Nov. 12, 2007

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The University of Memphis Lady Tigers will play in Chapel Hill, NC, against UNC Greensboro, on Friday, Nov. 16, in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. This is the Lady Tigers' first appearance in the tournament in school history and their first time facing UNC Greensboro.

"We're ecstatic to be a part of the 2007 NCAA Tournament," said Coach Brooks Monaghan. "It's a terrific outcome of the hard work that we have put forth over the past years. It proves that hard work does pay off and shows how far we have come over time."

The Lady Tigers are 17-3-1, on the season, already the best record in school history. Memphis was the No. 2 seed going into the championship, and shut out No. 1 seed UCF, 2-0.

UNC Greensboro is 15-4-1 on the season. They were the Southern Conference regular season champs, but were upset by No. 3 seed Furman in the championship game, 3-1.

After the excitement of winning the C-USA Women's Soccer Championship on Sunday, Nov. 11, against UCF, the team gathered together at FedExForum in Downtown Memphis to watch the NCAA Division I Women's Soccer Championship Bracket Selection Show and found out they will be playing UNC Greensboro.

The team was honored at halftime of the men's basketball game at FedExForum in front of thousands of Memphis fans.

The team has been led in scoring by junior forward Kylie Hayes. Hayes has scored 11 goals and three assists this season, including a hat trick in the first round of the C-USA Championship. She is Memphis' career goals leader with 37. Hayes was a C-USA Second Team All-Conference Selection.

Freshman standout Ashley Berra has scored five goals in the past six games, including the game-winning goal against UTEP in the second round of the championship. For her efforts, she was named Most Valuable Offensive Player of the C-USA Championship.

Senior goalkeeper Isabel Briones has allowed two goals in the Lady Tigers' past five games. She has earned 10 shutouts this season and 25 in her four-year career. Briones is the career leader with 40 goalkeeping victories at Memphis.

Going into UNC Greensboro game, Memphis is ranked No. 25 in the Soccer Buzz National Rankings released today. They moved up two spots from last week to No. 5 in the central rankings. This is the first time Memphis has ever been ranked in the Top 25.

Conference foe UCF also made the tournament and will be facing Auburn in the first round.