2007 Season Preview
Aug. 16, 2007 OREM, Utah - For the second consecutive season, a lot of new faces will roam the sidelines for Utah Valley soccer. Most obvious last year were the additions of new coaches Brent Anderson and Rachelle Dixon as they started their first year as the new coaching staff. They inherited a group of players with Division I experience. Now, a year later, Anderson will be welcoming 12 newcomers to his roster to join the six returners with significant playing experience. His roster's relative inexperience notwithstanding, Anderson is optimistic about what his team can accomplish in the 2007 season. "It has been exciting to see our returning players emerge as the leaders on this team," he said. "Our sophomore and junior class will provide leadership for our incoming class." The new group will bring athleticism and a strong work ethic to compete against a challenging schedule this season. "I like the dynamics of our team," Anderson said. "We have a good mix of experienced upperclassmen with incoming players that are both talented and hard working. I think that their summer conditioning and pre-season training will give them confidence and the abilitiy to out-work our opponents." Facing one of its toughest schedules since moving to Division I, Anderson is optimistic about the 2007 campaign. The Wolverines had a successful spring, improving their attack while minimizing the amount of goals they gave up. Anderson expects that the group will enter fall practice in shape and ready to work hard. "Although our schedule is tougher from top to bottom, I feel that we can improve on last year's record," he said. "It is our goal to increase the number of wins each season as well as winning the United Soccer Conference Championship." FORWARD UV will have a new-look attack this season with junior transfer Shantae Adams (Dixie State) expected to come in and make an immediate impact. Anderson said Adams has a great ability to get inside the box and find ways to score goals. Joining Adams as a newcomer on the front line will be Madeline McQuarrie. The true freshman out of Woods Cross High School in Salt Lake is quick and dangerous in one-on-one situations. Anderson believes he has a number of good attacking players that can play in the midfield and the front line. Returners Athena Bradshaw and Jenni Clough (Wright), along with freshman Nicole Archibald will rotate between the two positions. Anderson also likes Adrienne Schneider, who will be a key returning defender, as an attacker because of her powerful and accurate shot. "I require defensive pressure from our forwards when we don't have the ball and movement without the ball when we are on the attack," Anderson said. MIDFIELD The Wolverines will have some returning experience in the midfield with returners Bradshaw and Clough anchoring the group. Bradshaw, who saw action in 15 games last season and made two starts has exceptional speed and good attacking flare Anderson said. Clough, who enters the season just one goal and four points behind the school record in each respective category, adds experience and proven success to the UV midfield. Clough scored three goals and added three assists last season and had 10 goals and five assists as a true freshman in 2005. Freshmen Archibald, Lauren Bluth, Andi Bagdan and Katey Turner will all compete for playing time in the middle. Anderson said that Archibald and Bluth add exceptional speed while Bagdan adds size and strength to win 50-50 balls and keep the pressure on. "We have a good mix of speed and strength at the midfield," Anderson said. "Bradshaw, Clough, Archibald and Bluth all have great attacking speed and they love to go one-on-one." DEFENDER Another experienced group, UV's defenders include Ashley Skeen (18 games, 16 starts), Schneider (12 games, eight starts), Laura Haber (Baggaley, started every game as a freshman at Utah State two years ago) and Brooke Salcido (Blaser, played in 10 games last year). Lauren Tuerpe and Kendra Buchanan, who both redshirted in 2006, are entering their second seasons with the program. "Our defense is a relatively experienced group," Anderson said. "We expect more out of them this season." Freshmen Andreia Dixon, Sara Walker and Taryn Smith will also compete for playing time on the back line. "With the speed and strength of our newcomers and the experience of our returners I think we will have a well-organized defensive unit," Anderson said. GOALKEEPER Two-sport athlete Mallory Schott--who also plays in the post for the Wolverines' basketball team--gives UV important experience in the goal. Schott saw time in the goal as a freshman in 2005 and was asked to move to forward last season, will return to the goal for Utah Valley in 2007. Anderson said that Schott has been working hard and has taken an important leadership roll on the team. Pleasant Grove native Hailey Brown, who starred at Lone Peak High School, will also compete for time in goal. "It will be good to have two quality athletes competing and pushing each other in goal," Anderson said. Anderson has also brought in volunteer assistant Kelli Allred, who played in goal at Utah State, to work exclusively with the goalkeepers. SCHEDULE "We don't have any easy game on our schedule this year," Anderson said. "From top to bottom this may be our toughest schedule." Indeed the Wolverines play against a wide variety of talent. UV will play host to Mountain West Conference regular season champion Utah while playing on the road against MWC teams UNLV and Wyoming. Playing on the road will be a theme for Utah Valley during the 2007 season. The Wolverines play 13 road games as opposed to five home contests. The highlight of the season is that UV will host the annual United Soccer Conference tournament in November. Road play doesn't concern Anderson as Utah Valley went a combined 6-6 away from Orem during the 2006 season. "We played better on the road last season than at home," Anderson said. OUTLOOK As the Wolverines start their second season with Anderson at the helm, their head coach will be looking for something that he felt was lacking last season: consistency. "We were a little too inconsistent as a team last year," he said. "I'm looking for more consistency at all levels, starting with the coaching staff. We need to be consistent in practice and that will eventually be reflected in our play." |
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