Women's Soccer Opens Conference Play
Deacons play host to Clemson and Florida State.
Sept. 14, 1999
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- After five non-conference tune-up games to open the 1999 season,
the Wake Forest women's soccer team will open Atlantic Coast Conference
play this weekend when the Demon Deacons host Clemson and Florida State in
a pair of key league matchups. The Deacs and Tigers will square off on
Friday at 7 p.m. at Spry Stadium while the Seminoles come to town for a
contest on Sunday at 1 p.m.
The Demon Deacons, who are ranked 22nd nationally this week by
Soccer Buzz, are 4-1 after splitting a pair of games last weekend at the
Wake Forest/Nike Invitational. Wake Forest defeated Oregon (2-0) before
falling to UCLA (0-1) in the tournament's championship game.
The Deacs are under the guidance of head coach Tony da Luz, the
1998 ACC Coach of the Year.
THE INJURY BUG
With a roster of just 19 players for the 1999 season, the Demon
Deacons can ill afford to lose players to injuries for any extended period
of time. However, as the season approaches its fourth week, head coach Tony
da Luz has already been forced to juggle his lineup because of various
injuries to players.
The most serious concern lies with junior midfielder Christie
Melby, who had made her return to the Demon Deacon lineup two weeks ago at
Air Force in highly dramatic fashion by scoring two goals in two games off
the bench. Melby suffered a torn ACL during 1999 spring practice drills,
just two years after battling back from the same injury prior to the 1997
season. She was held out of action last weekend at the Wake Forest/Nike
Invitational after reinjuring her knee in practice and team doctors will
reexamine her this week to determine her status for the remainder of the
season.
Sophomore midfielder Emily Taggart, the 1998 ACC Rookie of the
Year, suffered a sprained MCL in her right knee at Air Force on September
5th which has forced her out of the lineup in each of the last two
contests. The injury to Taggart is not considered serious, and she could
return to the lineup as early as this weekend against Clemson and Florida
State.
Freshman midfielder Lindsey Griffin was struck across her nose by
an opponent's forehead in the Oregon match on September 10th. Doctors will
determine this week if the nose is broken, but the injury shouldn't cause
her to miss any game action.
SHROPSHIRE CONTINUES ASSAULT ON RECORD BOOK
Senior forward Anne Shropshire rewrote the Wake Forest record book
last season as she set new single season records for goals, assists and
points while also breaking the career marks in each of those categories,
too.
She picked up in the first game of 1999 where she left off in 1998
by netting two goals and two assists to add to her school record career
totals. Through the first five games of the season, Shropshire now has 24
goals, 25 assists and 73 points in her WFU career, all school records.
FRESHMEN OF INFLUENCE
Although we're just five games into the 1999 season, the talented
Wake Forest freshman class has already asserted itself as a key ingredient
during the upcoming season. Five different freshmen have cracked the
starting lineup this season, while combining to tally four goals and five
assists.
Forward Joline Charlton made the biggest impact of the rookie class
as she has scored three goals in the first five games of the season. Also
making the starting 11 this season are defender Liz McDowell, who score the
game-winner at Air Force with under five minutes remaining in regulation,
midfielder Lindsey Griffin, a playmaker who has three assists in five
games, midfielder Katie Johnson and defender Gabi Lieb.
ROECK ANCHORS THE DEFENSE
With last year's sweeper Jessen Snyder lost to graduation, head
coach Tony da Luz has turned to sophomore Stacy Roeck as the Deacs' new
anchor in the backfield.
Last fall Roeck started 20 of 21 games in the backfield, scoring
seven goals and adding one assist. .She was moved to the sweeper position
for the 1999 season fall and immediately made her presence felt as she has
helped the Deacs' hold opponents to a stingy 0.40 goals per game.
Although her name may not show up among the team's statistical
leaders this season, Roeck may well be the most valuable player on the
squad.
DEMON DEACON QUICK FACTS
1999 Record: 4-1, 0-0 ACC
National Ranking: #22 (Soccer Buzz)
Head Coach: Tony da Luz
Record at WF: 28-16-3 (3rd yr)
Career Record: 74-58-6 (8th yr)
Assistant: Kelly Walbert
