CHICAGO - The Blue Demons begin the 2003 campaign with road matches at Nebraska on Friday and UW-Green Bay on Sunday. The match at Nebraska can be heard live beginning at 7 p.m. on Friday.
CHICAGO – The DePaul women’s soccer team opens the 2003 campaign with a pair of road matches. The Blue Demons travel to Lincoln, Neb., to face the Cornhuskers on Friday night before traveling north for a Sunday afternoon tilt at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay.
Tune In on Friday
DePaul soccer fans can follow all the action on Friday night via the Nebraska website. To listen to the match, click here. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.
Looking at the Blue Demons
DePaul enters the regular season with 17 players from last year’s team. A year ago the Blue Demons posted the program’s first 10-win season while setting school records in goals, goals against average and shutouts. Overall, the club was 10-8-1 while going 3-6-1 in Conference USA play.
Blue Demons Drop Exhibition Match
DePaul was on the wrong end of a 3-2 overtime decision on Saturday at Wisconsin. The Blue Demons held a 2-0 lead early in the exhibition match before the Badgers tied the game in the second half and scored the final goal in the second overtime period.
In the first half, the Blue Demons took advantage of an own goal by Wisconsin and followed it with a score by Shana Mills just over six minutes later.
Wisconsin battled back and scored twice in the second half to force overtime. After a scoreless first overtime period, Emily Kintzer knocked in a 10-yarder for the ‘golden goal.’
Checking Out the Opponents
Nebraska – The Cornhuskers enter the 2003 season ranked No. 12 in the adidas/NSCAA Preseason Poll. A year ago, they posted a 16-6-3 record while making their seventh straight NCAA Sweet Sixteen appearance. Friday night is the second meeting between the two programs as Nebraska won, 4-1, in Lincoln to start the 1997 season. Nebraska was picked third in the Big 12 preseason poll while head coach John Walker begins his 10th in Lincoln. Overall, he is 159-35-7 with the Cornhuskers.
UW-Green Bay – Following the trip to Nebraska, the Blue Demons head north to Green Bay to take on the Phoenix Sunday afternoon. UW-Green Bay opens the season on Friday with a match against Illinois State. DePaul holds a 4-1-1 lead in the all-time series including victories in the last four meetings. In 2001, the Blue Demons posted a 3-0 victory at Wish Field. A year ago, the Phoenix were 4-11-2 and return nine starters. Head coach Quinn Ross is in his seventh season and holds a 34-89-6 record heading into the 2003 season.
Preseason Picks
In the annual C-USA preseason poll, the Blue Demons were picked ninth by the league’s 14 coaches. The Cincinnati Bearcats were chosen as the league favorite while Charlotte’s Courtney Crandell was the preseason Player of the Year. DePaul sophomore Julianne Sitch was one of 13 conference student-athletes picked for the preseason All-Conference team.
2003 C-USA Preseason Poll (as selected by C-USA coaches)
1. Cincinnati
2. Charlotte
3. Marquette
4. Saint Louis
5. East Carolina
6. Houston
7. Memphis
8. UAB
9. DePaul
10. USF
11. Tulane
12. TCU
13. Southern Miss
14. Louisville
2003 C-USA Preseason Awards
Player of the Year – Courtney Crandell, So., F, Charlotte
All-Conference
Courtney Crandell, So., F, Charlotte
Kim Moore, Sr., D, Charlotte
Tasha Wagner, Sr., MF, Cincinnati
Julianne Sitch, So., MF/F, DePaul
Penny Perrott, Sr., D, East Carolina
Nikki Hawkins, Jr., MF, Houston
Alison Sinclair, Sr., D, Houston
Kristen Jensen, Sr., MF, Marquette
Anne Ioder, Sr., MF, Marquette
Christie Cigno, So., F/MF, Saint Louis
Jamie Perry, Jr., F, Saint Louis
Tara Kidwell, Jr., F, UAB
Breck Bankester, Jr., GK, USF
Sitch Has Outstanding Summer
Sophomore midfielder/forward Julianne Sitch led the Chicago Cobras of the W-League to the championship match this summer. The Oswego, Ill., native was the only current collegiate player named to the 11-member All-League team after leading the Cobras with 16 points on six goals and four assists. The Cobras finished the season with an overall record of 14-3-1 after losing, 1-0, in overtime to Hampton Roads in the championship match.
The W-League is the first national soccer league for women. It provides the most complete women's player pool in the world and is recognized as North America's best women's development organization. The W-League also gives the nation's best college players the opportunity to play alongside established international players while maintaining their collegiate eligibility.
Looking Ahead
Following the opening weekend on the road, DePaul returns to Chicago next weekend for a Friday afternoon match at Wish Field. The 4 p.m. kickoff against Toledo is the second half of a home-opening doubleheader with the men’s program. The men’s team begins the afternoon’s festivities with a 1 p.m. game against Drake.
