Oct. 1, 2001

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Memphis women's soccer faces what may amount to one of its toughest challenges this season, when the Lady Tigers host local rival CBU at the Mike Rose Soccer Complex at 7 p.m. on Wednesday night.

It will be the second time Memphis has faced an undefeated team this season (Evansville, September 7), but the first and only time this year that the Lady Tigers will square-off against a Division II squad. Christian Brothers is 5-0 this season and currently ranked No. 5 nationally among Division II teams by the NSCAA and CollegeSoccer.com.

Ordinarily, the Lady Tigers would dominate CBU. In their only two previous meetings with the Buccaneers, Memphis holds a 2-0 record (including a 4-0 win on Senior Day 200) and outscored CBU a combined 14-2. Last season, Memphis rode a Jessica Gjertsen hat trick to a convincing Lady Tiger victory in the season finale.

This season's match-up will feature two totally different squads than the teams that took the field on October 28 last year. Gjersten, arguably the best collegiate women's soccer player in the city of Memphis last fall has transferred to Connecticut. This year, the best individual player in the River City wears black and red.

Missy Gregg, a Second-Team All-American selection and Atlantic 10 Offensive Player of the Year for Dayton last season transferred to Christian Brothers after starring for the Memphis Mercury of the W-2 League this summer. Her impact at CBU has been unparalleled, in only five games, Gregg has tallied 16 goals (32 points) and led the Buccaneers to an unblemished record.

Memphis counters with two experienced defenders in captains Jen Thiele and Suzanne Williams as well as a hard-nosed sweeper in freshman Angela Willoughby. Williams and Willoughby may provide Memphis' best one-two punch for defending Gregg. Williams is a physical defender who can withstand Gregg's strong 5-11 frame and Willoughby, a native of Manchester, England, is fearless in the Lady Tiger backfield.

Sophomore keeper Katarina Wicksell will also have a key role in limiting CBU's potent offense, an attack that has outscored opponents an astounding 45-5 so far this season. Earlier this year, Wicksell became the first Memphis keeper to post back-to-back shutouts in the program's seven-year history.