University Southern California Trojans
Women's Soccer Hosts LMU On Friday
September 19, 2000 | Women's Soccer
Sept. 19, 2000
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THIS WEEK -- The USC women's soccer team (6-1) will play only one game this week on Friday (Sept. 22) against Loyola Marymount at McAlister Field at 3 p.m.
NEXT WEEK -- USC will travel to Utah for matches at BYU on Thursday (Sept. 28) at 7 p.m. and at the University of Utah on Saturday (Sept. 30) at 1 p.m.
LAST WEEK -- USC went 1-1 in Gainesville, Fla., with a 2-1 overtime loss to Florida and a 2-1 win over Central Florida. The Women of Troy had a 1-0 lead against the Gators, thanks to a goal by freshman midfielder Megan Abbamonto. But Abby Wambach scored twice, including the game-winner in the second overtime period, as Florida handed USC its first loss of the season. Hurricane Gordon played havoc with Sunday's game as a torrential downpour slowed the tempo against Central Florida. Down 1-0 at halftime, the Trojans rallied in the opening minutes of the second half on goals by sophomore midfielder Ali Fennell and Abbamonto. Jackie Fodor had two assists for USC.
RANKINGS -- As of September 18, USC is ranked No. 11 by Soccer Buzz, No. 15 in Soccer Times, No. 17 in Soccer America and No. 23 by the NSCAA poll.
EUROPEAN VACATION -- For the first time in the program's history, the women's soccer team went on an extended preseason trip. The Trojans played four games during a 12-day tour of Germany and Belgium (Aug. 11-22), going 4-0 and outscoring their opponents by a 16-3 margin. USC opened the tour with a 5-2 win over FSV Frankfurt with a two-goal performance by junior Christy Callier. Freshman Jessica Edwards scored twice as the Trojans defeated the Belgian National Team, 5-1, on Aug. 17, with Isabelle Harvey, Ali Fennell and Megan Orach also scoring goals. Callier added another two-goal game on Aug. 19 in a 4-0 shutout of V.V. Saestum, the current Dutch national champions. Freshman Megan Abbamonto scored both goals to complete the tour sweep on Aug. 21 in a 2-0 win over RSV Anderlecht.
OPPONENT OUTLOOK -- Loyola Marymount is 5-1-1 on the season. The Lions are coming off a successful trip with wins over Arkansas (3-2 in overtime) and Hawai'i (1-0) in Honolulu last weekend. LMU has allowed only three goals this season. Gregg Murphy is in his fifth season as head coach and has a 46-28-8 record. Senior goalkeeper Tracy Sharp has 30 career shutouts for the Lions.
MILLINDER VS. LMU -- USC Head Coach Jim Millinder was the head coach at Loyola Marymount from 1994-95. He is 1-1 at USC when facing his former team. The Trojans defeated LMU at home on Sept. 26, 1997 (4-1) and lost at LMU on Sept. 27, 1998 (0-2).
RING MY BELL -- Midfielder/forward Isabelle Harvey (Cap-Rouge, Quebec, Canada) is receiving accolades as one of the top collegiate players this season as a senior. Harvey was named as a first team preseason All-American by College Soccer News and has been named as a finalist for the Hermann Award, given to the top player in the nation. The three-time All-American currently holds school career marks for goals (42), points (118) and game-winning goals (19). She is also second in assists (33), three behind Kim Clark (1996-99). Harvey opened the 2000 season on Aug. 27 with an assist on the Trojans' first goal in a 2-0 win at UC Irvine off a corner kick. She recorded a two-goal game against No. 21 Michigan on Sept. 3 in Tempe, Ariz. Harvey is fourth on the team with six points (2-2=6). Last season, Harvey led the team with 30 points (11-8=30). On Oct. 17, 1999, Harvey recorded two assists against Washington State, becoming the first player in USC history to record 100 points in a career. Harvey also played for Canada in the 1999 Women's World Cup.
SUPER SOPHOMORE -- Sophomore Ali Fennell (Santa Ana/Mater Dei HS) thrived for the Trojans last season in her freshman campaign and, along with Harvey, gives USC one of the top 1-2 tandems on the flanks. Fennell is tied for the team lead with Jessica Edwards and Kim Abbamonto with eight points (3-2=8). On Sept. 10 against Vanderbilt, Fennell scored two goals and added an assist in the Trojans' 3-0 shutout. Last year, she was third on the team in scoring with 16 points (6-4=16). Among the highlights in 1999, she was named a two-time Pac-10 Player of the Week (Sept. 13 and 20) and to the Soccer America Team of the Week twice. She received the first award after scoring the game-winner against then-No. 8 UConn and assisting on the game-winner against then-No. 12 Portland. After scoring both goals in a 2-1 win over then-No. 8 BYU, she received the second set of honors.
PHOENIX PHENOM -- Freshman Jessica Edwards (Mesa, AZ/Dobson HS) has made an immediate impact on the team and is adding scoring punch for the Women of Troy this season. She is tied for the team lead with eight points (3-2=8). On Sept. 8, Edwards scored two goals and added an assist in USC's 3-1 win over Baylor. She scored a goal and led the team with a game-high eight shots on Aug. 27 in a 2-0 win at UC Irvine. She leads the team with 39 shots (sophomore Ali Fennell is second with 16 shots).
ENTICING SOCCER -- Senior defensive midfielder Katie Ticehurst (Los Alamitos/Mater Dei HS) offers a potent mix of offensive and defensive prowess. She had three goals and one assist for seven points in 1999, with all three of her goals coming from at least 30 yards out.
A PERFECT WORLD -- Sophomore goalkeeper Lauren Arase (La Canada/La Canada HS) is 4-0 this season for the Trojans and has allowed only one goal for a 0.29 goals-against-average. She opened the season with her third solo career shutout on Aug. 27 in a 2-0 win against UC Irvine. Arase made three saves on five UCI shots. She started and won both matches at the Sun Devil Classic, including her fourth solo shutout on Sept. 1 in a 1-0 decision against Colorado. On Sept. 10 vs. Vanderbilt, she added her fifth solo shutout, making four saves in a 3-0 victory. Arase is now 11-0 as a starter for the Trojans.
DOUBLE TROUBLE -- The Women of Troy have a sister act this season with the presence of sophomore Kim and freshman Megan Abbamonto (Mission Viejo/Capistrano Valley HS). Both midfielders have played in every game this season. Kim, who has been hampered in two seasons (one as a redshirt) by injuries, has made solid contributions off the bench while Megan has three goals and two assists for the Trojans.
MEGAN IN THE MIDDLE -- Megan Abbamonto is tied for the team lead with eight points (3-2=8). She scored the game-winning goal in a 2-1 decision on Sept. 17 against Central Florida in Gainesville, Fla. Abbamonto has dominated the midfield for the Trojans in her first season, she leads the team with two game-winning goals.
THE PERFECT FALL (ALMOST) -- The loss to Florida on Sept. 15 by the women's soccer team is the only loss suffered by a USC team so far in the fall. As of Sept. 18, the USC football team is 2-0 and ranked No. 9 in the nation, the women's volleyball team is ranked No. 1 at 7-0 and the No. 4 men's water polo team is 6-0 on the season after winning the Southern California Tournament last weekend.
FORWARD PROGRESS -- With the new offensive system in place for the 2000 season, the team will utilize three forwards. Junior Christy Callier and freshman Jessica Edwards will take the first two spots in the starting lineup. Junior Brittany Savelkoul (Seal Beach/Los Alamitos HS) and sophomores Jackie Fodor (Winnetka/Chatsworth HS) and Jennifer Prigmore (Norman, Okla./Norman North HS) will battle for the final spot.
ON MIDDLE GROUND -- A mix of experience and talent exemplifies the strength of the team: the midfield. Senior Isabelle Harvey and sophomore Ali Fennell create a 1-2 punch on the flanks for the Women of Troy while senior Katie Ticehurst serves as the defensive leader in the middle. Senior Andrea Warner (Dana Point/Dana Hills HS) is pencilled in as the offensive midfielder, but will see some competition from freshman Megan Abbamonto (Mission Viejo/Capistrano Valley HS), who was named Orange County Player of the Year in 1999 by the Orange County Register and the Los Angeles Times. Abbamonto's sister, Kim, is also back in her sophomore season after spending two seasons on the sidelines with various hip and lower back injuries. Adding depth to the midfield are senior Barbara Almaraz (Ventura/Ventura College), who played for Mexico in the 1999 Women's World Cup, junior Liane Nakano (Fountain Valley/Fountain Valley HS) and sophomore Tawny Flores (Los Angeles/Santa Monica HS). A surprise competitor may be freshman Becky Miller (Westlake Village/La Reina HS), who played well during the team's recent European tour.
DEFENDERS OF THE CROWN -- Senior Megan Orach (Huntington Beach/Marina HS), a forward her first two seasons, and Susie Mora (Mission Viejo/Santa Margarita HS), a starter for Mexico in the 1999 Women's World Cup, anchor the Trojans' defense in 2000. Junior Erin Reed (Alamo/San Ramon Valley HS), who made seven starts last season, has locked up the left back starting position. Junior Liane Nakano (Fountain Valley/Fountain Valley HS) and sophomore Stephanie Scholl (Torrance/South Torrance HS) add depth as returners while the team will also see some action this season from freshmen Nicole Goza (Walnut Creek/Carondelet HS) and Amanda Roach (Upland/Upland HS).
GOALKEEPER GOSSIP -- For the first time in the program's history, the Women of Troy have four goalkeepers. This season, the team will utilize the same starting tandem that was used last year. Junior Shaelyn Fernandes (San Jose/Presentation HS) was 7-6 last year and had a 1.332 goals-against-average while sophomore Lauren Arase, a member of the U.S. Under-18 National Team pool, was 7-0 as a starter with a 0.631 goals-against average. Fernandes had four solo shutouts while Arase had two. Both keepers combined for three shutouts in 1999. Two freshmen, Taylor Amaro (Clovis/San Joaquin Memorial HS) and Julie Peterson (Mission Viejo/Santa Margarita HS), will back up the Trojans' starting tandem.
CLASS BREAKDOWN -- The Women of Troy are led by six seniors this season with five juniors, seven sophomores and 11 freshmen.
LAST SEASON -- In 1999, the Women of Troy went 14-6 overall and placed second in Pac-10 play with a 7-2 record. The Trojans made their second straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament, losing at home to SMU in the first round, 1-0, in two overtimes. It was the fourth straight season that USC won at least 14 games. #
