Aug. 25, 2008
The first weekend of the 2008 Conference USA women's soccer season is officially in the books. Broken records, stellar debuts and an impressive return all highlighted the season opener. Southern Miss and UCF both had their first matches of the year postponed to this week due to Tropical Storm Fay.
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Anne Candee, Rice
Junior, MF/F, Dallas, Texas
Candee became only the fifth player in Rice history to score three goals in a single game, registering the hat trick against UTSA on Sunday. In making her first start since she suffered a back injury after the 2005 season, Candee quickly made up for lost time. The Dallas, Texas, native scored in the fourth minute against UTSA and added back-to-back goals in the second half to put the game out of reach for good. Candee came off the bench in the Owls' opening game against Sam Houston State on Friday night. For the week Candee took a team-high 11 shots and maintained a .273 shots- percentage. Her shots-on-goal percentage was .545.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Madison Keller, East Carolina
Senior, Defender, Clarksburg, Md.
Keller started both games for the Pirates this weekend as ECU jumped out to a 2-0-0 start with a 1-0 shutout against Western Carolina and a 2-0 road win at Francis Marion. The Clarksburg, Md., native anchored the ECU defense that allowed just 11 total shots in 180 minutes and only two on goal. That stalwart defense was key in delivering Pirate goalkeeper Amber Campbell her 23rd career shutout to break the school record.
OWLS SOAR IN SEASON OPENER
Rice opened its season at 2-0-0, defeating Sam Houston State (2-0) and Texas-San Antonio (5-1). Against UTSA on Sunday, junior MF/F Anne Candee became only the fifth player in Rice history to score three goals in a single game. Candee was making her first start in an official game since she suffered a back injury after the 2005 season. She scored in the fourth minute and added back-to-back goals in the second half to secure her first career hat trick. Candee came off the bench in the Owls' opener Friday. In addition to sharing the goals in a single game record (3), Candee also shares the Rice record for assists in game with three, which she set during the 2005 season. Freshman F Annie Kadota was the star of the season-opener, notching a goal and an assist in her first career game at the Division I level. Kadota opened the scoring with a goal in the 31st minute, then assisted on junior Erin Scott's goal just a over a minute later. Kadota became only the fifth Owl in school history to score a goal in her first career game.Junior Shelley Wong also got off to a good start, scoring two goals in 51 minutes of action against UTSA.
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CAMPBELL SETS EAST CAROLINA SHUTOUT RECORD
Senior GK Amber Campbell moved into first-place on the ECU career list with two shutouts during the Pirates' 2-0 season-opening weekend. She is now in possession of 23 clean sheets for her career, eclipsing the old mark of 22.5 set by Amy Horton. Campbell was forced to make just two saves all weekend. The East Carolina soccer team has always been known for its defensive prowess. The year's squad seems to be no different as it allowed just 11 total shots in two games with just two of them on goal. The 2007 team set a school record with 11 shutouts.
A PERFECT 10
Tulsa defeated Southern University, 10-0, Sunday in a match played on the campus of Northwestern State. Seven different Golden Hurricane players scored and four picked up their first collegiate goal. The 2007 TU squad scored only nine goals all season. Juniors Allie Rapp and Courtney Chadney, along with freshman Rebekah Riner scored two goals apiece.
WINNING DEBUT
Marshall interim head coach Kevin Long earned his first regular season victory with the Thundering Herd Saturday . Marshall took a 3-1 decision over non-conference foe St. Bonaventure. Sophomore F Erika Duncan was credited with one goal and an assist, while freshman Erin Blakely tallied her first career and season goal in the 15th minute off of a Duncan corner kick. Early in the 53rd minute, Duncan registered her sixth career and first season goal from 18 yards out off an Angela DeSumma pass. Junior GK Liz Orton took the victory with eight saves and now has 198 all-time career saves.
SHOOTING STARS
Memphis freshman F Lizzy Simonin notched her first career goal and career assist in the Tigers' 2-0 victory in the season opener Friday.
UTEP senior F Brandi Aston tallied the game-winning goal in UTEP's season-opening 1-0 victory against Baylor on Friday. The 1,426 fans in attendance shattered the previous school standard of 1,269.
UTEP is now 18-1-2 since 2002 when playing in front of capacity-plus crowds (more than 500) at University Field.
UAB sophomore GK Kate Blankenship tallied 11 saves in the Blazers' close 1-0 road loss to Auburn.
