Regional Odds & End Briefs From The Southeast USA.
Soccer In Arkansas
The Central Arkansas women’s team, off to a 7-2-0 start, leads the nation in scoring with 33 goals, good for a per game average of 3.67. That puts the Bears just ahead of the Duke Blue Devils, who have scored 32 goals through nine games. Additionally, junior forward Adriana Lucar (Lima, Peru) is the nations leading scorer with 11 goals and a per game average of 1.22….After opening the 2012 season with three victories, first-year head coach Colby Hale’s Arkansas Razorbacks have dropped five straight decisions, including SEC losses to Mississippi State (4-1) and Georgia (2-0)….Following a double-overtime victory over Eastern Illinois, two Central Arkansas Men’s Soccer players were recognized for their play. Shafial Mason (New Holland, Jamaica) and Cody Gibson (Tombill, TX) were recognized as the Missouri Valley Conference’s Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week, the first time the Bears have won the either honor this season. Gibson previously played two seasons at the University of Memphis…..The Arkansas Little Rock Trojans picked up their first win of the season, beating Arkansas Pine Bluff 4-0 while launching 49 shots at the Golden Lions’ goal.
Soccer In Kentucky
Lindsey Wilson College is ranked #1 nationally in the recent NAIA national men’s soccer poll, while the Lindsey Wilson women are ranked #2. Centre College is ranked #13 in the NCAA Division III women’s national rankings…..Western Kentucky’s Libby Stout is playing professionally in France and recently made her debut in goal for Yzeure in a 3-1 win over Toulouse on the opening day of France’s First Division….The University of Kentucky started the season 1-4, but used a 1-0 victory over #18 ranked rival Louisville to start a winning streak. Matt Lodge was named the C-USA Offensive Player of the Week after netting a game-winning goal on a free kick. Jack Van Arsdale, (Richmond, VA) who was also named to the College Soccer News National Team of the Week for the NCAA’s top goalkeeping performance, was named C-USA Co-Defensive Player of the Week along with SMU’s Jaime Ibarra……The University of Kentucky women’s soccer team (7-1-0, 2-0-0 SEC) tallied three goals, marking its largest offensive output of the season, to hand the Mississippi State Bulldogs (7-1-1, 0-1-1 SEC) their first loss of the 2012 season by a final tally of 3-0 on Sunday afternoon at the UK Soccer Complex. That followed a 2-1 upset over #13 Florida (their first since the 2006 season), giving the Wildcats their first SEC weekend sweep under coach Jon Lipsitz. Arin Gilliland (Lexington, KY) scored a goal and assisted on the other against the Gators and was named Southeastern Conference offensive player of the week, while Courtney Raetzman (Elk Grove, IL) was named SEC Freshman of the Week. Raetzman scored the other goal against Florida and assisted on two against MSU…..Louisville picked up a 4-0 victory over Ohio State. Freshman Marion Hairston (Jackson, MS) got the offense stated with a goal in the 19th minute of play.
Soccer In Louisiana
The Louisiana Fire Navy 97G (U16G) has been accepted into the National League, which will begin play in Wilson, NC, alongside the CASL Showcase. The girls are scheduled to play Nov. 29-Dec. 2…..The Louisiana Soccer Association Winter Meeting is set for Jan. 12-13 at the Belle of Baton Rouge. Information available online: www.playlouisianasoccer.org/…..Louisiana State is looking for its first SEC win of the season after dropping a 1-0 decision to Texas A&M in the conference opener, and then playing Alabama to a 0-0 draw. The Tigers have played four overtime games in a 4-2-3 start. Goals have been hard to come by with Heather Magee (Colleyville, TX), Kaley Blades (Largo, FL) and Carlie Banks (Peachtree City, GA) each scoring two to lead the attack…..Johna Germany’s (Tyler, TX) goal gave McNeese a 1-0 win over Texas State for the Cowgirls (5-4-1) third straight win….Louisiana Tech ran it’s record to 7-1-2 with 2-1 come-from-behind win over Southeastern Louisiana. Emily Brennan (Plano, TX) scored her team-high fifth goal, and the second came from Erica Stewart.
Soccer In Maryland
George Mason, ranked #20 in the NSCAA Division I men’s national rankings, lost for the first time this year, falling to Navy, 2-1, in double overtime. Mason (6-1) had an opportunity to win the match in the 88th minute on a penalty kick, but Navy’s junior goalkeeper Gavin Snyder (Severna Park, MD) dove and slapped away the kick by Julio Arjona and forced the game to go to overtime. Junior Dave Arnold (Baltimore, MD) scored the winning goal for Navy. It was his first goal this season……University of Maryland junior forward Hayley Brock (Acton, Mass.) and Florida State junior goalkeeper Kelsey Wys (Coral Springs, FL) have been named the Atlantic Coast Conference Co-Players of the Week. Brock had three goals in a pair of ACC wins for the Terps, including the game-winner in a 2-1 victory over the UNC Tar Heels. Maryland became the first team to defeat the Tar Heels in three consecutive seasons. Brock also had two goals in a 4-1 win over Clemson.
Soccer In Mississippi
Belhaven’s men are off to a 5-0 start and have earned a #4 men’s NAIA national ranking. William Carey College is ranked #17 in the NAIA women’s national poll……Southern Mississippi (3-3-1) closed out the non-conference portion of its season with a 2-0 win over Arkansas State. Junior keeper Lindsey Schwaner (Mandeville, LA) held the Red Wolves at bay all afternoon, saving six attempts on goal to earn her second shutout of the year. Danica Roberts (England) and Chelsea Cruthirds (Sorrento, LA) scored the Southern Miss goals….Matthew O’Neal, a defender from Jackson, is a member of the recruiting class for the 2012 season at the University of South Florida. O’Neal played club soccer for Central Jackson Mississippi…..Ole Miss opened the 2012 with eight straight wins, including six in-a-row in Oxford, and earned a NCAA Division I national ranking of #22. The Rebels dropped their first game of the year, falling to new SEC member #10 Texas A&M in a 4-0 shutout. Ole Miss had allowed only four goals total in the previous eight games. The Rebels opened their SEC play with a 4-1 win over Arkansas behind the junior duo of Mandy McCalla (Fayetteville, GA) and Rafaelle Souza (Salvador, Brazil), who each scored a pair of goals…
Soccer In West Virginia
Freshman midfielder Jack Hopkins (Birmingham, AL) scored the game’s only goal in the eighth minute of overtime to give Marshall a 1-0 victory and their fifth-straight road win over the season. Coach Bobby Gray’s Thundering Herd remained undefeated at 6-0-1. Senior goalkeeper Daniel Withrow picked up his sixth shutout of the season….Charleston Catholic was ranked #4 in the recent regional boys high school championship in the NSCAA Region IV poll. Hurricane was ranked #7 and Huntington #12. The girls regional rankings had Morgantown #4, followed by Winfield at #8 and Hurricane at #12…..Marshall University’s Thundering Herd closed out the non-conference portion of the women’s season with a 2-0 win over the University of Akron Zips to improve to 4-4-0. Freshman Kelly Culicerto (Charlotte, NC) and Alyssa Cathey (Fort Collins, Colo.) scored the goals and senior goalkeeper Lindsey Kerns (Hurricane) picked up her second shutout of the season.