2007 Season Outlook
The University of Southern Indiana womenís soccer team begins the 2007 campaign on foreign soil with its sights set on extending the season though the GLVC and the NCAA post-seasons.
The Screaming Eagles are scheduled to play three exhibition games in London, England, as a build-up to making a run at the GLVC Tournament for the second time in three seasons and an appearance in the NCAA Division II Tournament for the first time since 1998.
Under the direction of fifth-year Head Coach Krissy Engelbrecht, USI is hoping to turn around a 4-13-0 season in 2006 and return to the upper half of the GLVC standings. Engelbrecht has directed the Eagles to a 25-42-3 record in four seasons.
The Eagles are loaded up front, led by seniors Julie Collins and Katie Grossman.
Grossman was USIís top scorer a year ago. She had a team-best nine points on four goals and one assists. One of her goals was a game-winner, the third of Grossmanís career.
Collins, the 2005 second team All-GLVC performer, was second on the team last year with seven points on two goals and three assists. She also ranks in the USI top five all-time in points, goals and assists. She has seven career game-winning goals.
Coming back to join Collins and Grossman up front is junior Jessica Stawick and sophomores Rachel Caksackkar, Julie Vaughan, and Katie Tieagarden. Stawick was fourth on the team in scoring with four points on two goals.
USI has two new forwards for the 2007 season in freshmen Victoria Fralick and Kaycie Hibdon.
Fralick is crossing the Ohio River from Kentucky to begin her collegiate career. She joins the USI squad after lettering in soccer at Lyon County High School (Eddyville, Kentucky). The three-time Kentucky All-State performer also was a four-time first team All-Region and three-time All-District soccer player.
Fralick finished her prep career at LCHS as the all-time leader in goals scored and assists. She also set the single-season record in both categories.
Hibdon finished her soccer career at Gibson Southern High School (Ft. Branch, Indiana) with a school record 65 goals after setting the season-record with 23 goals as a junior. She was a two-time GSHS Most Valuable Player and four-time All-County performer during her four-year high school soccer career.
The 2007 midfield will be anchored by six returning players, led by junior Cara Jansen and sophomore Shauni Boudia. Boudia started all 17 games as a freshman and had one assist, while Jansen appeared in 15 games with 11 starts.
In addition to Jansen and Boudia, the Eagles return juniors Jessica Snyder, Serena Loewenthal, and Lauren Pineda; and sophomore Kara Georgeff.
New to the midfield for 2007 is freshman Casey Bryan. Bryan was a three-sport participant at Portage High School (Portage, Indiana), lettering in soccer, track, and basketball. She was the soccer team captain the last two seasons and the Most Valuable Player in 2006. PHS advanced to the Indiana state finals in 2006.
The Eaglesí defense remained steady in 2006 after showing marked improvement over the last three seasons. Leading the defense is senior goalkeeper Meagan Homolla and senior defender Keri Land.
Homolla played in 16 of the 17 matches as a junior, posting a 1.80 goals against average with 78 saves. She also became the USI all-time leader in saves with 251.
Sophomore goalkeeper Jami Martin returns as Homollaís back-up between the posts. She had a 1.67 GAA in three matches and two starts in 2006.
New to the roster in 2007 is freshman goalkeeper Ashleigh Lemp. Lemp was a three-time All-District and All-Conference performer for Marian High School (Mishawaka, Indiana). She also was named the Northern Indiana High School Goalkeeper of the Year in 2006 after setting the MHS record for career saves.
Land, along with senior Katie Barisano; junior Casey Alexander; and sophomore Alison Conquest, lead the defense in front of the goal. The five are a veteran group who have played in a combined 169 matches.
Conquest, who also had one of USIís four game-winning goals last season, was third on the squad in scoring with six points on three goals.
In addition defensively, the Eagles also return senior Mallory Minor and sophomores Jenna Keusch, Jaclyn Clements, and Katie Austin.