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Aug. 27, 2008
SAN DIEGO - What a difference a year makes. This time last year, the San Diego State women's soccer team was coming off a 6-11-3 season in 2006, its worst since 2001, had lost six starters, including its top two scorers and best goalkeeper, and was entering Mike Friesen's first year as a head coach. Throw in Cat Walker's season-ending knee injury in a scrimmage and a non-conference schedule that included trips to Creighton, Nebraska, Arizona and Arizona State and home matches against California and NCAA semifinalists UCLA, and it's safe to say that things looked bleak.
SDSU, however, proved the doubters wrong by finishing second in the Mountain West Conference with a 4-2-1 record. The highlight of the conference season for the Aztecs, who were picked fourth in the preseason poll, was a 2-0 shutout over No. 19 Brigham Young on national television.
For the season, San Diego State was 9-8-3 overall, including wins at Creighton (2-0) and Arizona (1-0). The nine wins were the most by an Aztec first-year head coach in the program's 19-year history.
With 16 letterwinners and seven starters returning this season, including 2007 SoccerBuzz.com Second-Team Freshman All-American and MWC Defensive Player of the Year Aubree Southwick, Friesen has SDSU poised to make a run for an NCAA tournament berth in 2008.
"In my mind, (last season) we exceeded expectations by a long way," Friesen said. "We lost 10 players in the transition between coaching staffs and to lose Cat Walker in the very first scrimmage was a big blow. My expectations last year were that we would be a hard-working team and we would have great team chemistry. We exceeded both of those with nine wins. We won a lot of those games based on those two things alone."
With the addition of 10 newcomers to a fairly veteran team, optimism is high on The Mesa.
"I think we're a lot more athletic this season," Friesen said. "This should allow us to take more chances as far as getting forward. We're also more technical. Last year was great because we had 11 shutouts, something we'll try to do again this season. The biggest improvement I've seen is our ability to score a lot more goals. I think we will have the ability to maintain more possession, so that will save our legs a little bit in the attacking third."
FORWARDS
Despite losing the team's top scorer in Jackie Ragudos to graduation, Friesen thinks this year's forwards will be more dynamic, thanks to the return of Alicia Piz to the frontline and a healthy Jessica Gordon.
However, the team's top returning scorer is junior Heather Vandevanter. Vandevanter has 12 points on four goals and four assists over her first two seasons on The Mesa.
"I believe Heather is going to have a very good year," Friesen said. "She struggled a little bit last season because she didn't have a lot of support. I think having Cat (Walker) and Jessica Gordon back in the lineup will give her more service, so I'm expecting her to score a decent amount of goals this season. She has the ability to finish for us."
Piz enters her final season healthy after a solid 2007 campaign, when she finished third on the team with five points on one goal and three assists. Piz played in all 20 games a year ago after logging minutes in just 21 matches over her first two seasons.
"(Alicia's) very quick and has the ability to maintain possession for our team," Friesen said. "She also does well when we are in the attacking third, being able to break teams down on the dribble. I expect her to have a decent amount of assists this year, as well as contributing to our goal scoring."
Gordon is also healthy and ready to go in 2008, a year after playing just five games and two seasons after registering two goals and two helpers.
"Jessica had a very good camp," Friesen said. "We really missed her up top last year. She has the ability to score a lot of goals and is a very good finisher. She's extremely quick and has a great attacking mentality."
Senior Tiphanie Elliott also returns for SDSU, having amassed two goals and two assists in her career. Other forwards who figure to be in the mix include sophomores Britney Bennett and Brooke Holliday, and freshman Taylor Canatsey.
MIDFIELDERS
The midfielders should be strong again in 2008, led by the return of Cat Walker. Walker, a co-captain, missed all of 2007 after going down early in a preseason game. During her freshman season in 2006, Walker appeared in 19 games with 17 starts, recording three goals for six points on 32 shots.
"We are excited to have Cat back," Friesen said. "She's regained her explosiveness back from 2006. She has the ability to take people one-on-on and is good on the dribble. We're looking at her not only for goal production, but to create a lot of chances."
Junior Ali Lokanc joins Walker in the midfield after starting all 20 games a year ago, contributing an assist and five shots on goal.
"Ali has really improved in the offseason on her one-on-one defending," Friesen said. "She is fast, physical and is very good in the air. I'm expecting her to be a dominant force in the air, not just defensively, but on some of our offensive set pieces. We're very excited about her potential this year."
Other returning midfielders who could compete for starting spots include senior Leann Sgobba and sophomore Lauren Marquez. Sgobba begins her final season having played in 21 career games with one start to her credit. Sgobba has one assist and three shots on goal.
"Leann is a very physical player," Friesen said. "She gives us another player who will fulfill the role of a ball-winner."
Freshman Tiffany Hurst has appeared to lock down a starting role in the midfield after a strong preseason camp.
"Tiffany will most likely be starting as a freshman in central midfield," Friesen said. "She has a very good understanding of the game for such a young player and will give us another quality player on the field."
Freshmen Allie Brown and Jaime Nelson could also contribute her their first season.
DEFENDERS
The backline should be a strength for the 2008 squad, led by second-team all-MWC selection and co-captain Millie Allen. Allen started all 20 games for SDSU a year ago and started all 46 games she has appeared in over her two-plus year career, registering two goals and an assist.
"Millie is a leader both on and off the field," Friesen said. "She is a physical presence, who also has the ability to calm our team down when we have the ball. She's a very aggressive and physical player, but at the same time a very technical player."
Senior Jillian Riker and junior Allie Crowson join Allen in the back as returning starters. Riker started all 20 contests in 2007 and has started 23 of the 35 games she has appeared in over her three-year career.
"Jillian should start the season out at the right back position," Friesen said. "She's a composed player and has the ability to maintain possession. She will also be taking some set pieces as well."
Crowson earned the start in all 17 of her appearances last year and has 24 to her credit over two seasons.
"Allie is a very aggressive and physical player," Friesen said. "She has the ability to win a lot of headers and we're looking for her to fill the void left by the graduation of Jessica Girdner. We're looking at her to be an enforcer in the midfield and when she's in back."
Another returner in the back is sophomore Daniela Kozar. Kozar played in nine games a season ago, starting three times, before an injury to her right ankle sidelined her for the rest of the campaign.
"We're hoping by mid-season that Daniela will be healthy and give us some depth on our back line," Friesen said. "She's good in the air and I expect her to contribute at the center back position when she's healthy."
The freshmen duo of Gretel Amman and Megan McQueeny appear to have locked down a starting role in their first season on The Mesa.
"Gretel (Amman) will start for us at the center back position as a freshman," Friesen said. "She is very athletic, is good on the ball and reads the game extremely well. She will have to grow up pretty fast, along with Megan McQueeny, because we're throwing them into the fire right away. Megan is extremely athletic and is a very good, very physical one-on-one defender. Teams are going to have a difficult time getting behind us with her presence."
Freshmen Julia Flores and Jackie Spinner will add depth in the back.
GOALKEEPERS
The strength of the team is obviously the goalkeepers with the return of one of the top goalies in the nation in sophomore Aubrey Southwick. Southwick went on a tear a year ago, setting a school record with 106 saves, while posting 10 shutouts (one short of the school record) and a 0.90 goals against average. The Danville, Calif., native racked up the awards, too, becoming the first player in MWC history to earn two individual awards when she was tabbed the defensive player of the year and the freshman of the year. In addition, the first-team all-MWC pick also garnered freshman All-American recognition.
The best part about it is that Southwick may be even better in 2008.
"Now that she's been with (goalkeeper coach Nat Gonzalez) for a year, her work rate is better, her training habits are better and that's carried over into game situations," Friesen said. "As a result, she's reading the game better and has expanded her skills to affect the game in broader scope. She's very good with her feet, which releases a lot of pressure from our back line and is vocal in directing the back line. I'm always confident when she's back there."
Also minding the net is senior three-year letterwinner Christi Yount. Yount has recorded 35 saves and a 1.09 goals against average in 906-plus minutes.
"Christi had a great spring and is playing very well right now," Friesen said. "She's going to push Aubree for the starting job. I think she's going to be a big asset for us this year."
Freshmen Megan Allaire and Christina Palomino will add depth to the goalkeepers this season.