Author Archives: Soccer America

WOMEN’S NEWS … When Notre Dame co-captain Courtney Rosen was sidelined with a broken foot last month, it was the fourth time she has broken her foot in five years. What made the injury different was that it was the first time she has broken her left foot. Because of stress fractures to her right foot, Rosen has a screw placed in that foot.

Rosen was walking from the locker room to the practice field when her left foot gave out. “It was like a death in the family when she broke her foot,” teammate Michele Weissenhofer, who has also battled injuries, told the Notre Dame Observer. “That just shows how big of a part of the team she is.”

Without Rosen, a second-team All-Big East selection in 2008, the Irish have struggled, losing three of their last four games.

* TOP 25 ACTION: No. 22 Indiana dominated play against state rival Butler, but all the Hoosiers could muster was a goal by Orianica Velasquez Herrera in the 79th minute for a 1-0 victory that improved IU’s record to 7-1-0. The Hoosiers were stymied by keeper Jessica Schein, who made five saves. They also had Carly Samp‘s shot glance off the far post.
 
Wednesday’s Scoreboard

* HAT TRICK HERO:
— Kirby Zak scored three goals for Sam Houston State in its 6-0 win over Texas Southern.

SMALL COLLEGE NEWS … Stevens Tech, No. 2 in the NSCAA/adidas NCAA Division III men’s rankings, fell to Swarthmore for the second straight year and dropped to 10th in this week’s rankings.

After ending the Ducks’ 62-game home unbeaten streak in 2008, Swarthmore won, 1-0, on Sunday afternoon on sophomore Roberto Contreras‘ goal.

Messiah remained No. 1, and Amherst climbed to No. 2. Spencer Noon scored two goals in his first game for the Lord Jeffs in their 2-0 victory over Bowdoin.

MEN RANKINGS:
NCAA Division II 1. Tampa, 2. Northern Kentucky, 3. Millersville.
NCAA Division III 1. Messiah, 2. Amherst, 3. Ohio Wesleyan.

WOMEN RANKINGS:
NCAA Division II 1. Seattle Pacific, 2. West Florida, 3. Saint Rose.
NCAA Division III 1. Messiah, 2. Puget Sound, 3. Williams.

NAIA MEN’S PLAYERS OF THE WEEK:
Offense: Alex Hanne, Simon Fraser (Tied school record with six goals in 9-1 win at Menlo)
Defense: Tyler Stromberg, Azusa Pacific (Made 12 saves in wins over Notre Dame of Ohio and Mobile)

NAIA WOMEN’S PLAYERS OF THE WEEK:
Offense: Ashley Sherr, Fresno Pacific (Scored golden goal at Southern Oregon and added four more goals in win over Simpson)
Defense: Kylie Willet, Ashford (Back-to-back shutouts against Trinity Christian and Calumet College of St. Joseph)

WOMEN’S NEWS … Last year, it was Laura Heyboer who carried Michigan State with 21 goals in 24 games as freshman. This year it’s senior Lauren Hill who leads the Spartans with eight goals in six games. 

Hill’s goal with under a minute to go in the first half broke a scoreless deadlock against Detroit and Michigan State went on to win, 2-0, extending its unbeaten streak to 16 games at DeMartin Stadium — 9-0-2 last year and 5-0-0 so far in 2009.

After a shot by Samantha Cook bounced off the crossbar, Hill scored off the rebound with a header to extend her own streak of having scored in every game for the 5-0-1 Spartans.

“She has been on a roll and we want to keep it that way,” said Coach Tom Saxton. “Her goal today was an opportunistic one; she was in the right place and the right time and took advantage of the loose ball.”

Hill’s goal gives her 36 for her career and puts her within three of the MLS record held by Michelle Wise.

Tuesday’s Scoreboard

* RECORD BOOK:
— Rachel King needed only eight games to break the Louisiana Tech record for goals in a season, collecting her 10th goal of the season in a 2-0 win over Grambling State that improve the Lady Techsters’ record to 8-0-0.