The Optimist

Issue date: 8/27/07 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Katie Gager Freshman midfielder Katie Miller dribbles past junior defender Lauren Hale and prepares to take a shot at goal during practice Thursday. ACU will play its first home game on against Texas-Permian Basin on Tuesday.

They may be picked to finish last in the Lone Star Conference, but if the women of the inaugural ACU soccer team have anything to say about it, their first season will not be a write-off.

"We don't want to be considered the first-year team or have this season be a building year," sophomore midfielder Jordan Reese said. "We definitely want to challenge teams the first time around."

Despite doubts in ACU's first women's soccer team, head coach Casey Wilson said he is confident his team has the potential to make its first season a winning one, and with and a preseason schedule designed to challenge the freshman team made up of high school standouts and transfers with college experience, Wilson's expectations may not be overzealous.

Preparing for what's next

ACU women's soccer team already had a night of firsts. ACU claimed its first win after scoring its first goal when the Wildcats beat Texas Wesleyan 1-0 in ACU's first official
NCAA game Friday.

But what is next may be what shapes ACU's inaugural
season.


The Wildcats have seven preseason games scheduled before it kicks off conference play against Angelo State on Sept. 21, including two games against nationally ranked teams, St. Edwards and Missouri Southern.

Both teams qualified for the NCAA tournament in 2006, and both teams are ranked in the top 25 of the National Soccer
Coaches Association of America preseason poll, but Wilson said the tough competition would only make his team stronger.

"Those are the schools that are going to be true tests to get us ready for conference," Wilson said.

ACU will play No. 19 Missouri Southern at home Sept. 7 and No. 10 St. Edwards in Austin Sept. 14, and the Wildcats are eager for the competition.

"It's only gonna make us better," said freshman forward Lyndsey Womack, who scored the first goal in ACU history Friday. "We can't just play easy teams because we're a brand new team; we got to learn from each other."

Continued...

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