University Southern California Trojans
Women's Soccer Hosts Fila Challenge This Weekend
August 31, 1999 | Women's Soccer
Aug. 31, 1999
LOS ANGELES - The No. 24 USC women's soccer team (1-0), under coach Jim Millinder and led by two-time All-Americans Kim Clark and Isabelle Harvey, hosts the 1999 Fila Challenge, featuring four of the top teams in the country, this weekend (Sept. 4-6) at McAlister Field.
On Saturday, USC battles Maryland (1-0 - plays UMBC on Wednesday) at 1 p.m., followed by defending NCAA champion and No. 4 Florida (2-0) against No. 16 UCLA (1-0) at 3 p.m. On Monday, UCLA faces Maryland at 1 p.m. and USC takes on Florida at 3 p.m.
FILA CHALLENGE INFORMATION
McAlister Field is located one block north of
campus, at the corner of 30th and Hoover. Single-day ticket prices are $6
for adults and $4 for children, students and senior citizens. An
all-session pass is $10 for adults and $6 for children, students and senior
citizens.
NEWS & NOTES
- USC appears at No. 24 in the NSCAA preseason rankings
- The Women of Troy play perhaps the toughest schedule in the country, including matches against defending NCAA champion Florida and 15-time national champion North Carolina, as well as eight other teams that made the 1998 NCAA Tournament
- Three USC players participated in the 1999 Women's World Cup: junior midfielder Isabelle Harvey (Canada), junior defender Susie Mora (Mexico) and junior midfielder Barbara Almaraz (Mexico).
OPPONENTS
Maryland went 11-11-1 last season and placed fifth in the
Atlantic Coast Conference with a 3-4 record. The Terrapins opened the 1999
season with a 2-0 win over George Washington. Junior goalkeeper Riki-Ann
Serrins is from Mission Viejo, Calif., and attended Santa Margarita High,
as did USC's Susie Mora. USC and Maryland have met once before, a 3-0
Terrapin victory last season in College Park
Florida opened the 1999 season by crushing Florida State, 5-1, and Central Florida, 5-0. Last year, the Gators went 26-1 and won their first NCAA championship with a 1-0 victory over North Carolina in the title game. Sophomore forward Andrea Sellers has already scored four goals in 1999. USC and Florida are meeting for the first time.
LINEUP
USC returns six of 11 starters, though five other players started at least four matches heading into 1999. The Women of Troy have only two
seniors - midfielder Kim Clark and defender Christina Kushnir - and both
are starters. At least two freshmen are expected to start, most likely
Jackie Fodor at forward and Ali Fennell at midfielder.
LAST MATCH
Freshman forward Jackie Fodor scored two goals and freshman
forward Jennifer Prigmore added a goal and an assist in their collegiate
debuts as USC blasted UC Irvine, 4-0, at the Coliseum on Sunday afternoon
(Aug. 29) in the 1999 season opener. Junior midfielder Andrea Warner scored
the other goal for the Women of Troy, who outshot the Anteaters, 30-4, and
beat them for the fourth straight time.
KIM CLARK
One of the top players in the nation, senior midfielder/forward
Kim Clark (Cupertino/Monta Vista HS) is a two-time All-American third
teamer who ranks first in USC history in assists (27), second in points
(85) and tied for second in goals (29).
The catalyst for USC's offense, Clark starts at attacking midfielder. Clark suffered a broken leg in a match against UCLA last season and missed the final four matches of the season, including USC's postseason run.
She finished with 10 goals and six assists in 1998.
ISABELLE HARVEY
Junior midfielder/forward Isabelle Harvey (Cap-Rouge,
Quebec, Canada) is coming off an outstanding performance in the 1999
Women's World Cup for Canada and is also one of the nation's top players.
A two-time All-American and the 1998 Pac-10 Co-Player of the Year, Harvey ranks first in game-winning goals (14), second in assists (24), tied for second in goals (29) and third in points (82) in USC history. Harvey starts at wide midfielder but will also be pushed up to forward.
She had eight goals and a Pac-10-high 12 assists in 1998.
CHRISTINA KUSHNIR
The leader of USC's defense, senior sweeper Christina
Kushnir (San Diego/Bishop's School) could be in line for postseason honors
with another strong season.
Kushnir, a dominating player in the air, also contributes on offense and has seven career goals.
FRESHMEN
The Women of Troy have 11 true freshmen on the roster, and
several will make an immediate impact.
Jackie Fodor (Winnetka/Chatsworth HS), the Los Angeles City Section's top scorer over the last four years, already scored two goals in her debut against UC Irvine. Including USC's two exhibitions, she has three goals in three matches.
A reserve forward who also has an outstanding scoring touch, Jennifer Prigmore (Norman, OK/North HS) was one of the top goal scorers in Oklahoma prep history. She scored once in her debut against UC Irvine and, including the two exhibitions, she has three goals in three matches.
Two speedy midfielders, Ali Fennell (Santa Ana/Mater Dei HS) and Laura Foster (Del Mar/Bishop's School), will also see a great deal of time. Fennell is starting at one wide spot.
Goalkeeper Lauren Arase (La Canada/La Canada HS), a member of the U.S. Under-18 National Team pool, will also try to work her way into the lineup.
HEAD COACH JIM MILLINDER
Now in his fourth season as USC's head coach,
Jim Millinder has put USC on the verge of becoming a national power. He has
a four-year record of 46-15-2 (.746) with USC and a six-year overall mark
of 54-42-6 (.559). A former U.S. National Team member, Millinder was named
the 1997 West Region Coach of the Year and the 1996 and 1998 Pac-10 Coach
of the Year.
LAST SEASON
In 1998, the Women of Troy went 14-7-1 overall, earned their
first-ever Pacific-10 Conference championship (tying for first at 7-2 with
California and UCLA but beating both to win the tiebreaker) and made it to
their first-ever NCAA Tournament (where they beat Washington in the first
round but lost to San Diego State in the second).
