University of Tennessee Athletics
2005 SOCCER SEASON OUTLOOK
August 23, 2005 | Soccer
Aug. 23, 2005
When the blueprint for the Tennessee Lady Vol Soccer program was developed prior to the 1996 season, the expectation was that the program would quickly climb to national prominence and compete for Southeastern Conference crowns, Women's College Cup berths and NCAA titles. As the squad enters its 10th campaign and sixth under the guidance of Lady Vol Head Coach Angela Kelly, the program has grown, as expected, from meager beginnings into a national powerhouse. With a nod of respect and gratitude to the teams, players and coaches of the first decade of women's soccer at UT, the 2005 Lady Vols will strive to create their own legacy and build onto a history of success, as the program celebrates "10 Years of Lady Volunteers."
After four initial seasons under the direction of Charlie MacCabe and a 37-40-2 overall mark, Tennessee looked to then-UT assistant Angela Kelly to take the squad to the next plateau. With unceasing energy, tremendous soccer knowledge and solid recruiting ability, the Brantford, Ontario, Canada, native began to turn the Orange & White soccer fortunes around. After a 12-8 inaugural season in 2000, the UT head coach delivered the nation's fifth-best recruiting haul in 2001 according to Soccer Buzz. With players such as three-time All-American defender Keeley Dowling, ultra-creative All-SEC and All-Central Region forward Lyndsey Patterson, diminutive All-SEC midfielder Kayla Lockaby and highly-touted midfielder Sue Flamini guiding the way, the Lady Vols registered a 63-22-6 mark over the next four years. The squad also picked up hardware to the tune of three SEC Eastern Division crowns, two SEC regular-season and tournament titles and four NCAA Tournament berths while carving out their own niche in the collegiate soccer landscape.
Beginning the Orange & White's 10th soccer campaign, Kelly and her assistants, Scott Blount and former Lady Vol student-athlete Jen Laughridge Grubb, embark on a new challenge as the finest senior class in UT history is now just a part of the program's storied history. Despite the presence of an incredible 13 newcomers serving as "The Next Generation", the cupboard is far from bare, however, as six starters return from a 2004 squad that went 17-5-2, climbed as high as sixth in the national rankings, set an SEC record with 10 conference victories, won both the SEC Eastern Division and regular-season crowns and advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16 for the third-straight season. With junior first-team All-SEC midfielder Ali Christoph, senior all-league goalkeeper and UT career shutout leader Vanessa Phillips-Bosshart, a pair of invaluable sophomore forwards in SEC All-Freshmen forwards Genna Gorman (third-team Freshman All-American) and Emily Redberg and a lauded rookie class, the outlook for Tennessee in 2005 and beyond continues to look bright.
"I am really excited about our team entering this season," said Kelly. "Our forwards have been dynamic in the attacking third so far in our exhibitions, and the freshmen have been making solid contributions alongside our returnees. We have to remember that our defense wins championships and work extremely hard on guarding our own zone. We must work to protect our home field throughout the season and continue to instill a winning mentality within our program."
FORWARDS
Despite losing the services of graduated All-SEC and All-Central Region forward Patterson, Tennessee returns a dynamic duo up top consisting of Genna Gorman and Emily Redberg. Gorman, the SEC Co-Freshman of the Year in 2004, will be one of the leaders at forward after a stellar rookie season during which she scored seven goals and tallied eight assists to rate high on the SEC charts in both categories. The Lakewood, Colo., native registered a goal and two assists in her first SEC Tournament action in 2004. She also made quite a splash in her debut in the Orange & White by scoring twice in a span of 2:27 to bring UT back from a 3-1 deficit against No. 15 Duke and force overtime. Dowling netted the match-winning "golden goal" in sudden-victory overtime as the Lady Vols posted a 4-3 triumph.As a redshirt sophomore, Redberg brings in two years worth of experience to this year's Orange & White squad. After suffering an injury to her anterior cruciate ligament prior to the 2003 campaign, Redberg made a full recovery and completed her freshman season as the Lady Vols' third-leading scorer by posting seven goals and five assists for 19 points. The Brooklyn Park, Minn., native was at her best on the biggest stage as Redberg registered three goals in the postseason. She scored a goal at 72:07 to deadlock the SEC Tournament Championship contest at 1-1 and force overtime. She also found the back of the net in UT's NCAA First Round victory over Furman.
Excitement surrounds the entrance of a pair of highly-regarded freshman forwards as Pennington, N.J., native Kylee Rossi and Austin, Texas, product Jackie Acevedo venture to UT after stellar high school and club careers. Rossi, a 2004 National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA)/adidas and Parade Magazine All-American in 2004 and two-time New Jersey Prep School Player of the Year, rang up an incredible 98 goals and 64 assists while leading her high school to a 67-8-6 mark. She also spent time on the U.S. U17 Women's National Team and on several Olympic Development Pool (ODP) squads.
A former U.S. Under-16 and Under-17 National Team member, Acevedo enters Tennessee with a slew of accomplishments on her prep playing résumé. A three-time NSCAA/adidas Youth All-American, the Austin, Texas, native also picked up numerous first-team all-region and all-district honors during her varsity career at McNeil H.S. and helped her squad to a Texas State title in 2004 and a district co-championship in 2002. Like Rossi, Acevedo has played on numerous ODP squads, participating in ODP regional and national camps from 2001-2003.
Senior Talia Wright and sophomore Hayley Prendergast are also aiming to crack the Lady Vol rotation. A Chattanooga, Tenn., product, Wright has seen action in 15 contests for Tennessee during her career, while Hingham, Mass., native Prendergast has played in nine contests and registered a goal in last season's 2-0 victory over Georgia on "Senior Night."
"This could be one of our most dynamic frontlines ever with a combination of Gorman, the SEC Co-Freshman of the Year and All-Freshman selection Emily Redberg," said Kelly. "They are two consummate finishers. I am excited about the tremendous potential of Kylee Rossi and Jackie Acevedo. They have both entered the preseason focused, fit and ready to do what it takes to put the ball in the back of the net for the Lady Vols."
MIDFIELDERS
Midfield should also be a strength for Tennessee during the 2005 campaign as junior first-team All-SEC and second-team All-Central choice Ali Christoph returns to serve as the team's "quarterback." The Columbus, Ohio, native tied for second in the SEC last season with eight assists and was fourth in helpers per game at 0.33. She has proven to be a stable force for UT by starting all 48 games of her career while registering 36 points on nine goals and 18 assists. Christoph currently ranks sixth on the all-time Lady Vol helper chart. She tallied assists last season on Dowling's "golden goal" to down No. 15 Duke, 4-3, in the opener as well as on Lockaby's match-winning overtime tally to defeat No. 8 Florida, 2-1 (2ot), for UT's first-ever victory in Gainesville, Fla.Junior Kristen Doukakis started 19 matches for the Lady Vols as a freshman and contributed eight points on two goals and four assists. Her sophomore campaign, however, was a dose of frustration for the Highlands Ranch, Colo., native, as an ACL injury ended her season after five contests (four starts). She enters 2005 healthy and ready to provide some experience and depth in the UT midfield and, if needed, on the front line as a forward.
A native of Saint-Lambert, Quebec, Canada, Véronique Maranda enters Tennessee looking to provide a spark in the midfield and continue a strong tradition of Canadian players who have made a distinct impression as members of the Orange & White, such as Rhian Wilkinson, Melissa Amado and Marie-Eve Nault. As part of the Canadian National Team, Maranda, the 2003 Quebec Player of the Year, registered 14 international caps for her home country, including high-profile match-ups with the United States, China and Brazil (two). She also has 14 international caps with the U20 Canadian squad.
Several rookies, Leslie Vineyard, Mia Boyd, Michelle "Mick" Imgram and Molly Buns, will be counted on to provide depth in the midfield during the 2005 season. As a four-year player at Cor Jesu Academy in St. Louis Mo., Vineyard helped guide her squad to two district championships (2002, 2003) while picking up a pair of second-team all-state nods. She was a first-team all-conference choice during her sophomore season and received second-team honors following her rookie campaign. She also participated as a member of the "1986" Missouri squad at the 2004 U.S. Youth Soccer ODP National Championships.
Boyd led her Kingwood H.S. team to the 2004 Texas State 5A semifinals, three district 22-5A championships (2003, 2004, 2005) and a Region 3 5A title in 2004 with a 24-2-2 record. She was also chosen as an NSCAA/adidas Youth All-American in 2004 as well as NSCAA All-Southwest Region.
Despite arriving at UT with a pre-existing injury, Imgram will continue her rehab in hopes of getting back on the field as soon as possible. A highly-touted recruit from Clifton, Va., she spent four years on the varsity squad at Bishop Denis J. O'Connell H.S. while ringing up an incredible list of prep and club accomplishments. The 2004 Washington Post State Player of the Year helped guide her squad to three Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC) Championships (2001-04), three Washington Post No. 1 ratings in the DC Metro Area and a mythical national championship in 2004, as her squad finished a perfect 20-0-0 campaign ranked first in the NSCAA/adidas national high school poll. As the 2005 Gatorade High School Player of the Year in Virginia, Imgram established a slew of impressive school records at O'Connell, including marks for single-season goals (32) and assists (24) and the career standards for goals (82) and helpers (62).
At Lakota East High School in West Chester, Ohio, Buns guided her 2004 varsity soccer team to a district championship with a 14-4-2 mark and led them to a second-place finish in the Holland Cup in Amsterdam, Netherlands. She played three years as a member of the soccer squad and spent two as a team captain.
"Ali Christoph will be the mainstay of our midfield this season," said Kelly. "She possesses an unbelievable work rate and great field vision. She is the energizer of the entire team. Couple what Ali brings with the talent of Véronique, who enters with international experience, and that provides tremendous excitement to the position. Leslie has reported very fit and is a wonderful talent with strong ability. I expect to see some major contributions from Kristen this season as well. Overall, I'm excited about the talent we have at this position."
DEFENDERS
Despite losing a three-time All-American defender and mainstay of the backline for four years in Keeley Dowling to graduation, plenty of talent remains from a squad that tied a school record by allowing just 18 goals in 24 matches and registered 11 shutouts in 2004.Sophomore Erica Griffin started all 24 matches for the Lady Vols on defense during her rookie campaign, posting two assists and 13 shots. The Memphis, Tenn., native's Lady Vol debut was one to remember, as she registered both of her career helpers in the season-opening 4-3 (OT) victory over No. 15 Duke. Griffin picked up assists on both goals by Gorman in a span of 2:27 to help UT rally from a 3-1 deficit in the last five minutes of regulation to force overtime.
Another stalwart on the Orange & White defense, junior Jenny Jeffers also started all 24 matches last season. She registered three points on a goal and an assist (in just eight shots) for the Lady Vols in 2004. Jeffers assisted on Emily Redberg's goal at 78:50 against Mississippi State to give Tennessee a 2-0 advantage and found the back of the net at 21:51 off a Christoph feed to post UT's lone goal in the 2-1 loss at then-#15 Washington. Equally adept in the classroom, she picked up her second Academic All-SEC selection.
Joining Griffin and Jeffers as the foundation in the back is junior Melissa Amado, who started 23 matches in her debut season of 2003. Despite an injury that ended her sophomore campaign after she appeared in just six games (four starts), "The Brick Wall," a native of Surrey, British Columbia, Canada, appears fit and ready to resume her patrols in the Lady Vol backfield.
Four freshmen, Sarah Van Sickle, Casey Crawford, Alex Crimmins and Amy Ballew, will look to make contributions to the backline for UT in 2005. A three-sport athlete at Farragut H.S. in Knoxville in soccer, cross country and track, Van Sickle was a three-time all-district, all-region and all-state selection (2002, 2003, 2004) in soccer. In 2002 she was chosen as the all-district soccer forward of the year for her efforts. On the track, as a member of the 4x200 relay, she was part of a squad that finished third at the Tennessee state meet and established a school record. Playing for the Diadora Lady Impact club team, she was a participant on a 2005 Tennessee state championship squad that advanced on to regional play.
A four-year letterwinner at St. Scholastica Academy in Louisiana, Crawford served as a team captain during her senior campaign in 2005 and was a member of three district championship teams (2002, 2003, 2004) and two Louisiana state finalist squads (2003, 2005). She was tabbed as an all-state and all-metro choice and was named the New Orleans Times-Picayune Female Athlete of the Year in 2005. Crawford picked up four all-district selections from 2002-2005 and was her squad's offensive most valuable player in 2005. She was also twice a member of the Louisiana Olympic Development Pool (ODP) team (2003, 2004).
Crimmins entered preseason camp with a knee injury that will force her to consider rehab first in order to make her presence felt on the pitch this season. Named to the 2005 Raleigh News & Observer "Players to Watch" list, Crimmins helped guide her St. Mary's School (Cary, N.C.) squad to a North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association (NCISAA) semifinal round appearance (2003) and a NCISAA runner-up finish in 2002. Her 2002 squad also won the Triangle Independent School Athletic Conference (TISAC) title. Alex was chosen as TISAC all-conference in 2004 and 2005 and picked up an all-region honorable mention nod in 2003. She also participated in the 2001 Olympic Development Poll (ODP) U-14 National Camp and was a member of the Region 3 ODP Regional Pool (2001 & 2003) and a player on the North Carolina ODP State Team from 2001-2005.
Hailing from Springfield, Va., Ballew comes to Tennessee off a successful high school career during which she received four varsity letters and served for one season as team captain. A two-time All-Two Rivers Conference and All-Patriot District selection, she helped guide her squad to a 2004 district title and a 2003 conference crown. Ballew was chosen twice as an All-Met Honorable Mention by The Washington Post and picked up an honorable mention all-region nod in 2005.
"Defense wins championships, and I have been pleased thus far with the effort and ability of our defenders," said Kelly. "Jenny (Jeffers) was able to play alongside Keeley Dowling last season and learn from her tactically. I expect her to help instruct the rest of the backline crew in 2005. Erica (Griffin) will be looked upon to get into the attack more this season to provide our offense with a high-flying threat. Melissa has shown that she has moved beyond her injury that limited her last season. I expect significant contributions from her this year as well as from our freshmen."
GOALKEEPERS
The Tennessee Lady Volunteers possess quite a luxury entering the 2005 campaign with an experienced senior goalkeeper in two-year starter Vanessa Phillips-Bosshart.After a record-setting sophomore season in 2003, the Vernon, Conn., native continued her stellar play in 2004 by registering a 17-5-2 mark with a Southeastern Conference-leading 11 shutouts, 0.68 goals-against-average and .843 save percentage. She helped guide the Orange & White to a conference record 10 league victories while limiting opponents to just 18 goals in 24 total matches. She registered shutout streaks of 325:24, which included a scoreless tie with No. 1 North Carolina in Knoxville, and 334:58, which made up a portion of the 2-1 win over Alabama, the regular-season finale against Georgia, SEC Tournament wins over Kentucky (2-0) and Vanderbilt (1-0) and a small part of the SEC Tourney Final loss to No. 8 Florida. Phillips-Bosshart blanked Furman (2-0) and UAB (1-0) in the opening two rounds of the NCAA Tournament in helping UT advance to a third-straight NCAA Sweet 16.
"Vanessa has benefited from some international experience over the past year, which will help her in the decision-making process," said Kelly. "The starting job in goal is hers to lose. She is a rising senior and our team captain, so I look for her to lead from her position. Jaimel (Johnson) is an extraordinary athlete who works very hard and will push Vanessa to new levels. Sarah (Kitchin) has worked hard and will continue to learn as time goes on."
A pair of talented freshmen wait in the wings to provide valuable depth for Tennessee at the goalkeeper position. Rookie Jaimel Johnson ventures to Rocky Top from Kettering, Ohio, where she picked up a pair of NSCAA/adidas All-Region and All-State selections. She holds single-season records at Chaminade Julienne High School for shutouts (13) and goals-against-average (0.37). Johnson also has experience as parts of various Olympic Development (ODP) teams and participated on the ODP national squad in 2003.
Sarah Kitchin was a three-sport athlete in soccer, lacrosse and track at Arundel High School in Maryland. She was a first-team all-county choice in soccer and possesses solid leaping ability as witnessed by her participation in the high jump in high school.
SCHEDULE
Much as another high-profile UT coach named Pat Summitt believes, Lady Vol Head Coach Angela Kelly's theory on scheduling is to play the best teams available to properly prepare for the postseason. Tennessee's 2005 slate wastes no time in testing the national waters to open the campaign, as the Big Orange travel to Topeka, Kan., to face 17-time NCAA National Champion North Carolina in a high-profile match-up at the Heartland Classic on Aug. 26. The Orange & White tied the Tarheels in Knoxville, 0-0 (2OT), during the First Tennessee Lady Vol Classic last year as goalie Vanessa Phillips-Bosshart posted seven saves to end UNC's 31-match winning streak. Last season marked the first time that the Tarheels failed to advance into the Women's College Cup Final Four, so redemption will be on their minds.The Lady Vols next return to the friendly confines of the UT Soccer Complex to open their 10th home slate of competition against Washington State on Sept. 2. The Big Orange registered a scoreless tie with the Cougars in Pullman, Wash., during the 2004 season in the squads' first-ever meeting.
After traveling to Morgantown, W. Va., to battle the West Virginia Mountaineers on Sept. 4, the Lady Vols will visit Charlottesville, Va., to face homestanding Virginia (Sept. 9) and then William & Mary (Sept. 11) in the Nike Virginia Soccer Classic. All three of UT's opponents on the road trip advanced to the second round of the NCAA Women's College Cup in 2004.
The Big Orange will once again welcome a top-notch field into Knoxville for the First Tennessee Lady Vol Classic over Sept. 16-18. Defending Big XII conference champion Texas A&M will battle Washington to open the event on the 16th, with the hosts facing Pacific-10 stalwart Stanford in the opening-day nightcap. Two days later, the Cardinal will match up against the Aggies before UT battles the Huskies in a rematch of last year's contest in Seattle, Wash., won by UW, 2-1.
Four consecutive home contests highlight the beginning of the conference schedule for the Orange & White. Mississippi State (Sept. 23) and Mississippi (Sept. 25) visit Knoxville before UT renews acquaintances with archrival Florida at the UT Soccer Complex on Sept. 30. The Lady Vols split a pair of 2-1, two-overtime match ups with the Gators in 2004. Tennessee downed the Gators in Gainesville, Fla., to pick up the program's first-ever victory at Pressly Stadium before falling in the SEC Tournament Final in Auburn, Ala. A contest against SEC Eastern Division foe South Carolina closes out the opening homestand for Tennessee on Oct. 2.
The Orange & White venture to Arkansas and LSU to christen the road portion of the league schedule over Oct. 7-9, while SEC Eastern Division foes Vanderbilt and Kentucky are on the docket the following weekend (Oct. 14-16) in Nashville, Tenn., and Lexington, Ky., respectively.
The Lady Vols will have revenge on their minds when they return home to Knoxville for an Oct. 21 match-up against Auburn. Last season, UT ventured to face the upstart Tigers in Auburn, Ala., and was upset, 2-1, in front of a raucous partisan AU crowd of 2,117.
After a quick trip to Tuscaloosa, Ala., to battle Western Division foe Alabama on Oct. 23, the Lady Vols will close-out the regular season by traveling to Athens, Ga., to face Georgia. UT bested the Bulldogs, 2-0, at home last season on "Senior Night" to send seniors Dowling, Lockaby, Patterson, Flamini, Kristin McGrath, Ashley Dawes and Mimi Couns out in style with a second-consecutive SEC regular-season title.
The 2005 version of the SEC Tournament will be contested over Nov. 3-6 at Orange Beach, Ala., site of Tennessee's 2003 SEC Tournament title victory. NCAA Tournament First and Second Round action will occur on Nov. 11 & 13 at campus sites with the NCAA Women's College Cup scheduled for Dec. 2 & 4 at Texas A&M's Aggie Soccer Complex in College Station, Texas.
"Our philosophy at Tennessee is always the same year-in and year-out," said Kelly. "We expect to compete for a national championship at UT, so we schedule the way we do in order to continually play the top teams in the nation. Our team has to match up against the best competition out there to prepare ourselves for the rugged SEC schedule and the NCAA Tournament."
The end of a decade has always been an occasion to pause for reflection on the memories and achievements of the past. The climb by the Lady Vol soccer program to national prominence has been long and filled with both celebration and challenges. To begin the 2005 campaign, a group of 10 returning letterwinners and 13 newcomers have arrived at Rocky Top ready to pay their respects to UT's history of success by creating their own legacy of winning at Tennessee as the Orange & White celebrate "10 Years of Lady Volunteers."
