Dec. 30, 2005
2005 Women's Soccer Season Review in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader
Tigers Wrap up Second Straight Record-Setting Campaign, But Also Exit Early From C-USA Tournament Again
For the second straight year, the Memphis women's soccer team set several school records en route to its second straight winning season. It was the first time in school history that the Tigers recorded back-to-back winning seasons and it was just the third over-.500 record in school history. However, despite a wildly entertaining game, Memphis also bowed out of the Conference USA Tournament in the first round for the second straight year as well, losing to UTEP. Also for the second straight year, the team the Tigers lost to in the C-USA Tournament went onto the NCAA Tournament and for the the second straight year advanced to the second round after UAB did the same last year.
The Tigers began the year very well once again for the second straight year, going 6-3 in non-conference play, with two of its losses coming against teams that made the 2005 NCAA Tournament in Samford and Ole Miss. Memphis also held it together in Conference USA play, as it set a school record for most C-USA wins with six, going 6-3 in conference play with two losses also coming against NCAA teams in UTEP and SMU. The Tigers had two separate three-game winning streaks this year and for the second straight year, defeated the defending C-USA champion at home with a 1-0 win over UAB.
Memphis set a school record for wins in a season with 12 wins in 2005, the second straight year that the Tigers set a record for wins. The 12 wins broke the old mark of 11 set both last year and in 1997. Memphis' winning percentage of .632 also broke last year's school record of .579. The Tigers also recorded their first-ever winning record on the road in program history, as they went 4-3. After winning back-to-back road games for the first time in program history last year when they won three straight, the Tigers once again won three straight road games this year.
As a team, Memphis had one of the highest scoring offenses in the country this year. Ranked in the top 20 in scoring offense (goals per game) for most of the season, the Tigers broke several school records. The Tigers broke the record for goals in a season with 50 goals, surpassing the old mark of 47. They also set the record for points with 152, passing the old record of 147. The assist record of 53 stood but just by one assist, as the Tiger racked up 52 assists and led Conference USA in assists per game at 2.74. On the defensive front, the Tigers tied the school record for team goals against average, equalling the 1.19 from last season. Memphis was on pace to break the record with a sub-1.00 gaa but the five goals allowed in the final game of the year saw the average jump by 0.20 goals per game.
Several Tiger individuals also had standout seasons. Junior forward Shoko Mikami, fully recovered from a knee injury that sidelined her for part of last year and caused her to play at less than full strength for the remainder of the year, returned to the form that saw her lead the nation in goals and points while a freshman at Christian Brothers University in 2003. Mikami set the school record for points in a season with 42, passing the old record of 40. She also tied the school record for assists with 12 and placed herself second on the all-time list for goals in a season with 15, falling just three goals shy of tying the record of 18. For her exploits, she was named the Conference USA Offensive Player of the Year, the first time a Memphis player has won that award. She was also named to the All-Conference first team. Mikami ended the regular season leading C-USA in goals, assists, and points and after the postseason, ended the year on top of the points and assists categories in the conference.
Kylie Hayes, a freshman forward, had the second-most productive season in history for a Memphis freshman in terms of statistical production. Hayes placed herself third on the season goal and point list with 14 goals and 33 points. Only Mikami's numbers in those categories this year and Jessica Gjertsen's 2000 numbers as a freshman were better than Hayes' stats in those categories this year. For her efforts, she was named to the C-USA All-Freshman team.
Sophomore Asuka Kubota, a former NAIA All-American at her previous stop, was named the All-C-USA second team. Sophomore goalkeeper Isabel Briones had a strong year in goal and ended the year with a 1.21 goals against average, the second best gaa mark for a season in school history. The Tigers also welcomed back junior midfielder Nicky McLeod, a former first team All-C-USA honoree, who missed all of 2004 with knee injury. She had six assists on the year, which was third on the team.
This was the third straight year that Memphis had a first team All-Conference honoree, as Mikami joined Leanne McGee (2004) and McLeod and Yuiko Konno (2003).
The Coach
Brooks Monaghan (Memphis, 1994) completed his sixth year as head coach at Memphis, and ended the year with a 51-59-5 career record. Prior to his tenure as head coach, he was the assistant coach in charge of goalkeepers for five years, serving since the program's inception in 1995. Just the second head coach in program history, Monaghan became the program's all-time winningest coach last year with his 35th career win. This year, he picked up his 50th career win, the first coach in program history to pass that milestone, with a 5-1 win over Southern Miss in the final home game of the year.
Tigers Gain Best Seed and Best C-USA Finish Ever
Memphis' fifth place finish and subsequent #5 seed in the conference tournament is the its best ever finish and seed in the C-USA Tournament in program history. Their best finish and seed prior to this year was a sixth place finish and #6 seed in C-USA's first year of existence in 1995. Listed below is Memphis' finish and seed number in the previous years it has qualified for the C-USA Tournament.
Year Finish Seed
1995 6th 6
1996 7th 7
1997 7th 7
2002 T8th 8
2004 7th 7
2005 5th 5
Improvement on the Road
Memphis finished the 2005 season with a winning record on the road for the first time in program history. The Tigers finished with a 4-3 road record this year. Previously, Memphis' best road record was 4-5 last year. The Tigers also won three straight road games for the second time in school history, equaling their record of three straight road wins set last year. Prior to last year, Memphis had never won back-to-back road games in program history. Now, the Tigers have won three straight road games in back-to-back years.
Tigers Set New Win Record
For the second straight year, Memphis set a new school record for most victories in a season with 12. The previous mark was 11, set both last year and in 1997.
Three Straight
Memphis had three different players score goals in at least three straight games this year, tying the 1996 team which also had three players score goals in at least three straight games. Emiko Schwab, Shoko Mikami and Kylie Hayes all accomplished the feat, with Hayes setting a school record by scoring in six straight games. This feat has been accomplished just nine times in program history and by only eight players. Listed below are the players in Tiger history that recorded goals in at least three straight games.
Name Year
Emiko Schwab 2005
Shoko Mikami 2005
Kylie Hayes (6 straight) 2005
Alison Baker 2002
Alison Baker 2001
Becca Amrozowicz 1999
Jennifer Vossen 1996
Christy Caswell 1996
Meredith Smith (4 straight) 1996
Briones Breaks Goalkeeping Record
Sophomore goalkeeper Isabel Briones broke the school record for goalkeeping wins in a season with 11. The previous mark was 10 and was set by Natalie Haerens last year. Briones also tied the record for goalkeeping shutouts in a year with six. Haerens also set that mark last year.
Keeping Them Close
All seven of Memphis' losses this year were by just one goal. The Tigers did not drop a game by more than one goal this year, making them the only team in Conference USA to accomplish this feat. The Tigers were also one of just 11 teams in the country that did not lost a game by more than one goal this year. Listed below are all 11 teams, their conference, and overall record.
Team Conference Record
Alabama A&M SWAC 15-2-2
Ball State MAC 15-3-2
*Duke ACC 14-6-1
Lehigh Patriot 14-2-2
Memphis Conference USA 12-7-0
Niagara MAAC 16-3-2
*North Carolina ACC 23-1-1
*Ole Miss SEC 14-5-2
*Penn State Big Ten 23-0-2
*Portland West Coast 23-0-2 UNC-Greensboro Southern 11-7-1
*NCAA Tournament team
Player of the Week Awards Equal Most Ever
For the second straight year, Memphis had three Conference USA Player of the Week honorees, equaling the most in any one season in school history. The Tigers also had three POW awards last year. This year, Isabel Briones earned Defensive Player of the Week on September 12 and October 17 while Shoko Mikami was the Offensive Player of the Week on October 24.
Records Broken and Tied
Nine school records were either broken or tied by Memphis or by Memphis individuals this year. Shoko Mikami set one record and tied another while Isabel Briones also set one and tied one. As a team, the Tigers broke four records and tied another one. The records set or tied are listed in the box at right.
First-Timers
If Memphis did not have to play any opponents for the first time ever this year, they might have been better off. The Tigers played five opponents this year that they were facing for the first time in program history and ended the year with a 1-4-0 record against those opponents. The Tigers lost to Samford, UTEP, UCF, and SMU, and defeated only Marshall. Of the other seven teams in the tournament field, Rice is the only team that the Tigers have never met.
Conference Champions
This year, the Tigers faced four teams that won either their regular season or conference tournament championship last year. Memphis finished with a 2-2 record against these teams, beating UAB (C-USA Tournament) and Middle Tennessee (regular season Sun Belt) while losing to Samford (regular season Ohio Valley) and SMU (regular season and tournament WAC).
Multiplying Multiples
Last year, Memphis individuals only recorded two multiple-goal matches the entire year. This year, Memphis individuals had eight multiple-goal matches this year. Listed below are the players that recorded multiple-goal matches this year.
Name (Goals) Opponent (Date)
Asuka Kubota (2) Tenn. Tech (8-28)
Shoko Mikami (2) Tenn. Tech (8-28)
Kylie Hayes (2) Evansville (9-4)
Shoko Mikami (3) Middle Tenn. (9-18)
Shoko Mikami (3) Tulane (9-30)
Kylie Hayes (2) Southern Miss (10-23)
Emiko Schwab (2) Southern Miss (10-23)
Kylie Hayes (2) UTEP (11-2)
Back-to-Back
Memphis' individuals scored goals in back-to-back games six times this year. Shoko Mikami did it three times, Kylie Hayes once (six straight games), Melissa Savage once, and Emiko Schwab once. Last year, Tiger individuals only scored goals in back-to-back games three times.
Mikami Records Three Assists
Though she has been more known for scoring goals this year, junior forward Shoko Mikami recorded a career-high three assists in the win over Southern Miss on October 23. Mikami's three assists marked the first time that a Memphis player has recorded three assists in a game since Annika Moller had three against Alabama A&M in 2003.
Spreading the Wealth
Memphis had 19 different players record at least one point this year and 12 different players record a goal. Only five players that saw action this year did not record a point. Last year, only 16 different players recorded points, however there was still more diversity in goal scoring as 14 different players had at least one goal.
No First Score, No Problem
Memphis' 2-1 win over East Carolina was the first game all year that the Tigers won when their opponent scored first. Memphis had been 0-4 so far this year when its opponent scored first and had also lost its last 13 games dating back to 2003 when its opponent scored first. The last game Memphis won when its opponent scored first prior to East Carolina was against Southern Miss on October 19, 2003, a 3-2 win over the Golden Eagles.
First Score, But Problem
The 2-1 loss to SMU was the first loss of the year for the Tigers when they scored first. Memphis had won 12 straight games when scoring first dating back to last year,including the first 11 of this year when doing so. Their last loss prior to Sunday when scoring first was against UAB last year, on October 17.
Mike Rose - Where C-USA Champs go Down
The win over UAB marked the second straight year that the defending Conference USA champion from the previous season had come to the Mike Rose Soccer Complex for a regular season game and left with a loss. Last year, DePaul, which had won the conference crown in 2003, opened conference play with the Tigers and also left with a one goal loss.
Tigers Break UAB Losing Streak
The win over UAB also broke a three-game losing streak to the Blazers, which included two losses last season, one in the conference tournament. The win was Memphis' first over UAB since the 2002 season, which was also the last time that the two teams played in Memphis prior to last Friday.
Dynamic Duo
It was nearly a sure bet in 2005 that either Kylie Hayes or Shoko Mikami or both would score a goal each game for the Tigers. At least one of them has recorded at least one goal in 14 of the 19 games so far this year and they scored in the same game in six of the Tigers' 18 games.
Two of the games in which neither of them scored, the Tigers were shutout in. The only other games that neither of them scored in was vs. UAB, Tulsa, and SMU.
Iron Women
Memphis had three players that played in and started every game this year. Only Kylie Hayes and half of the defensive backfield of Alexandra Atkinson and Halley Jo Sullivan have started every game for the Tigers this season.
Mikami Records Two Hat Tricks
Junior forward Shoko Mikami recorded two hat tricks this year over a span of three games with three goals against both Middle Tennessee and Tulane. Mikami, became the first Tiger to record a hat trick since Jessica Gjertsen in 2000 when she turned the trick against Middle Tennessee on September 18 and then became the first player to record two hat tricks in a season since Gjertsen did in 2000. Gjertsen had three hat tricks in 2000 while the Tigers as a team had four with Candice Spiniolas having the other.
Tigers Top 2004 Totals in 10th Game
Memphis surpassed its total of 84 points from all of last year in just its 10th game. The Tigers easily surpassed its 2004 offensive numbers and ended the year with a record 50 goals and 152 points. The Tigers' 52 assists was just one short of tying the record. The Tigers recorded at least one goal in 23 of the 38 halves they played this year, not including overtime periods.
Long Time Coming
It only took 58 career games to do it, but senior defender Courtnee Melton recorded her first career goal in the 6-0 win over Tulane. Melton, one of two seniors on the team this year and a local product out of Bartlett, Tenn., scored Memphis' second goal of the game. It was also her first points in nearly three years, as her only career points before the Tulane game were two assists she recorded as a freshman in 2002.
Hayes Sets Record with Streak
Freshman forward Kylie Hayes made history by becoming the first player in school history to score a goal in both five and six straight games. The previous record for consecutive games with a goal was held by Meredith Smith, who scored in four straight games in 1996.
2004 Comparison
- Last year, Memphis' top point producer had just 15 points all season long. This year, its point leader, Shoko Mikami, had 42 points. Two others have also passed 15 that as Kylie Hayes has 33 points and Asuka Kubota 17 points.
- Last year's top goal scorers on the team each had only six goals apiece. This year, Mikami had 15 goals and Hayes scored 14.
- Last year's assist leader had just six assists. This year, both Shoko Mikami and Asuka Kubota passed that with 12 and seven assists, respectively, while Nicky McLeod equalled it with six assists.
Tigers Set Mike Rose Attendance Record
With a crowd of 739 at the Ole Miss game, Memphis set a record for home attendance at the Mike Rose Soccer Complex. It was also the second-largest home crowd ever for the women's soccer program.
Close Together
Memphis' second and third goals against UT-Martin were scored just :15 seconds apart. Last year, the least amount of time in between goals was 2:20 between goals by Madison Cheek and Caroline Barrett against Alabama A&M.
Now That's Efficiency
Not only did freshman Sarah MacGregor record her first career point by assisting on Asuka Kubota's first Memphis goal against Tennessee Tech, but she also recorded the assist just :29 seconds after entering the game as a substitute.
Now That's Really Efficient
Freshman Lauren Everhart topped MacGregor's feat by recording her first career point just :10 seconds after entering the game against Missouri State. She stole a goal kick by MSU's goalie and dished to Shoko Mikami for a goal and her first career assist.
Still, neither topped last year's quickest point, which went to Elaine Sedgewick, who assisted on a Mary Shelton goal just :06 seconds after entering the game in Memphis' 5-1 win over Charlotte on October 8th.
Neutral Success
The win over Evansville was Memphis' first win on a neutral field since the 1997 season and the first ever win in program history on a neutral field during the regular season. Memphis' only two previous wins on neutral fields came in the 1996 and 1997 seasons and both were Conference USA Tournament games. The Tigers now have a 3-5-1 all-time record on neutral fields.
Long Time Coming
The seven goals scored by Memphis against Tennessee Tech were the most since a 9-0 win over Rhodes on September 1, 1999, which was also the season opener that year. The seven-goal margin of victory was also the most since that same game.
Another Shutout
For the second straight year, Memphis recorded a shutout on opening day. It was also the fourth time in school history that the Tigers won in a shutout on opening day.
Goalie Helps Out
Goalkeeper Isabel Briones did something against Tennessee Tech that rarely happens for a goalie, and it was just the second time in Memphis women's soccer history that it happened. She recorded an assist. She assisted on Shoko Mikami's second goal of the day by punting the ball well beyond midfield after making a save. The punt was played out of the air by Kylie Hayes, who dribbled with it before dishing to Mikami for the score. The only other time in program history that a goalie recorded a point was when goalkeeper Heather Chinellato recorded an assist during the 1998 season.
Alaskan Pipeline to Memphis
Memphis had a very diverse roster, boasting representatives from 10 states and five countries. One of the more unique things about the Lady Tigers is that two members hail from the State of Alaska, which is remarkable considering that Memphis is over 4,000 miles from Anchorage, where both sophomore Halley Jo Sullivan and freshman Kate Murphy hail from. According to research conducted by Matt Beltz of the Memphis athletic media relations office, Memphis is one of only three Division I women's soccer teams in the country that have at least two players from Alaska on its roster. The only other teams in the country that have as many players from Alaska as Memphis are Montana and Valparaiso, which both have three players each from The Last Frontier.
From All Corners of the World
For the second straight year, the Memphis roster had representatives from a number of different states and countries. Last year, the Tigers had players from 12 different states and five different countries on their roster and 40 percent of the roster was made up of foreign players. This year, Memphis has representatives from 10 different states and five different countries and just over 30 percent of the roster is made up of foreign players.
