Sept. 9, 2010
Complete Match Notes 
MEMPHIS, Tenn. - #20 Memphis (4-1-0) returns to Mike Rose Soccer Complex on Friday to play host to Alabama (3-1-0). Kick-off is slated for 7 p.m.
After a 2-1 loss at Oklahoma State on Friday, Memphis responded with a 6-0 victory at UALR to improve to 4-1 on the young season, the first time Memphis has started a season 4-1 since 2005. Julia Ignacio and Ashley Berra each scored two goals on the weekend and Lizzy Hildebrandt, Alena Strnadova and Christabel Oduro added goals in Sunday's victory.
Alabama was victorious in its only match last weekend with a 2-1 overtime victory over Chattanooga. Senior Rosaly Petriello converted the penalty kick to lift the Crimson Tide to the win.
Fans not able to visit Mike Rose Soccer Complex for Friday's match can follow the match via the All-Access player at gotigersgo.com or via live chat.
LADY TIGERS CONTINUE FIRSTS
• With the highest ranking in program history announced early last week, the University of Memphis women's soccer team continued a season of firsts as they departed the Bluff City on a two-game road trip.
• After a first half goal by Oklahoma State, Julia Ignacio netted an equalizer just after halftime, but OSU used a 68th minute to top Memphis 2-1.
• Using a balanced attack, Memphis responded to their first loss of the season with a dominating 6-0 victory at UALR on Sunday. The Lady Tigers start the 2010 season 4-1-0 for the first time since 2005. Ashley Berra tallied two goals and Lizzy Hildebrandt, Julia Ignacio, Alena Strnadova and Christabel Oduro each added goals.
SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION
• It took extra time to sort things out Sunday afternoon but it was the Alabama soccer team that proved victorious on a penalty kick by senior Rosaly Petriello as the Crimson Tide earned a 2-1 win over Chattanooga. With the win, Alabama improved to 3-1 on the young season.
• Todd Bramble is in his third season as head coach at Alabama and has a record of 18-21-3 and a career record of 98-72-20.
C-USA PLAYER OF THE WEEK
• Junior defender Lizzy Simonin earned C-USA Defensive Player of the Week honors as announced by the league office on Aug. 30. Simonin helped the Lady Tigers to a second-straight shutout and a 3-0 start to the season with a 1-0 victory over nationally-ranked LSU on Sat., Aug. 28.
• 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 Aug. 23. 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.
CS360 PRIMETIME PERFORMER
• Junior defender Lizzy Simonin earned CollegeSoccer360.com Primetime Performer of the Week honors as announced on Aug. 31. Simonin, who transitioned from forward to defender in the offseason, helped Memphis to the 1-0 victory over LSU and became the third U of M women's soccer player to earn the weekly honor. Ashley Berra and Vendula Strnadova earned the honors after the 2009 C-USA Tournament in which Memphis won its third-straight championship.
MEMPHIS IN NATIONAL RANKINGS
• For the second-straight week, the Lady Tiger soccer program is ranked in three national polls during the same week. Soccer America and the NSCAA ranks Memphis 20th this week. Memphis is ranked in the Soccer Times poll at #21 this week after a 2-1 loss at Oklahoma State and a 6-0 victory at UALR.
DEFENSE WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS
• Since the 2007 season opener, the Lady Tiger defense has helped Memphis to a 49-4-2 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.
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 33-1-1 when scoring three or more goals in a match.
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 41-16-2 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 20 career goals.
LOWE'S SENIOR CLASS AWARD
• Vendula Strnadova was selected as one of 30 candidates for the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award earlier this season. Strnadova became the first Lady Tiger soccer student-athlete in program history to be named to the 30 member candidate list.
• An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School®, the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities.
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 114-82-11.
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 52 wins, the seniors need eight victories to surpass the 59 victories that the class of 2006-09 posted. The class of 2010 has posted a win percentage of .743 (52-17-3) which is the best win percentage in program history by a senior class. The class ranks 11th in the nation among senior classes.
ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
• In addition to three Conference USA titles, the Lady Tigers achievements in the classroom have set them apart from the competition. With a 3.6 spring semester GPA, the Lady Tigers set a new team record. Twenty-four of 26 players enrolled in the last two semesters recorded GPAs of 3.0 or above. Thirteen Lady Tigers were named to the C-USA Commissioner's Academic Medal List. Memphis women's soccer was the only team competing in a C-USA-sponsored sport to have double-digit honorees.
FRESH FACES
• The Lady Tigers introduced 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.
• Thus far in 2010, the freshmen have accounted for 32 percent of the Memphis scoring. With five goals and two assists in the first five games, the freshmen have been a key to the 4-1 start.
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 20-5-2 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 71 career matches for the Lady Tigers, posting 20 goals and 10 assists in four seasons.
• Alena "Aja" scored her first career goal versus SLU on Friday, giving the Strnadova duo three points on the night.
• The sisters have combined for three of Memphis' 13 goals scored and one assist in five matches.
RECORD BOOK
• Ashley Berra ranks fourth in career points with 72 points. The 2009 C-USA Offensive Player of the Year is tied for third on the all-time goals scored list with 28 after posting two goals at UALR. Berra has registered 163 career shots which ranks fifth all-time.
• Vendula Strnadova claimed the school record for shots in a career with five shots in the 6-0 victory at UALR on Sept. 5. Strnadova has posted 198 career shots in 71 career matches.
• Memphis netminder Elise Kuhar-Pitters continues her accent up the record books. Kuhar-Pitters posted her 16th career shutout in the 1-0 victory over LSU to climb closer to Isabel Birones record of 25. She ranks second in career goalkeeping victories with 26, needing 13 to tie Birones record of 39.
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. After five games in 2010, the duo has accounted for three goals and four assists.
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. The Lady Tiger soccer program stands at 148-142-15 after four wins in 2010.
CLEAN SLATE
• Memphis has posted three shutouts in the first three matches of 2010. Jordan Boyle and Elise Kuhar-Pitters each have one shutout.
• 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.
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 travel to Oxford, Miss., for a final road non-conference match on Sunday at 1 p.m.
