University Southern California Trojans
Women's Soccer Plays In Nebraska Tournament
September 07, 1999 | Women's Soccer
Sept. 7, 1999
LOS ANGELES - The No. 15 USC women's soccer team (2-1), under coach Jim Millinder and led by two-time All-Americans Kim Clark and Isabelle Harvey, is in the midst of the most brutal stretch of schedule in school history. The Women of Troy must play six straight matches against teams ranked in the NSCAA Top 20. This weekend, USC heads to Nebraska for the Husker Fila Invitational. There, the Women of Troy will play No. 18 Portland (1-1-1) on Friday at 5 p.m. CT and No. 12 Connecticut (0-2) on Sunday at 11 a.m. CT.
RANKINGS - USC is ranked No. 15 in the NSCAA and No. 21 in Soccer Buzz ... Portland is ranked No. 18 in Soccer America, No. 19 in the NSCAA and No. 22 in Soccer Buzz ... Connecticut is ranked No. 12 in both the NSCAA and Soccer America and No. 15 in Soccer Buzz.
NEWS & NOTES - 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 - Portland (1-1-1) is led by 11th-year coach Clive Charles. The Pilots routed Oregon State, 8-1, in their opener, but are coming off a scoreless tie vs. Wisconsin and a 2-0 loss to Virginia. Sophomore forward Susanna Heikari has already accumulated seven points (two goals and three assists). Last season, the Pilots made it into the NCAA semifinals ... Connecticut (0-2) is led by 19th-year coach Len Tsantiris. The Huskies opened the season with a 2-0 loss to Duke and a 3-1 loss to No. 1 North Carolina. Sophomore forward Mary-Frances Monroe, a preseason All-American, scored their lone goal. In 1998, UConn reached the NCAA quarterfinals.
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. Two freshmen have earned starting nods: Jackie Fodor at forward and Ali Fennell at midfielder.
LAST WEEKEND - USC hosted the 1999 Fila Challenge at McAlister Field, and the Women of Troy went 1-1 with a 3-0 win over Maryland and a 3-1 loss to No. 4 Florida. On Saturday (Sept. 4) against Maryland, Isabelle Harvey scored two goals in the victory, both off of assists from Kim Clark. The second of the three goals was scored by freshman Jennifer Prigmore, who headed in freshman Ali Fennell's cross. USC goalkeeper Shaelyn Fernandes earned a shutout but did not need to make a save. The Women of Troy outshot the Terrapins (2-1), 15-9. But against Florida on Monday (Sept. 6), the defending national champion Gators scored twice in the final nine minutes to break a 1-1 tie and earn the win. Florida had taken a 1-0 lead at halftime, but Katie Ticehurst got the equalizer in the 58th minute on a spectacular goal, in which she took the ball all the way up the left sideline, then into the middle, then blasted a 30-yard shot that just made it under the crossbar. Fernandes made eight saves.
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 (29), second in points (87) and third in goals (29). This season, she has two assists (both against Maryland). 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 (15), second in assists (24) and goals (31) and third in points (86) in USC history. In 1999, she has scored two goals (both against Maryland). 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.
KATIE TICEHURST - Junior defensive midfielder Katie Ticehurst (Los Alamitos/Mater Dei HS) offers a potent mix of offensive and defensive prowess and is on her way to becoming a premier player. She scored a spectacular goal against then-No. 4 Florida, striking the ball from about 30 yards out after a long run. Thus far, she leads USC with eight shots.
FRESHMEN - The Women of Troy have 11 true freshmen on the roster, and several are making 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. 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. Thus far, she is USC's leading scorer with five points (two goals and one assist), and had a goal and an assist against UC Irvine.
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 and has collected one assist. 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.
MISCELLANEOUS - USC posted shutouts in its first two matches of the season for the first time in school history ... Jennifer Prigmore is the third Trojan freshman to score goals in each of her first two matches (Erin Bailey in 1994 and Courtney Barham in 1995 were the others).
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 47-16-2 (.738) with USC and a six-year overall mark of 55-43-6 (.558). 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 three overtimes in the second).
