Nov. 11, 2010
Complete Match Notes 
STILLWATER, Okla. - Making their fourth-straight appearance in the NCAA Women's Soccer College Cup, Memphis will take on Oregon State on Friday at 5 p.m. in Stillwater, Okla. at the Cowgirl Soccer Complex.
Becoming only the 13th program in NCAA women's soccer history to win four-straight conference tournament titles, Memphis (15-3-3) brings an 11-game unbeaten streak into Friday's match. Led by Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year Lizzy Simonin, the Lady Tiger defense has posted seven shutouts in the last 11 games and has outscored opponents 17-4 during the streak.
Oregon State (15-3-1) makes their second-straight NCAA Tournament appearance. Chelsea Buckland leads Oregon State with eight goals and two assists and the Beavers have outscored their opponents 32-10 this season. On defense, Oregon State has posted 13 shutouts this season behind goalkeeper Colleen Boyd's 0.52 goals-against average.
Oklahoma State athletics will be providing free live streaming video of the match and you can view the stream by clicking here. Live chat will also be available and you can join the chat by clicking here.
The winner of Friday's match will face either Michigan or host Oklahoma State in the second round on Sunday at 1 p.m.
MEMPHIS WINS FOURTH-STRAIGHT
• In a dramatic finish, Memphis clinched its fourth-straight C-USA Championship title with a 1-0 victory against regular-season champion UCF in Sunday's championship match on a clear and cool day at UCF's Soccer Complex. Memphis junior Melissa Smith scored with just 55 seconds remaining on the clock to give the Tigers (15-3-3) the automatic bid to the NCAA Championship. Memphis played a free kick just outside the 18-yard box and C-USA Defensive Player of the Year Lizzy Simonin served the ball in the box. After the ball was deflected off UCF goalkeeper Aline Reis, Smith gathered the ball and tapped it in for the game-winning goal. It was Smith's first goal this season and Simonin picked up her second assist.
• No. 2 seed and three-time defending C-USA champion Memphis topped Houston in the first of two semifinal matches. Freshman Christabel Oduro scored the game-winner and key saves by Elise Kuhar-Pitters helped Memphis to the 1-0 victory.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
• Memphis and Oregon State meet for the first time on Friday. Memphis has played only two opponents from the west coast in the 16 year history of the program. The Lady Tigers went 1-1 in a two-game road trip to the west coast in 2000 in games against San Francisco and Sacramento State.
• Who scores in the second half? Oregon State has posted 23 of their 32 goals this season in the second half and the Beavers have scored two or more second half goals in nine of 19 matches. Memphis has 20 goals in second half play compared to 18 in the first half.
• How physical is the match? Oregon State plays a physical game as indicated with over 220 fouls this season and 25 yellow cards. On the other side, Memphis has been whistled for 191 fouls and only six yellow cards.
SCOUTING OREGON STATE
• Oregon State finished the regular season with a 15-3-1 record. The Beavers started the season on a five-game winning streak before tying San Diego State in non-conference play. Following a 1-0 loss at UC-Irvine, Oregon State went on a 10-game winning streak including a 7-0 start in Pac-10 play. Oregon State enters Friday's match following two tough losses to Stanford (2-0) and California (1-0, 2OT).
• Oregon State has outscored opponents 32-10 this season and is led by Chelsea Buckland who has eight goals and two assists on the season. Jenna Richardson and Melinda Ingalls each have six goals this season to aid the Oregon State attack.
• In net, Colleen Boyd has seen all 1745 minutes between the posts. Boyd has a 0.52 goals-against average and 69 saves this season. Oregon State has posted 13 shutouts this season and the defense has limited opponents to 9.3 shots per game.
DYNASTY?
• Four-straight conference tournament championships is something only 13 other programs in NCAA Women's Soccer history can lay claim to and Memphis joins the elite group. The Lady Tigers and Boston University of the American East Conference carry the nation's longest active championship streak at four-straight. North Carolina holds the all-time record for consecutive tournament championships with 15 from 1987-2003. William & Mary (8, 1996-03), Notre Dame (7, 1995-2001), Florida (6, 1996-2001), North Carolina (5, 2005-2009) and Loyola (5, 2000-2004) each hold longer streaks than Memphis and seven other programs that have four-straight tournament championships.
• At the University of Memphis, the Lady Tigers run of four-straight tournament championships is first by a women's program and the fifth for all sports at the U of M. Men's gymnastics garnered four-straight Missouri Valley Conference championships from 1966-1969 and men's track and field earned four-straight TIAC outdoor titles from 1957-1960. Men's tennis won four-straight Metro Conference titles from 1976-1979 and men's basketball strung together four-straight C-USA titles from 2006-2009.
• At the NCAA level, the Lady Tigers join men's basketball (1982-1986/2006-2009) and women's basketball (1994-1998) as the only U of M programs to make four or more straight appearances in the NCAA Tournament.
SENIOR CLASS SUCCESS
• As winners of four-straight C-USA Championships, the senior class of Ashley Berra, Brittany Hance, Laura Laufenberg, Amanda Olszewski, Vendula Strnadova and Krista Turner have claimed 63 wins, the most wins over a four-year period in program history. The class ranks 14th in the nation among senior classes.
NET GAINS
• Memphis has posted 11 shutouts this season. Elise Kuhar-Pitters has eight shutouts and Jordan Boyle has posted two shutouts. The duo combined for another. Thus far, the duo has combined for a single-season school-record 0.65 goals-against average. Kuhar-Pitters is in position to set the single-season record for goals-against average with a current average of 0.71.
STINGY DEFENSE
• The Lady Tigers have allowed only 14 goals on the season. Memphis held 17 of 21 opponents to one goal or less (11 shutouts), and the opposition has mustered a mere 9.0 shots per game. Memphis is 0-3 this season when opponents score two or more goals, but 15-0-3 when opponents score one or less. Dating back to 2007, Memphis is 60-4-5 when holding opponents to one or fewer goals and 31-0-4 in the same span against C-USA foes.
BALANCED ATTACK
• Memphis is producing 1.81 goals per game, but what makes it such a scary attack is the balance of the unit. Seven different players have three or more goals, with Ashley Berra leading the attack with six goals. Taylor Isenhower and Rasheeda Ansari each have five goals and Vendula Strnadova has added four goals for Memphis. The unselfish attitude in U of M's play is evident by its 36 assists on 38 goals. Vendula Strnadova leads the way in that category with seven helpers, followed by five from Ashley Berra and four from Christabel Oduro. Overall, nine players have two or more assists.
ROC-TOBER
• Memphis finished the month of October with the best record in program history. With a 6-0-3 record in October, Memphis enters the C-USA Tournament on a nine-game unbeaten streak, the third-longest streak in the last four seasons. The Lady Tigers are 36-10-5 in the month of October the past five seasons.
HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE
• Memphis took advantage of a home schedule that featured 11 home matches this season with an 8-1-2 record at Mike Rose Soccer Complex in 2010. Since 2004, the Lady Tigers have posted a record of 46-17-4 at Mike Rose Soccer Complex. In C-USA action at Mike Rose Soccer Complex, Memphis has posted a 25-8-3 record.
GOING STREAKING
• Memphis has put together four, three-game winning streaks in 2010 and carries a three-game win streak into NCAA Tournament play. Since head coach Brooks Monaghan took over the program in 2000, Memphis has 34 winning streaks of two or more games.
Six or more - One time (2007)
Five - Two times (2008)
Four - Three times (2009)
Three - 14 times (2010)
Two - 14 times (2010)
HEAD COACH Brooks Monaghan
• Head Coach Brooks Monaghan has compiled a record of 125-84-14 in his 11 seasons at the U of M. Monaghan guided Memphis to its' seventh-straight season with 11 or more wins.
PROGRAM CLAIMS 150th VICTORY
• In 11 seasons as head coach, Brooks Monaghan has helped the U of M women's soccer program top the 150 win plateau. The Lady Tigers had one 10-plus win season in the first nine seasons as a program, but Memphis has now won 11-plus games the last seven seasons. The Lady Tiger soccer program stands at 159-143-17 after 15 wins in 2010.
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 2-3 start when opponents score first after victories in comeback fashion over Alabama and Ole Miss.
ROAD WARRIORS
• Memphis closed road play on Sunday Oct. 17 with a 3-0 victory at SMU. Memphis finished 2010 with a 5-2-1 record on the road. Memphis has a record of 23-6-3 on the road the last four seasons and is 14-3-3 in C-USA road contests.
RECORD BOOK
• Ashley Berra ranks third in career points with 82 points. The 2009 C-USA Offensive Player of the Year is third on the all-time goals scored list with 32 after posting a goal against UAB. Berra has registered 192 career shots which ranks third all-time. Berra ranks fourth in career assists with 18.
• 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 242 career shots in 87 career matches. Strnadova has climbed to fifth on the all-time assists list with 17 career assists.
• Memphis netminder Elise Kuhar-Pitters continues her ascent up the record books. Kuhar-Pitters posted her 23rd career shutout in the 1-0 victory over #23 UCF in the C-USA Championship game to climb closer to Isabel Birones' record of 25. She ranks second in career goalkeeping victories with 36, needing three to tie Birones' record of 39.
• Vendula Strnadova and Laura Laufenberg have now played in 87 matches in their respective careers, a program record. Ashley Berra is second with 85 matches played.
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 35-1-1 when scoring three or more goals in a match.
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
• Thus far in 2010, the freshmen have accounted for 29 percent of the Memphis scoring. With 13 goals and eight assists in 21 games, the freshmen have been a key to the 15-3-3 season.
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.
TOPDRAWER SOCCER TEAM OF THE WEEK
• Junior defender Lizzy Simonin was named to the TopDrawerSoccer.com National Team of the Week on Oct. 11. Simonin is the third Lady Tiger to earn the honors. Simonin earned the recognition after helping Memphis post back-to-back shutouts over East Carolina and Marshall.
• 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.
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. The dynamic duo hooked up for the second time in 2010 on Oct. 28 when Strnadova assisted Berra in the 2-1 victory over UAB. After 20 games in 2010, the duo has accounted for 10 goals and 12 assists (28 percent).
C-USA PLAYER OF THE WEEK
• For the second time this season, Lizzy Simonin earned C-USA Defensive Player of the Week honors on Oct. 11. Simonin helped Memphis to back-to-back 2-0 shutouts over East Carolina and Marshall.
• 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.
SISTER ACT
• The Lady Tigers have a sister act in the midfield in 2010. Four-time, first team All-C-USA selection Vendula Strnadova is joined by her sister, Alena "Aja" Strnadova who is a third team All-C-USA selection in 2010.
• The sisters have combined for seven goals and seven assists in 21 matches.
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.
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.
LIVE CHAT
• This season, the University of Memphis media relations department has provided live chat of all home sporting events as well as select road matches. This week at the NCAA Tournament, you can participate in the live chat. 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.
