28 August 2002IWU Women's Soccer has High Expectations
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — With eight starters back from a 14-4 team, there are high expectations for the Illinois Wesleyan University women’s soccer team, which opens its 2002 season with a 2 p.m. home match Sunday (Sept. 1) against Olivet.
Eleven newcomers have been added to provide depth to a team that was regionally-ranked last fall, earned a win over a nationally-ranked foe, and is picked second in the preseason College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin coaches' poll.
"We have a very young squad but with loads of talent," said second-year coach Dave Barrett, whose team is No. 7 in the preseason Central region rankings. "There is no question we can be a successful team based on the quality of players we have and I think we will be very tough defensively. When we determine who will score our goals, we will be a very good squad."
Leading the way are co-captains Alicia Heeger (Manchester, Mo., Lafayette HS) and two-time team "MVP" Ann Bernard (St. Charles HS).
Heeger, the team’s only senior, is a two-time all-CCIW selection as a goalkeeper and posted a 1.02 goals against average with 7 1/2 shutouts last fall.
"Alicia is a very experienced keep who will need to have a big season for us to do well," Barrett said. "She will be challenged much more this year as the quality of our opponents has improved, therefore she will be forced to come up with more big saves in big games."
Bernard, twice a first-team all-conference choice who has earned the reputation of being one of the league's best players, scored five goals and assisted on seven others last fall. A junior midfielder, her career totals of 14 goals and 13 assists place her in eighth place all-time on the Titan scoring list.
"Ann has established herself as one of the better players in the league with her tireless work rate on the field," said Barrett. "She will be our primary playmaker and we will look to her for leadership on and off the field this season."
Other key returnees include sophomore midfielder Marisa Johnson (Wayne, St. Charles East HS), a first team all-league selection, and sophomore midfielders April Naylor (Geneva HS) and Alissa Hunt (Glen Ellyn, Glenbard West HS), both starters in every game last fall.
Junior defenders Lauren Boegen (Waukegan, Warren HS) and Kristin Riek (Delafield, Wis., Kettle Moraine HS) and sophomore striker Stephanie Travers (Maryville, Rosati-Kain HS) will also need to have good seasons for the Titans to challenge for the conference title.
Barrett, who sought to improve the depth and quality of his team, believes he has started to solve that problem with his first recruiting class and is excited about the freshman class potential. Wide midfielder and striker Katie Kelly (Wheaton, Wheaton-Warrenville South HS) and midfielders Mary Karson (St. Charles HS) and Jennifer LaBrenz (Kalamazoo, Mich., Central HS) will challenge for minutes on a Titan team that may be the most talented in the program’s nine-year history.
"Kelly is going to make a big impact on our team as she is very quick and accelerates better than anyone on our squad," said Barrett. She will cause problems for opposing defenses this fall.
"Karson is a versatile player who will provide stability in the back but she will also be dangerous coming forward on restarts and playing in the midfield," Barrett said. "LaBrenz is going to be a player similar to Ann Bernard. She is very smart, highly technical and absolutely loves to play. She is a great addition to our midfield and to our team in general."
Other top freshmen who bring extensive club and high school playing backgrounds to IWU include Jess Budden (Wauconda, Carmel HS), Brittany Kirkpatrick (Lakeville, Minn., HS) and Jackie Gustafson (Terre Haute, Ind., South Vigo HS).
On the Titans' schedule this year are defending CCIW co-champions Wheaton, who lost in the national semi-finals last fall, and Carthage, along with non-conference opponents such as Washington U., the University of Chicago, and 2001 NCAA tournament participants Webster and DePauw.
In 2002, the CCIW will have its first postseason tournament to help decide the league’s NCAA tournament representative.
CONTACT: Stew Salowitz, (309) 556-3206 and/or head coach David Barrett, (309) 556-3343