Aug. 21, 2007
SAN DIEGO - As the San Diego State women's soccer team prepares for its season opener versus Toledo on Aug. 31, GoAztecs.com will be previewing the upcoming campaign with part two in a series of three installments.
Tuesday's preview breaks down the positions of forwards and midfielders while Wednesday will feature a look at the defensemen and goalkeepers positions.
Forwards
The Aztec front line will look a little different than in the past two seasons as two of the team's leading scorers from a year ago have moved on. Their departure has opened the door for two adept goal-scoring sophomores to take their game to the next level. Former Soccer Buzz nationally ranked recruits and "Golden Boot" winners Jessica Gordon and Heather Vandevanter showed flashes of brilliance in their initial seasons on The Mesa.
Vandevanter tied for second on the team with three goals and chipped in three assists last year. The Alamo, Calif., native also secured the victory for SDSU with the game-winning goal in her second career game against nationally-ranked Purdue.
"Heather progressed very well over the course of the season and really took off in the spring by leading the team in scoring," Friesen said. "She has great size and speed that she uses to win a lot of balls for us in the air.
"We expect her to only get better this season and become one of the team's emotional leaders."
Gordon had a solid 2006 tallying two goals and two assists. The native of Tujunga, Calif., stepped her game up to a new level during the Aztecs' first round MWC tournament match versus New Mexico. Gordon notched her second goal of the season and had two shots on net against the Lobos, earning her a spot on the all-conference tournament team.
"We really liked the way Jessica improved throughout the season and into the spring," Friesen said. "She is a pure goal-scorer who has worked hard on her assertiveness since the end of last season.
"We are looking for her to be a dangerous player this upcoming season."
On the other side, the Aztecs will look to junior Alicia Piz. Piz has battled injuries in her first two seasons that have limited her to 21 games, with 10 starts. When healthy, Piz has proven to be a hard-nosed player with the ability to put the ball in the back of the net.
The staff also looks for Piz to continue to be one of the squad's strongest vocal leaders.
"Alicia has been through a lot in two years with two ACL injuries," Friesen said. "With her returning healthy, we get back a technical player who is one of the team's best dribblers."
The battle for playing time between the rest of the forwards will be fierce.
Senior Jackie Ragudos returns after gaining valuable experience in 20 games a year ago after transferring from Cal Poly Pomona.
Fellow senior Tiphanie Elliott also returns to the Aztec lineup after missing all of 2006 with a torn ACL in her right knee. Elliott competed as part of the SDSU water polo team in the spring of 2007 to help her regain the strength in her legs.
Newcomers who have the ability to make an immediate impact are freshmen Laura Bahno and Britney Bennett, as well as sophomore Megan Konishi.
All three players were potent goal scorers in the high school ranks. Bahno also lead her team to the North Bay League and North Coast Section championshipduring her lone season at Santiago Canyon Junior College.
"We are really excited about the forward spot because this group has a variety of strengths," Friesen said. "I really like that this group understands their roles, doesn't try to do too much and trusts their teammates really well."
Midfielders
The midfield position looks to be one of strength in 2007, with the return of starters senior Jessica Girdner and sophomore Cat Walker, both of whom are proven difference makers on the field.
"Jessica and Cat have been standouts for us, but we are also really excited about this group overall," Friesen said. "The midfielders made great strides in the spring and played a large part in our success."
Girdner, who will serve as co-captain for the second consecutive season, is a stabilizing force in the lineup, having started more games (41) than any other Aztec on this year's roster.
"Jessica has great leadership qualities that help us on and off the field," Friesen said. "On the field, she always does the little things needed to win. She is as good as it gets in the air winning head balls that push us into our offensive attack."
After scoring three goals in her initial campaign at SDSU, big things are expected from Walker. Walker, who will also serve as co-captain, just scratched the surface of her goal-scoring capabilities as a true freshman and after a spring season that saw her make great strides, is poised for what the staff believes will be a breakout season.
"Cat is extremely powerful and explosive," Friesen said. "A year of training and experience has really helped her. She has the potential to be an all-conference selection and she will be a huge part of our success this campaign."
Also in the mix for a starting spot at midfield will be junior Jillian Riker. Riker appeared in nine games last season and made the first three starts of her career.
"Jillian is one of the most improved players on our team," Friesen said. "She has a great understanding of the game and is one of our best ball strikers."
Senior Lisa Nielsen will also be pushing for a spot in the starting 11. The Santa Maria, Calif., native enters 2007 as the most experienced Aztec having appeared in 58 games, while making 12 starts.
"Lisa is a very smart and dependable performer," Friesen said. "She executes game plans extremely well making her invaluable."
Two additions who will be looking to push for time on field are freshman Lauren Marquez and Nebraska junior-transfer Ali Lokanc.
Marquez played at Tesoro High in Mission Viejo, Calif., where she was a two-time all-league performer. She played a prominent role in leading her team to a pair of CIF Championships.
"We are very pleased to have recruited a player like Lauren, who comes into this program with the understanding of how to play for championships," Friesen said. "She already comes into the program as a very technical player and strikes the ball at a high level."
Lokanc is a versatile player who Friesen envisions playing on multiple lines. In her two-year Cornhusker career, where she was nagged by injuries, Lokanc appeared in 20 contests, making eight starts.
"Ali brings a needed physicality to our lineup, especially on the left side," Friesen said. "We also like that she has played against great competition in her two years in the Big 12 Conference."
Junior transfer Adriana Aguillon and freshman Ashley Omphroy add depth to the middle of the lineup.
Aguillon transferred from Grossmont College where she led the team in scoring with 19 goals and helped her team to PCC championships in back-to-back seasons. Omphroy, meahwhile, sat out last season as a redshirt.