Around Campus

Texas Soccer Begins Journey to NCAA Championships

Kasey Moore | Credit UT Photo

There is an old saying that states, “It all starts at home.”

For the 2007 Texas soccer team, September will be a crucial month in its journey to the NCAA College Cup, which takes place really close to home in College Station, Texas in early December.

The Longhorns have six of their nine matches in the month of September at home at Mike A. Myers Stadium.

UT travels to Houston and Arizona for opening matches against the Cougars, Arizona State Sun Devils and Arizona Wildcats before returning to Austin for a six-match homestand. UT opens with a match against UT-San Antonio on Friday, Sept. 14. Southeastern Conference foe Louisiana State comes to Austin for a mid-week match on Tuesday, Sept. 18. Fellow Lone Star state programs Houston and Stephen F. Austin are in town on Friday, Sept. 21 and Sunday, Sept. 23, respectively. UT closes out the non-conference schedule with a Friday (Sept. 28) match against Wright State and begins Big 12 action on Sunday, Sept. 30 against Texas Tech.

September marks the start of an amazing journey for the 2007 Texas soccer team. The Longhorns are led by Texas head soccer coach Chris Petrucelli, who reached a major milestone with his 100th win in 2006, and is preparing the team for another successful season.

Texas is one of the favored teams in the nation as UT returns after one of the best seasons in school history. Seven starters from the 2006 squad team that set new standards in overall (18), regular season (15) and road (7) victories are on the Forty Acres in 2007.

Included in that group are National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) First-Team All-American Kasey Moore and Second-Team selection Kelsey Carpenter, and one of the best goalkeepers in Texas history, Dianna Pfenninger. The 2006 Big 12 Soccer Championship Defensive MVP Pfenninger will staff the goal and work behind one of the NCAA’s strongest defensive backlines --Moore, U.S. National team player and Austin native Stephanie Logterman, and junior Jill Gilbeau. Moore is expected to organize a defense that returns for its third season together and U.S. National team participant Logterman is back and will participate in pre-season conditioning after missing it last year while on tour with the Under-20 National Team.

Two of the top four scorers from 2006 and three of the top five scoring leaders from 2005 should see action this year. Carpenter is the top scorer and will work with fellow attacker Caitlin Kennedy to put points on the board. Senior captain Greta Carter and utility player Leslie Imber round out the seven starters returning for UT. Former walk-on Emily Anderson, an Austin native, will look to transition from a top reserve to starter. Seven reserves from last season --Kennedy, Anderson, Megan Upah, Casey Mogk, Stephanie Gibson, and Christina Vaughn -- are back in burnt orange and white and ready to contribute this fall.

A talented mix of newcomers will wear burnt orange for the first time. University of Houston transfers Courtney Gaines and Jordan Godbolt join goalkeeper Stephanie Connors as experienced new faces on the team. Freshman
Niki Arlitt, Kristen Birkhold, Kendall Campise, Brooke Lee, Alisha Ortiz and Rachel Stepp start their Longhorn careers in September.

Kelsey Carpenter | Credit UT Photo