Louisville had a successful trip South, posting 1-0 wins against USF and UAB to remain undefeated on the road at 5-0 (7-2 overall). The Cardinals and Tulane (4-5-1, 2-0) hold the top spots in the C-USA standings with all teams opening league play through September 26.

C-USA WOMEN'S SOCCER PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Jamie Craft, Louisville
Sophomore, Forward, Owings, Md.
Craft scored both of the Cardinals' goals over the weekend as Louisville posted 1-0 wins against USF and UAB. In Friday's match, she hit the net in the 52nd minute against the Bulls as U of L earned its first ever victory in Tampa. She then tallied her fourth game-winner of the season against defending C-USA champion UAB on Sunday. Craft has scored nine goals this season and ranks second in the league standings.

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Meredith Miller, Louisville
Senior, Goalkeeper, Brunswick, Ohio
The Cardinals swept this week's awards as Miller posted two shutouts on the road against C-USA competition. Miller made five saves, including two in the final 12 minutes, to preserve a 1-0 win against USF. She registered eight saves on Sunday as the Cards shut out defending Conference champion UAB. Miller leads the league in goals against average (0.50) and save percentage (.909). She also set a school record with 4,652 career minutes in goal for U of L.

NEWS & NOTES
Conference Opener - All 14 teams have begun C-USA play. Louisville and Tulane jump to the top of the standings as both swept their competition over the weekend. Louisville improved to 7-2, 5-0 on the road, with 1-0 wins at USF and UAB. Tulane took a pair of victories from guests Houston (1-0) and TCU (4-1). The Horned Frogs, along with Memphis, Saint Louis, Charlotte, DePaul and UAB, also won their respective league openers.

She's Crafty - Louisville sophomore Jamie Craft followed up her performance on the Soccer Buzz Elite Team of the Week for Sept. 20 with a C-USA Offensive Player of the Week honor this week. Craft scored both Cardinal goals in league play over the weekend. She ranks second in the Conference standing in points (20) and goals (9) this season.

Mean Jeanne - Besides being the fourth hurricane to hit Florida this season, Jeanne also postponed the fourth women's soccer match of the season at USF. The Bulls game with Cincinnati, originally scheduled for Sunday, will be made up later this season.

Turn the Other Cheek - Memphis sophomore Madison Cheek scored both goals in a 2-1 win over DePaul in the Tigers' Conference opener. She is the team's leading scorer with 10 points so far this year.

One More for Morris - Tulane senior forward Lindsay Morris tied the school record for career goals when she netted the game-winner in a 4-1 win against TCU on Sunday. Morris has scored four goals this season and 21 during her career.

Soaring Eagle - Despite Southern Miss' drop down the C-USA standings after losing to conference foes TCU and Houston, senior forward Lauren Prewitt still sits atop the C-USA scoring chart. Prewitt is averaging 2.5 points per game with 20 points (9 G, 2 A) in eight matches.

Tiger By the Tail - Memphis senior defender Leanne McGee was instrumental in the Tiger backfield as Memphis only game up one goal in 180 minutes over the weekend. McGee even held the reigning C-USA Player of the Year - as well as the preseason favorite - Julianne Stith to just one shot in the Tigers 2-1 win against DePaul.

Miles To Go - Charlotte senior Kim Miles scored the game-winning goal in the 49ers' 2-0 win over East Carolina. She has scored at least one goal in all four seasons with the team.

Bearcat Debut - Cincinnati freshman keeper Jen Doerflein made her first collegiate start in the Bearcats' Conference opener Friday at UAB. Doerflein made eight saves against the defending C-USA champion Blazers.

Tide Turned - UAB got a big win with its 3-1 victory against in-state rival Alabama on Tuesday night. The Blazers lead the all-time series 4-2-1, but it was the first UAB win in Tuscaloosa. Senior Jenny Rynders, sophomore Laura Richards and freshman Jill Porto each scored in the match.

Hat Trick - Saint Louis will serve as the host of the 2004 Conference USA Women's Soccer Tournament. It will be the third time in the league's history teams will compete in the Gateway City as Robert R. Hermann Stadium was the site for the 2000 tournament, and SLU hosted the 1997 tourney at the Anheuser-Busch Center.

CLOSE CALLS
Nearly half of Conference USA team losses have been by one goal. Here is how C-USA schools have fared in one-goal matches so far during the 2004 season:
Team Matches Record
Charlotte 5 0-5
Cincinnati 2 1-1
DePaul 5 1-4
East Carolina 1 0-1
Houston 5 2-3
Louisville 6 4-2
Marquette 2 2-0
Memphis 6 5-1
Saint Louis 4 2-2
Southern Miss 4 1-3
TCU 2 1-1
Tulane 4 2-2
UAB 3 2-1
USF 3 1-2

PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
An Offensive and Defensive Player of the Week is selected each Monday morning by the Conference USA women's soccer coaches.

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
A30 Lauren Prewitt, Southern Miss
S7 Lindsey Morris, Tulane
S13 Nikki Hawkins, Houston
S20 Julianne Sitch, DePaul
S27 Jamie Craft, Louisville
O4
O11
O18
O25
N1

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
A30 Megan Morey, Tulane
S7 Natalie Haerens, Memphis
S13 Natalie Haerens, Memphis
S20 Amanda Martin, Saint Louis
S27 Meredith Miller, Louisville
O4
O11
O18
O25
N1

C-USA PRESEASON AWARDS
UAB, the 2003 Conference USA regular season champion, has been selected to win the 2004 C-USA Championship by the league's coaches. Junior midfielder/forward Julianne Sitch of DePaul was named the Preseason Player of the Year after earning Offensive Player of the Year honors in 2003. Sitch represented the United States this summer as USA won its sixth straight Nordic Cup in Iceland, the world's premier soccer tournament for the women's under-21 age group. Sitch is also on the 2004 MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List.

2004 C-USA PRESEASON AWARDS

PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Julianne Sitch, Jr., MF/F, DePaul

ALL-CONFERENCE
Breck Bankester, Sr., GK, USF
Jamie Craft, So., F, Louisville
Nikki Hawkins, Sr., MF, Houston
Tara Kidwell, Sr., F, UAB
Yuiko Konno, Sr., F, Memphis
Megan McCallion, Jr., F, ECU
Briana McCarty, Sr., D, UAB
Nicky McLeod, Jr., MF, Memphis
Jessi Moore, Sr., F, TCU
Jamie Perry, Sr., F, Saint Louis
Julianne Sitch, Jr., MF/F, DePaul

2004 C-USA PRESEASON POLL
(as selected by C-USA coaches)
1. UAB
2. Saint Louis
3. DePaul
4. Marquette
5. Charlotte
6. TCU
7. Cincinnati
8. Memphis
9. East Carolina
10. USF
11. Tulane
12. Houston
13. Louisville
14. Southern Miss

NATIONAL HONORS
In addition to the C-USA Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week, league players are occasionally honored for their outstanding performances throughout the season by Soccer America and Soccer Buzz.

Soccer Buzz
National Elite Team of the Week
S21 Jamie Craft, Lousiville


NATIONAL POLLS
Here's a look at the 2004 National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA), Soccer America, Soccer Buzz and SoccerTimes.com Top 25 polls.

NSCAA (Sept. 20)
1. Notre Dame
2. North Carolina
3. Washington
4. Virginia
5. Penn State
6. Portland
7. Florida
8. Kansas
9. UCLA
10. Illinois
11. West Virginia
12. Florida State
13. California
14. Texas A&M
15. Santa Clara
16. Michigan
17.(tie) Princeton
SMU
19. Wake Forest
20. Stanford
21. Tennessee
22. Texas
23. Yale
24. Pepperdine
25. Wisconsin

Soccer America (Sept. 20)
1. Notre Dame
2. North Carolina
3. Virginia
4. Washington
5. Penn State
6. Portland
7. Florida
8. Florida State
9. Santa Clara
10. UCLA
11. West Virginia
12. Illinois
13. Kansas
14. Texas A&M
15. Texas
16. Stanford
17. California
18. Michigan
19. Washington State
20. Clemson
21. Tennessee
22. Colorado
23. Wake Forest
24. Pepperdine
25. Princeton


Soccer Buzz (Sept. 20)
1. North Carolina
2. Notre Dame
3. Virginia
4. Florida
5. Florida State
6. Washington
7. Portland
8. Kansas
9. West Virginia
10. Penn State
11. UCLA
12. Illinois
13. Santa Clara
14. Texas A&M
15. Stanford
16. SMU
17. California
18. Arizona State
19. Clemson
20. Texas
21. Duke
22. Wisconsin
23. Wake Forest
24. Princeton
25. Villanova
26. Colorado
27. Pepperdine
28. Auburn
29. Ohio State
30. Tennessee

SoccerTimes.com (Sept. 20)
1. North Carolina
2. Notre Dame
3. Virginia
4. Washington
5. Portland
6. Florida
7. Penn State
8. Florida State
9. UCLA
10. West Virginia
11. Kansas
12. Illinois
13. Santa Clara
14. Texas A&M
15. Stanford
16. Tennessee
17. Texas
18. Duke
19. California
20. (tie) Clemson
Princeton
22. (tie) Pepperdine
SMU
24. Michigan
25. Wake Forest