for the tournament was altered to enable the participants to watch the U.S. Women's World Cup team take on Sweden at RFK Stadium on Sept. 21. West Virginia, the 2002 BIG EAST Mid-Atlantic Division winner that compiled an 18-3-1 overall mark, will make its first foray to Rocky Top on Sept. 28 for a matinee affair. Fledgling network College Sports Television (CSTV) will be handling a live broadcast of the contest.
Mississippi State and Ole Miss will roll into Knoxville, over Oct. 3-5, to begin the nine-match Southeastern Conference schedule. UT held off the Bulldogs and Rebels by identical 2-1 margins last season, but UM will be looking to continue the momentum generated by its first NCAA appearance. Eastern Division brethren Florida and South Carolina come calling the following weekend, Oct. 10 and 12, respectively. The Lady Vols and Gators went to overtime both times they saw one another last year, with UF taking the regular-season tilt in Gainesville and UT ending Florida's six-year stranglehold on the SEC Tournament hardware on a Golden Goal in the league's championship match. Nothing was settled between the Gamecocks and Lady Vols after 110 minutes of play in Columbia last October. For the first time in the program's existence, both of these East rivalry matches will be televised, as SEC-TV will carry the Lady Vols' showdown versus the Gators and College Sports Southeast (CSS) will provide coverage of the Gamecocks' visit.
Soon after, the team embarks on an extended road trip with stops in Fayetteville, Ark., Baton Rouge, La., Nashville, Lexington, Ky., and Athens, Ga. Tennessee will head into enemy territory against West rivals Arkansas and LSU over Oct. 17-19, before divisional counterparts Vanderbilt and Kentucky lay out the welcome mats on Oct. 24 and 26, respectively. While the Orange did not face either the Lady'Backs or Tigers as part of the rotating schedule in '02, it seeks to avenge a 1-0 defeat suffered at the hands of the Commodores, which was its only loss in 10 home matches last year. UK will have revenge on its mind as well, as it endured a 2-0 regular-season defeat and a 1-0 overtime setback to the Orange at the SEC Tournament.
Tennessee will conclude its regular season against Georgia on Oct. 31 at the Georgia Soccer Stadium on CSS. The Lady Vols edged the Dawgs in overtime, 2-1, to clinch the East in '02 and then eliminated the Red and Black from SECs on a goal by Nault, 1-0. Soon after, Kelly's troops will prepare for the 2003 SEC Tournament to be contested from Nov. 6-9 in Orange Beach, Ala. This year will mark the initial time that the event has been held at a neutral site.
A hallmark of a top-notch coaching staff continues to be reinventing its team to adapt to the student-athletes' strengths and weaknesses, as well as keeping playing styles fresh and innovative. Kaleidoscopes are unique in the art world as they are an interactive, visual medium - a person has to look through, not just at, one to appreciate its beauty entirely. While the object is a form that is continuously being created right before the viewer's eyes, the University of Tennessee hopes to harness its own "Kaleidoscope of Talent" to achieve its objectives and maximize opportunities for the 2003 women's soccer season and beyond.
