Aug. 30, 2007
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BAYLOR SOCCER KICKS OFF 2007 SEASON AT BETTY LOU MAYS FIELD
WACO, Texas - The Baylor soccer team kicks off the 2007 season this weekend as the Bears host a pair games at Betty Lou Mays Field. Baylor will take on Louisiana-Lafayette on Friday, Aug. 31, at 7:00 p.m. to open the season before a meeting with Texas State on Sunday, Sept. 2, at 1:00 p.m.
"We are extremely excited to get the season started," head coach George Van Linder said. "We put on a very good performance in our exhibition match and I think the team is excited to get the year going. We play a pair of good opponents so the weekend should be a good challenge for the players."
Baylor is coming off a 5-1 victory over Houston in an exhibition match last weekend. Five different players scored for the Bears as the squad cruised past the Cougars.
The Bears return 21 players and 10 starters from last year's squad which finished the year with a 6-12-1 record while advancing to the Big 12 Conference Championship. Baylor is led by first-team All-Big 12 Conference goalkeeper Ashley Noah, who enters the year just 63 saves shy of the Big 12 record for most saves in a career.
UL is coming off of their most successful season in school history. The Cajuns finished the season with an 8-8-4 mark. The .500 record marked the first time in school history that the program finished with a non-losing season.
Texas State comes into the season after earning a 7-13-2 overall record and 5-4-2 mark in the Southland Conference last season. In their exhibition opener last weekend, the Bobcats dropped a 2-1 decision at the hand of St. Mary's.
The meeting with the Cajuns marks the second time the squads have faced each other in school history as Baylor claimed the victory in the previous meeting with a 3-0 victory over Louisiana in 2002. Baylor and Texas State will be meeting for the first time in school history.
Fans interested in purchasing tickets can do so by calling the Baylor Ticket Office at 254-710-1000.
LAST TIME OUT: BAYLOR CRUISES PAST HOUSTON IN EXHIBITION
Five different players scored as Baylor cruised to a 5-1 victory over Houston in an exhibition match played at John O'Quinn Field at Robertson Stadium on Saturday.
Freshman Lotto Smith put the Bears on the board first as she took a pass from Pat Roscovius and put it past the keeper to give Baylor the early 1-0 lead. The Bears would go into half with the one goal advantage before exploding on offense in the second to put the game away.
Betsy Kyle extended the lead early in the second half as she collected a pass from Beckah Brady and pushed it across the line to give the Bears a 2-0 cushion.
With 20 minutes left in the second half, Baylor exploded for three goals to put the game away. Jessica Hutton, Amanda McGrath and Roscovius each recorded second-half tallies as Houston managed its only goal of the contest late in the second half while trailing 4-0.
Roscovius led the way for the Bears with three points in the match as Ashley Noah picked up the win in goal.
SAME FACE, DIFFERENT NAME
The biggest news out of the Baylor soccer program during the off-season was the marriage of the former Ashley Holder. The first-team All-Big 12 Conference selection married Chris Noah in July 2007 and will go by the name of Ashley Noah throughout the 2007 season.
Noah recorded five shutouts last season and finished third in the Big 12 Conference in saves on her way to becoming the first Baylor player since Dawn Greathouse in 2000 to earn first-team all-conference honors.
ASHLEY NOAH LOOKS TO CLIMB UP THE CAREER CHARTS
Heading into 2007, a number of players look to make their way onto the Baylor career record charts; however, all eyes are on senior Ashley Noah as she looks to become the Big 12 Conference career saves holder. Noah is also climbing her way up a number of other career categories as the senior is among the leaders in shutouts, minutes played and victories.
Notable records:
Career Saves: Ashley Holder (2nd, 335)
Career Wins: Ashley Holder (t-2nd, 17)
Career Shutouts: Ashley Holder (2nd, 7)
BETTY LOU MAYS FIELD
The 2007 season marks the ninth year for the Baylor soccer team at Betty Lou Mays Soccer Field. The former Baylor Soccer Stadium was named during the 2000 season in honor of the late Betty Lou Mays of Amarillo, Texas. Mrs. Mays was the wife of Troy Mays, a 1945 graduate of Baylor; the two were longtime supporters of Baylor Athletics.
Thanks to a generous gift from the Troy Mays Foundation, the Baylor soccer program has seen a number of improvements to Betty Lou Mays Soccer Field in 2007 as over $250,000 worth of improvements have been made to Bear's home soccer stadium.
Through the gift, a gated fence has been placed along the perimeter of the stadium to enclose the soccer field. The fence is supported by a number of brick-laid posts that are similar to those seen around the Baylor campus.
In addition, a brick facade has been placed around the stands and the press box. The improvements give the facility more of a "stadium-feel" and is the latest in a long list of upgrades to Baylor's home soccer facility.
Betty Lou Mays Soccer Field is set in the plush backdrop of the Brazos River on University Parks Drive. The field is part of the Jim and Julie Turner Riverfront Athletic Park, which includes Baylor Ballpark, Getterman Stadium and the Baylor Tennis Center. All four venus share the parking lot with the Ferrell Special Events Center.
BAYLOR SOCCER ANNOUNCES 2007 BROADCAST SCHEDULE
For the second time in program history, Baylor soccer games will be broadcast on BaylorBears.com as audio for the Bears as four contests will be broadcast on BaylorBears.com.
The live, audio feed is free for users; however, interested listeners will have to sign up for a free username and password at baylorbears.com in order to access the broadcast if they do not already have one.
Baylor opens the broadcast season with a home match against Delaware on Sunday, Sept. 23, at 7:00 p.m. In addition, broadcasts can be heard for Big 12 contests against Kansas (9/28), Missouri (9/30) and Texas (10/14).
Heath Nielsen and Michael Collins form the Baylor soccer broadcast team as pre-game for all matches will begin approximately 10 minutes before kick-off
BAYLOR SOCCER BROADCAST SCHEDULE
Sept. 23 - Delaware - 7:00 p.m.
Sept. 28 - Kansas - 7:00 p.m.
Sept. 30 - Missouri - 7:00 p.m.
Oct. 14 - Texas - 7:00 p.m.
DEFENSE LIKELY THE STRENGTH HEADING INTO THE 2007 SEASON
As has been the case in the last few years, the defense will be the most experienced position on the field as Baylor heads into the season. Seniors Rose Zapata, Megan Sherrell, Laura Brock, Shea Yates and goalkeeper Ashley Noah all return from a squad that allowed only 30 goals last year and was considered one of the strongest defensive groups in the conference.
Noah enters the season as one of the top goalies in the Big 12 Conference as the junior currently ranks second on Baylor's career list in saves after ranking third in the conference with 112 last season.
Sherrell and Zapata return to form one of the most formidable duos in the conference as the pair has played and started in all but one contest during their careers at Baylor. In addition, the return of Betsy Kyle, who played in started in every game for the Bears as a freshman, will help anchor an already formidable defense.
NEXT TIME OUT
Baylor will hit the road for the first time this season as the Bears travel to San Antonio, Texas, for a mid-week contest against UTSA on Tuesday, Sept. 4, at 7:00 p.m.
