Women's Soccer | 9/4/2014 12:16:00 PM
CARROLLTON, Ga. – West Alabama women's soccer opens the 2014 season on the road for the first time in program history against Pfeiffer University in the Conference Carolina Gulf South Conference Challenge at 7 p.m. on Friday. The tournament is hosted by West Georgia.
The Tigers will enter the new season following its best record of 11-8 overall in 2013. Head coach
Graeme Orr is looking for a strong start in 2014 after a valiant finish in the GSC tournament a season ago.
Pfeiffer, the reigning Conference Carolina Tournament Champions, was voted to finish second in its conference's 2014 preseason poll. The Falcons earned a bid to the NCAA Tournament after posting a 13-7-1 record a year ago, marking the fourth double-digit win total in the past five seasons.
"We will start off as underdogs against Pfeiffer; however I can sense the players are really looking forward to this match," said Orr. "There seems to be no fear and I like that. They know they will have to work hard to get a result and that has been shown in training this week."
Like the Tigers, Pfeiffer brings with it multiple All-Conference members including last season's Conference tournament MVP Kayla Rodriguez. 2012 Freshman of the year, Aaliyah Jackson and 2013 Freshman of the Year, Brae Buster will line up against UWA's five returning All-GSC members that include
Perri Lambert (2012) and
Kirsten Reilly (2013).
Nicki Gears will begin her final season looking to wrap-up an already storied career at West Alabama. The senior from Ripon, England is a three-time All-Conference honoree, two-time All-Region recipient and 2013 Co-Player of the Year. She has set the bar for the women's soccer program leading with 37 career goals, 239 career shots and 93 career points.
Lydia Sutcliffe is another senior of a class of seven finishing a successful career. The Brighouse, England native has been named to the All-Conference list twice and received All-Region honors last season.
The challenge will offer a chance for new faces to see action for the first time as 10 freshman make up the newcomers of the 2014 squad. Among the new talent vying for time are
Paulien Vandekeybus and
Taylor Brackin who were both named to the 2014 GSC Top Newcomers list.
The Tigers will wrap up the challenge against Limestone College at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday. The Saints were picked preseason fifth in their conference after a 5-9-3 overall finish last year.
