Aug. 26, 2010
Complete Game Notes 
Memphis, Tenn. – In a match-up of two top-25 soccer programs in various polls, the University of Memphis women’s soccer team will play host to Louisiana State University on Saturday at 7 p.m. at Mike Rose Soccer Complex.
Memphis (2-0-0), ranked 18th by Soccer America and 23rd by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA), will look to start the season 3-0 in its first three games for the first time in program history.
LSU (1-0-0), ranked 18th by Soccer Times, travels to the Bluff City to play the first of four-straight road matches. Opening the season with an 8-0 shutout over South Alabama, LSU presents a tough non-conference test for Memphis in its quest for a fourth-straight NCAA College Cup appearance.
“I think the attention to detail of this team is fantastic right now having won our first two matches,” said assistant coach Jonny Walker. “Our focus is there for this LSU team that has consistently won in the Southeastern Conference and it is going to be 90 minutes of clawing and scratching trying to get the result we want. Both teams are good and there is not going to be a lot of space on the field. I am excited for the girls and I think they are going to bring the same work rate and the same attitude that they have had throughout the preseason and first two matches.”
Fans not able to visit Mike Rose Soccer Complex for Saturday’s match can view the match via the All-Access player at gotigersgo.com or via live chat. Saturday’s match has been designated as Memphis Women’s Soccer Alumni Night.
LADY TIGERS OFF TO 2-0 START
• After becoming the first C-USA team to claim three-straight championships, the Lady Tigers began the hunt for a fourth championship with two victories to open the 2010 season.
• Memphis won its fifth-straight season opening road match with the 2-1 victory at SLU on Aug. 20. Freshman Alena Strnadova opened the scoring for the Lady Tigers and Lizzy Hildebrandt provided the game-winner.
• Freshman forward Rasheeda Ansari offered the scoring punch for the Lady Tigers on Aug. 22 as Memphis claimed a 3-0 victory over Samford in the home opener. Ansari scored twice and redshirt senior Laura Laufenberg added a goal for the Lady Tigers. Ansari became the first Tiger freshman to score two goals in her home debut.
• Junior keeper Jordan Boyle made six saves in the two matches to earn victories in each match. Boyle notched her fifth career shutout on Sunday making an impressive four saves in the match.
MEMPHIS IN NATIONAL RANKINGS
• For the first time in program history, the Lady Tiger soccer program received a top-25 preseason ranking. Memphis is ranked 18th in Soccer America’s top-25 poll after week one. In the NSCAA polls, Memphis is ranked second in the Central Region and is 23rd in the national poll.
C-USA PLAYER OF THE WEEK
• Freshman forward Rasheeda Ansari earned C-USA Offensive Player of the Week honors for week one of the 2010 season as announced by C-USA on Monday. Ansari scored two goals to help Memphis to a 3-0 victory over Samford on Sunday. Ansari is the fifth Lady Tiger freshman to earn C-USA weekly honors in the past five seasons.
HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE
• With 11 home matches in 2010, Memphis will look to continue the home field success gained in recent years. Since 2004, the Lady Tigers have posted a record of 40-16-2 at Mike Rose Soccer Complex. In C-USA action at Mike Rose Soccer Complex, Memphis has posted a 21-8-1 record.
HERMANN TROPHY WATCH LIST
• Memphis senior forward Ashley Berra and senior midfielder Vendula Strnadova were named to the 45-player watch list for the 2010 Missouri Athletic Club Hermann Trophy as announced by the National Soccer Coaches Association (NSCAA).
• Considered the highest individual honor in intercollegiate soccer, the recipients of the MAC’s Hermann Trophy are selected by Division I head coaches who are current members of the NSCAA. A list of 15 semifinalists is selected by a coaches committee in November, with three finalists announced in early December.
PRESEASON AWARDS
• Senior forward Ashley Berra was selected as the 2010 C-USA Preseason Offensive Player of the year. Berra claimed the 2009 C-USA Offensive Player of the Year honors after an explosive 15 goal, eight assist season. Berra was also selected as one of 25 preseason All-Americans by Soccer America.
• Senior midfielder Vendula Strnadova joins Ashley Berra on the C-USA Preseason All-C-USA team. Strnadova is a three-time, first team All-C-USA selection with 19 career goals. Strnadova was also selected as one of 30 candidates for the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award .
HEAD COACH Brooks Monaghan
• Monaghan finished 2009 with his 110th career victory over UCF in the finals of the C-USA Tournament. In 2010, Monaghan will look to add to his program record career winning total. Monaghan has a record of 112-81-11.
THREE... IS THE MAGIC NUMBER
• As winners of three-straight C-USA Championships, the Lady Tigers have had immense success when scoring three or more goals in a match. Since 2005, Memphis is 32-1-1 when scoring three or more goals in a match.
SENIOR CLASS SUCCESS
• As winners of three-straight C-USA Championships, the senior class of Ashley Berra, Brittany Hance, Laura Laufenberg, Amanda Olszewski, Vendula Strnadova and Krista Turner are chasing program history as the winningest class. With 50 wins, the seniors need 10 victories to surpass the 59 victories that the class of 2006-09 posted. The class of 2010 has posted a win percentage of .725 (50-16-3) which is the best win percentage in program history by a senior class.
DEFENSE WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS
• Since the 2007 season opener, the Lady Tiger defense has helped Memphis to a 47-4-2 record when opponents score one or fewer goals. When opponents score one or fewer goals in C-USA matches, Memphis boasts a record of 22-0-1.
FRESH FACES
• The Lady Tigers will introduce seven newcomers to the 2010 squad. Kelley Gravlin joins the midfielder core for the Lady Tigers. Avery Dellheim and Ashley Barksdale join the talented squad of defenders. Rasheeda Ansari, Emmaleigh Davis and Christabel Oduro offer versatility as each will like see playing time at multiple positions. Alena Strnadova joins her sister, Vendula, in the midfield for the Lady Tigers.
ROAD WARRIORS
• A sign of a championship team is their play on the road. The Lady Tigers have claimed win after win on the road the last three championship seasons. Memphis has a record of 19-4-2 on the road the last four seasons and is 12-2-2 in C-USA road contests.
SISTER ACT
• The Lady Tigers will have a sister act in the midfield in 2010. Three-time, first team All-C-USA selection Vendula Strnadova is joined by her sister, Alena “Aja” Strnadova, in 2010. The Las Cruces HS products will look to terrorize midfields over the course of the season.
• Vendula has appeared in 66 career matches for the Lady Tigers, posting 19 goals and 10 assists entering her fourth season.
• Alena “Aja” scored her first career goal versus SLU on Friday, giving the Strnadova duo three points on the night.
RECORD BOOK
• Ashley Berra ranks fifth in career points with 66 points in three seasons. The 2009 C-USA Offensive Player of the Year is ranked fourth in career goals with 26. Berra has registered 160 career shots to enter the 2010 campaign ranked fifth.
• Vendula Strnadova climbed to second in career shots in 2009 and has eight shots in the first two games of 2010, needing only eight shots to claim the top spot in the program record book.
1-2 PUNCH
• Seniors Ashley Berra and Vendula Strnadova give Memphis one of the top scoring duos in C-USA. The duo combined for 20 goals and 12 assists in 2009 which accounted for 40 percent of the Lady Tigers’ offense.
PROGRAM NEARS 150 VICTORIES
• As coach Brooks Monaghan enters his 11th season as head coach, the U of M women’s soccer program nears the 150 win plateau. The Lady Tigers had one 10-plus win season in the first nine seasons as a program, but Memphis has won 11-plus games the last six seasons. With a program record of 146-141-15, the Lady Tigers are over .500 for the first time in program history.
CLEAN SHEET
• In 2009, the Lady Tiger defense posted a school-record 12 shutouts in 23 matches. Limiting opponents to an average of 0.87 goals per game was a key to the championship success of 2009. In 2010, junior goalkeeper Elise Kuhar-Pitters is expected to anchor the defense after posting a single-season school-record 11 shutouts in 2009.
REDSHIRT RETURN
• Redshirt senior Laura Laufenberg will return for her fifth season in 2010 after suffering a season-ending knee injury six games into the 2009 season. Also returning from injury is redshirt-junior Melissa Smith who also played in six matches before being sidelined with a knee injury.
TOPDRAWERSOCCER TOP 20
• TopDrawerSoccer.com released its top-20 rankings for each conference in mid-August and four Lady Tigers made the top-20. Ashley Berra was awarded the number one ranking and Vendula Strnadova was ranked sixth. Elise Kuhar-Pitters was ranked eighth to give Memphis three student-athletes in the top-10. Taylor Isenhower was ranked 17th in the top-20 to give Memphis the most student-athletes of any C-USA program.
GAMETRACKER
• If you can’t make it to the game, you can still follow the Lady Tigers. Every home game can be viewed on Gametracker. Just go to GoTigersGo.com, click on “Gametracker” on the side bar under women’s soccer and follow the action from any computer.
LIVE CHAT
• This season, the University of Memphis media relations department will seek to provide live chat of all home sporting events as well as select road matches. To participate in the live chat, find the live chat link on the schedule page or click on the link in the preview for that match.
UP NEXT
• The Lady Tigers hit the road for a two-game road trip to Oklahoma State and Arkansas-Little Rock. Memphis will face Oklahoma State on Friday, Sept. 3 at 7 p.m. in Stillwater, Okla., before facing Arkansas-Little Rock on Sunday, Sept. 5 at 1 p.m. in North Little Rock, Ark.
