Marshall University Athletics
Women's Soccer Opens C-USA Play at UAB, Memphis
9/27/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Sept. 27, 2006
HUNTINGTON- The Thundering Herd women's soccer team takes to the road to face it's first Conference USA opponents of the 2006 season. This weekend Marshall will open conference play at UAB on Sept. 29 at 8 p.m. EST before traveling to Memphis on Oct. 1 for a 2 p.m. EST start.
Marshall (4-3-1) is coming off its best ever showing against a Division I opponent on Sept. 25. The Herd downed Delaware State by a score of 10-0 in the victory. The ten goals scored are the most ever by a Marshall team against a DI opponent and tied the school record for the most scored in a home match. The ten goals are also the second most ever scored by Marshall in a single match.
Sara Burdick and Kassie Hollman each notched a pair of goals while Julia Axelsson, Kelly Jackson, Meghan Wetzel, Katy Lee, Mollie Lee and Tracy Fischer each scored one a piece. Hollman tallied three assists in the match earning her a total of seven points and a place in the Marshall single-game records for most points scored in a match (7) and most assists in a match (3). On the season Hollman has scored seven goals, also earning her a spot in the Marshall record books for goals in a single season.
"We are excited to start our second season of Conference USA competition. Last year we didn't know what to expect, but this season we are heading into Conference play with some confidence," Head Coach Chris Kane said.
UAB (2-6-0) fell to Birmingham Southern on Sept. 25 by a score of 2-1 in their last time out. During the Blazers' non-conference schedule they have faced stiff competition including Duke, Oregon State and Vanderbilt. The match marks UAB's first conference game of the season.
On Sept. 22 Memphis (4-4-1) tied Missouri State 0-0 in a double overtime match. Marshall will have to contend with Shoko Mikami, the 2005 C-USA Player of the Year, when they face the Tigers. Mikami has scored seven goals, notched two assists and taken 34 shots in Memphis' nine games this season. The Tigers will open C-USA play on Sept. 29 with ECU.
"These teams [UAB, Memphis] are going to be a challenging start for our Conference season. They will be a good measuring stick for our progress this season and our ability," Kane said.
When Marshall and UAB met for the first time on Oct. 7, 2006, the Blazers overpowered the Herd 6-0 at Sam Hood Field. The Tigers traveled to Huntington on Oct. 9, 2005, and they snuck by the Herd 2-1 in the first ever meeting.
Marshall will play one more match on the road, East Carolina on Oct. 6, before returning to Sam Hood Field on Oct. 13. The Herd hosts Southern Miss on Oct. 13 and UCF on Oct. 15.
