University of Tennessee Athletics
SOCCER TO FACE UAB IN EXHIBITION MATCH ON FRIDAY NIGHT
August 21, 2003 | Soccer
Aug. 21, 2003
KNOXVILLE, Tenn.
With the outset of its 2003 campaign a week away, the University of Tennessee soccer team will meet the University of Alabama at Birmingham in a preseason scrimmage on Friday evening. The Lady Vols will tangle with the Blazers at 8 p.m. CT at John Hunt Park. The schools met for the first time on the pitch during a scrimmage last August, with the Orange notching a 2-1 decision on a goal with 11:34 remaining in regulation by senior striker Rhian Wilkinson (Baie d'Urfe, Quebec).
"Preseason has gone very well so far for us," acknowledged Tennessee Head Coach Angela Kelly. "We seem to have good chemistry and an increased fitness base. Tomorrow's match will show us where we are, where we need to be and what we need to work on prior to our season opener against UC Santa Barbara. UAB is very well-organized, and we look forward to a challenging match."
Kelly's squad features a blend of seven seniors, nine juniors, two sophomores and eight rookies, returning a total of 18 letterwinners and seven starters from a unit that was 18-6-1 overall. Although Wilkinson remains with the Canadian National Team as it prepares for the upcoming FIFA Women's World Cup, several freshmen will be donning UT colors for the first time. In addition, sophomore Vanessa Phillips-Bosshart (Vernon, Conn.) will be taking over the goalkeeping chores following the graduation of four-year starter Ellen Dean (Memphis, Tenn.).
Under the direction of eighth-year head coach Paul Harbin, UAB welcomes seven starters back from a 2002 club that was 9-9-1 overall and 5-5 in Conference USA, good for a ninth-place standing. The Blazers compiled a 1-3 mark against Southeastern Conference competition last season, defeating Georgia (3-2 in double overtime) and suffering losses to Alabama (3-2), Auburn (3-0) and Vanderbilt (4-2).
Junior forward Tara Kidwell led UAB in scoring last fall with 29 points on 10 goals and nine assists and finished tied for second place on the league's point chart. She was recently selected to the C-USA preseason all-conference team. Senior forward Jill Knottek (28 pts., 11G, 6A) and junior midfielder Jenny Rynders (22 pts., 9G, 4A) are other top returnees for Coach Harbin.
Ranked 13th by Soccer Buzz Magazine and 14th by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA)/adidas, Tennessee will raise the curtain on its eighth season of soccer with a pair of home matches next weekend. UT will host UC Santa Barbara on Friday at 7 p.m., followed by a match on Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m. versus Fresno State.
