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News
Lady Cougars Ready to Kick off New
Chapter
written by Dave Parsons, Sports Information Director
MOUNT VERNON, Ohio (8-25-2011) - The Mount
Vernon Nazarene University women's soccer
team will look to add a new chapter to the
program's winning tradition as the Lady
Cougars prepare to kick off the 2011 season
on August 26 against NAIA No. 14 Oklahoma
City University at 1 p.m. CST.
Coming off a season in which MVNU posted
a 14-8-2 overall record, advanced to the
American Mideast Conference Tournament
semifinals after going 6-4 in the AMC
regular season, and earned a berth in the
National Christian College Athletic
Association National Tournament after
claiming the NCCAA East Region Tournament
title, the Lady Cougars will have some new
challenges awaiting them in the new
campaign.
Head coach Daniel Seiffert
enters his third season at his alma mater
with a roster full of 21 returning players
and eight quality incoming freshmen. The
team should have plenty of depth and
returning experience when they take the
pitch.
"Once again, this year's team
has high expectations for the season," said
Seiffert, who has guided MVNU to a 25-14-4
record the past two years. "Realizing those
expectations starts with high levels of
fitness and I've been quite impressed with
the fitness of our players as they have
worked through preseason camp. We've had a
strong camp and the work ethic and
competitive intensity with which they battle
each other daily should help develop good
team depth throughout the season."
The Lady Cougars' attack will be led up
front by a talented group of forwards that
includes seniors Courtney Ricker (5 goals
and 1 assist), Amanda Woods (4 goals and 4
assists), Sarah Buehler (3 assists), and
Andrea Fisher (1 goal and 1 assist), juniors
Jessica Linger (4 goals and 3 assists) and
Haley Sparks (1 goal), sophomores Rachel
Coyne (1 goal) and Sara Lipstraw, and
freshmen Brittney Bogantz and Michelle
Dobson.
The MVNU midfield will
feature a good mix of experience and young
talent. Seniors Challyn Dobson (2 goals and
3 assists), Erin Washington, Ashley
Smithberger, and Lindsey Shaffer, juniors
Rachel Elder (1 goal and 1 assist) and Libby
Kalanquin, sophomore Amy Weaver (4 goals),
and freshmen Megan Griffith, Dayna Setzler,
and Tiffany Wright will all see playing
time.
The back line will be anchored
by seniors Kelci Rhodes, Heidi Moeckel, and
Challyn Dobson, junior Stacy Culbertson,
sophomores Rachel Walters and Jackie Mourne,
and freshman Emily Oswalt. Last season, the
Lady Cougars allowed just 15 total goals and
tied the school record with 15 shutouts.
For the first time in four years, there
will be someone different in goal for MVNU
after the graduation of four-year standout
goalkeeper Jenessa Loewen, who is back to
help as an assistant coach after posting
school records with 37 shutouts and a 0.92
goals against average for her career.
Freshmen Eleni Miller and Lexus Andolino and
sophomore Lindsey Blue are each competing
for playing time between the posts as the
season gets under way.
The Lady
Cougars are facing arguably their toughest
schedule ever with three opponents ranked in
the NAIA preseason poll, one other receiving
votes, and a ranked and a receiving votes
team playing each other for the right to
play MVNU in the Lady Cougar Classic. After
the season opener versus Oklahoma City, MVNU
will square off at John Brown (Ark.)
University, who is receiving votes.
Following a trip to the University of the
Cumberlands (Ky.), the Lady Cougars will
host Trevecca Nazarene (Tenn.) University,
NAIA No. 17 Olivet Nazarene (Ill.)
University, and Southern Nazarene (Okla.)
University, who received votes in the NAIA
preseason poll, in a four-team Nazarene
tournament. Malone University, Urbana
University, and Cedarville University will
round out the non-conference portion of the
schedule.
MVNU will begin a new
conference affiliation in 2011 as the Lady
Cougars will switch from the American
Mideast Conference to the Mid-Central
College Conference. NAIA No. 8 Indiana
Wesleyan University and NAIA No. 19 Spring
Arbor (Mich.) University are the preseason
favorites with MVNU also receiving votes in
the NAIA poll. The Lady Cougars will also
face Grace (Ind.) College, Taylor (Ind.)
University, Marian (Ind.) University, the
University of Saint Francis (Ind.),
Huntington (Ind.) University, Bethel (Ind.)
College, and Goshen (Ind.) College in the
round robin format with the top eight teams
making the MCC Tournament with a berth in
the NAIA National Championship Opening Round
on the line.
"We are very excited to
now be part of the MCC," said Seiffert. "The
MCC has an excellent reputation as one of
the strongest conferences in the nation,
especially in women's soccer. The conference
is very competitive throughout and all the
teams are well-coached. Our mettle will
definitely be tested in both our conference
and non-conference matches, which together
will comprise one of the toughest schedules
we've had in program history."
"Most
importantly, we always strive to honor God
with our very best," Seiffert added. "We
will continue to work hard throughout the
season to improve and get better each and
every day with the goal of competing for
championships come November and December."
Lady Cougars' 2011
schedule:
http://www.mvnu.edu/sports/nazwsc/news/results.asp
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