Oct. 7, 2010
Complete Game Notes 
MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Entering a pivotal weekend of Conference USA play, the University of Memphis women's soccer team returns to Mike Rose Soccer Complex to continue a four-game homestand against the East Carolina Pirates on Friday at 7 p.m.
Memphis (8-3-1, 2-1-1 C-USA) enters Friday's tilt off of a 1-0-1 weekend. The Lady Tigers battled UCF to a 1-1 tie last Friday. On Sunday, Memphis posted its second win of the C-USA slate with a 2-0 victory over Southern Miss.
East Carolina (7-5-0, 2-2-0 C-USA) travels to the Bluff City after a split of its first four conference games. The Pirates were shutout by SMU last Friday and bounced back on Sunday with a 2-1 victory over Tulsa.
Youth 14 and under wearing their jersey get in free for Friday's match. Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for children 5-12 years old. All children under 5 get in free.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
• Can a Memphis freshman continue a trend against the Pirates? In the last three regular season meetings between the two sides, a Memphis freshman has had a standout game. Last season, Taylor Isenhower scored two goals for Memphis. In 2008, then-freshmen Lizzy Simonin and Lizzy Hildebrandt each scored a goal and in 2007, Ashley Berra scored twice for the Lady Tigers.
• Will Bailey Wilcox or Amanda Malkiewicz score for East Carolina? When Wilcox or Malkiewicz are goal scores for the Pirates this season, East Carolina holds a 6-0-0 record. ECU is 0-5-0 when the duo is held without a goal.
• Can the Memphis defense keep ECU to one goal or less? All three of Memphis' losses have come when the Lady Tigers have given up two or more goals. Memphis is 8-0-1 when opponents score one or fewer goals this season.
MEMPHIS EARNS FOUR POINTS
• The Lady Tigers opened a four-game homestand at Mike Rose Soccer Complex with a 1-1 tie against UCF and a 2-0 victory over Southern Miss last weekend.
• Alena Strnadova headed in a goal from the left post to give Memphis a 1-0 lead, but UCF rallied late and tied up the match last Friday. The two winningest teams in C-USA play the last four seasons battled to a 1-1 draw.
• Taylor Isenhower posted her third game-winning strike in the 24th minute and Emmaleigh Davis added a 41st minute goal to help Memphis to a 2-0 victory over Southern Miss. Amanda Olszewski aided on each goal for her first two assists of the season. The Lady Tiger defense held Southern Miss scoreless for the sixth-straight match and extended the Golden Eagles scoreless streak to 455:00.
SCOUTING EAST CAROLINA
• East Carolina holds a 7-5-0 record thanks to victories over Francis Marion, Old Dominion Niagara, N.C. State, William & Mary, Southern Miss and Tulsa.
• Two of East Carolina's three road wins have come in the last two minutes of regulation play. At Old Domin, Chrissy Gratz struck with a goal at 88:36 to give the Pirates the victory and at William & Mary, Jessica Woodward headed in a goal at 89:04.
• Amanda Malkiewicz leads East Carolina with 14 points (four goals, six assists). Jessica Woodward is the Pirates only other double-digit point scorer with 11 points (three goals, five assists. The East Carolina offense features a balanced attack that has five players with three or more goals.
• In net, Christiane Cordero has played all 12 matches for East Carolina, posting a 1.51 goals-against average and 53 saves.
• Rob Donnenwirth is in his 12th season at East Carolina and has a record of 114-83-30 and a career record of 176-109-39 in 17 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 43-17-3 at Mike Rose Soccer Complex. In C-USA action at Mike Rose Soccer Complex, Memphis has posted a 22-8-2 record, including 4-1-1 this season.
ROC-TOBER
• With the calendar turning to October this week, the Lady Tigers see that as a good sign. Memphis has a 31-10-3 record in the month of October the past five seasons.
STINGY DEFENSE
• The Lady Tigers have allowed only 11 goals on the season. Memphis has held nine of 12 opponents to one goal or less (five shutouts), and the opposition has mustered a mere 9.5 shots per game. Memphis is 0-3 this season when opponents score 2 or more goals, but 8-0-1 when opponents score one or less. Dating back to 2007, Memphis is 53-4-3 when holding opponents to one or fewer goals and 24-0-2 in the same span against C-USA foes.
BALANCED ATTACK
• Memphis is producing 2.00 goals per game, but what makes it such a scary attack is the balance of the unit. Eight different players have two or more goals, with Taylor Isenhower leading the attack with five. Overall 11 different players have scored for the Lady Tigers thus far in 2010. The unselfish attitude in U of M's play is evident by its 22 assists. Ashley Berra leads the way in that category with four helpers, followed by three from Taylor Isenhower, Christabel Oduro and Vendula Strnadova.
GOING STREAKING
• Memphis has put together two, three-game winning streaks in 2010 and hopes to start a new streak on Friday. Since head coach Brooks Monaghan took over the program in 2000, Memphis has 31 winning streaks of two or more games.
Six or more - One time (2007)
Five - Two times (2008)
Four - Three times (2009)
Three - 12 times (2010)
Two - 13 times (2009)
PROGRAM CLAIMS 150th VICTORY
• 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 152-143-16 after eight wins in 2010.
BOUNCE BACK
• Since the start of Memphis' championship run that began in 2007, the Lady Tigers have has outscored opponents 45-6-1, including 10 shutouts in 17 games following losses.
TURNING UP THE HEAT
• In the three matches versus UALR, Alabama and Ole Miss, Memphis scored 10 goals in second half action. At UALR on Sept. 5, the Lady Tigers posted four second-half goals to topple the Trojans. After trailing 1-0 at halftime against Alabama, the U of M again posted four second-half goals to claim a 4-1 victory over the Crimson Tide on Sept. 10. Facing a 1-0 halftime deficit for the second-straight game, Memphis posted two second half goals to top Ole Miss 2-1 on Sept. 12.
• Memphis tallied double-digit shot attempts in the second half in the four game stretch to close non-conference play. Memphis recorded 15 second-half shots at UALR. The Lady Tigers posted 14 second-half shots against Alabama and 11 second-half shots at Ole Miss and at home against TCU.
RECORD BOOK
• Ashley Berra ranks fourth in career points with 73 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 171 career shots which ranks fourth 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 212 career shots in 78 career matches.
• Memphis netminder Elise Kuhar-Pitters continues her accent up the record books. Kuhar-Pitters posted her 17th career shutout in the 1-0 victory over Colorado College to climb closer to Isabel Birones' record of 25. She ranks second in career goalkeeping victories with 29, needing 10 to tie Birones' record of 39.
• Vendula Strnadova and Laura Laufenberg have now played in 78 matches in their respective careers. The pair needs six more game appearances to hold the U of M record for matches played in a career.
TOPDRAWER SOCCER TEAM OF THE WEEK
• Sophomore forward Taylor Isenhower earned TopDrawerSoccer.com National Team of the Week honors as announced by the online publication on Sept. 13. Isenhower is the second Memphis women's soccer student-athlete to earn the honor (Ashley Berra 10/26/09). Isenhower scored three goals, two game-winners, in a weekend sweep of SEC foes Alabama and Ole Miss.
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.
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 56 wins, the seniors need five victories to surpass the 59 victories that the class of 2006-09 posted. The class of 2010 has posted a win percentage of .734 (56-19-4) which is the best win percentage in program history by a senior class. The class ranks 13th in the nation among senior classes.
C-USA PLAYER OF THE WEEK
• Sophomore forward Taylor Isenhower earned C-USA Offensive Player of the Week honors as announced by the league office on Sept. 13. Isenhower helped Memphis to a SEC weekend sweep on Sept. 10/12 with three goals, two game-winners.
• 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 Aug. 22. Ansari is the fifth Lady Tiger freshman to earn C-USA weekly honors in the past five seasons.
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 22-6-2 on the road the last four seasons and is 13-3-2 in C-USA road contests.
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 34-1-1 when scoring three or more goals in a match.
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 118-84-12.
NET GAINS
• 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.
• Memphis has posted five shutouts this season. Elise Kuhar-Pitters and Jordan Boyle each have two shutouts and the duo combined for another.
QUICK SCORE
• Memphis posted back-to-back goals in under three minutes in a three game span for the first time in program history. At UALR, Lizzy Hildebrandt and Julia Ignacio scored two goals in a span of 1:50. Emmaleigh Davis and Laura Laufenberg combined for back-to-back goals in a span of 1:20 against Alabama and Lizzy Simonin and Taylor Isenhower scored in a span of 2:37 at Ole Miss.
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 31 percent of the Memphis scoring. With nine goals and four assists in the first 11 games, the freshmen have been a key to the 8-3-1 season.
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.
DOWN BUT NOT OUT
• Last season, Memphis went 1-6 when opponents scored first. The lone victory in 2009 came at East Carolina when Memphis scored two unanswered goals for the victory. This season, the Lady Tigers are off to a 2-3 start when opponents score first after victories in comeback fashion over Alabama and Ole Miss.
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 11 games in 2010, the duo has accounted for three goals and seven assists (19 percent).
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.
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.
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.
• The sisters have combined for four of Memphis' 22 goals scored and three assists in 11 matches.
UNBALANCED C-USA SCHEDULE
• Due to C-USA coaches approving an unbalanced schedule (rotates each year), there will certainly be a disparity between the amount of home and road games for each league member. Memphis is one of three members (Rice and UCF) who have seven home games and four road games in C-USA play. Houston, Southern Miss and UAB each have six home and five road matches and Colorado College, Marshall and SMU have five home and six road matches in C-USA play. UTEP, Tulsa and East Carolina play four home games and seven road games this season.
REDSHIRT RETURN
• Redshirt senior Laura Laufenberg returned 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. Laufenberg has played in all 12 matches this year, scoring two goals and two assists. Smith has played in four games thus far.
FOLLOW MEMPHIS WOMEN'S SOCCER
• Be sure to follow University of Memphis women's soccer on Facebook and Twitter for the most up to date information. Game updates and video interviews from practice will be linked on those pages and direct you to the official website for University of Memphis athletics, www.gotigersgo.com. To follow the Lady Tigers on Twitter, search UoMWSoccer. You can follow Memphis Women's Soccer on Facebook by searching for University of Memphis Women's Soccer. Direct links for Twitter and Facebook pages can be found at the bottom of each release on www.gotigersgo.com.
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 host Marshall at Mike Rose Soccer Complex for a 7 p.m. kick-off.
