THIS WEEK IN THE WAC ?“ The WAC enters week four of the season with two teams yet to find a win. Utah State and San Jose State are still in search of win number one. The Aggies are hosting two matches this week with San Francisco and Idaho State traveling to Moscow. The Spartans lone match of the week is against UC Davis at Spartan Stadium. Louisiana Tech looks for its fifth-straight win as it takes on Arkansas-Pine Bluff in Ruston, before traveling to Nacagdoches, Texas for two matches in the Stephen F. Austin Tournament. Hawai'i remains in California for its lone match, taking on UC Santa Barbara. Idaho travels south to take on Weber State, then returns home for a match up with Montana. Fresno State takes on UNLV and Sam Houston State at the UNLV adidas Classic. Nevada?™s travels to Boise, Idaho for its lone match of the week, taking on Northern Arizona in the Soccer Etc. Nike Classic. Boise State returns home, hosting the Soccer Etc. Nike Classic and Northern Arizona and Eastern Washington.
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PLAYERS OF THE WEEK ?“ Idaho forward Sonja Baumgartner and defender Alli Tsuchida have been named the Western Athletic Conference women?™s soccer offensive and defensive Players of the Week, respectively.
Baumgartner, a freshman from Zurich, Switzerland, came off the bench to score two goals on two shots, helping the Vandals to a 1-1 weekend. Her goal against Northern Colorado was the first of her career and was the game-winner. She tallied the lone goal for Idaho in a, 3-1, loss to rival Idaho State.
Tsuchida, a sophomore from Honolulu, Hawaii, started both games for Boise State on defense as the Broncos shut out Montana and held Air Force to one goal (PK). She also cleared a potential game-tying goal by Montana off the goal line in the 70th minute to ensure the Bronco victory. Tsuchida anchored the Broncos?™ solid defensive efforts over the weekend, which was short one starter in Stephanie Campbell. The opponents for the weekend were held to eight shots on goal with the only score coming on a penalty kick.
Other offensive nominees included: Nicole Coleman, Boise State; Kodi Bethay; Louisiana Tech and Aivi Luik, Nevada.
Other defensive nominees included: Kori Lu, Hawai'i; Nicole Didier, Louisiana Tech and Megan Tarpenning, Nevada.
WAC ENTERS NEW ERA ?“ The WAC is a nine-team league with the additions of Idaho, New Mexico State and Utah State following the departures of Rice, SMU, UTEP and Tulsa. It is the third time in conference history that the WAC will be comprised of nine teams (1980-91 and 2000). Only Idaho and Utah State sponsor women?™s soccer. Louisiana Tech added a women?™s soccer progam in 2004, but this will be the first year it competes in the WAC.
STREAKING TECHSTERS ?“ Louisiana Tech made history as it recorded its first-ever win with a, 2-0, home victory over Mississippi Valley State, Aug. 28. Since that win, Louisiana Tech has posted three shutouts, with a, 7-0, win over Robert Morris, a, 2-0, win over Centenary and a, 8-0, win over Belhaven. This season, they are averaging 3.80 goals per game while holding opponents to 0.60 goals per contest. Tech is also averaging 20.60 shots per game.
LOUISIANA TECH IN NATION'S TOP 10 ?“ Louisiana Tech is ranked in the top 10 nationally in two categories. The Lady Techster offense has posted 3.80 goals-per-match to rank seventh. It?™s not just all offense for Tech, as it posts a .800 shutout percentage to rank eighth in the country.
DROPPIN?™ DIMES ?“ The WAC boast two of the nation?™s best in assists per match this year. Hawai'i?™s Adria Campbell and Louisiana Tech?™s Kathleen McCullough both post a 0.80 assists-per-match average to rank 19th nationally.
WELL TRAVELED ?“ Three WAC schools play or have played four conescutive road matches this year in Boise State, Fresno State and San Jose State. The Bulldogs concluded its trip at Pacific, falling 3-1. The Bulldogs started the trip off well, earning a, 2-1, win over CS Northridge, but fell to San Francisco (3-0), Sacramento State (1-0). San Jose State finished its road trip, 0-4, falling to CS Fullerton, Long Beach State, Stanford and UC Riverside. Boise State?™s four-match road trip begins Sept. 24 with a stop at IUPUI (Indianapolis - 9/24). The Broncos also make stops at Southern Utah (9/26), Texas A&M (9/30) and TCU (10/2).
ONE YEAR AGO THIS WEEK ?“ With the soccer season in full tilt, we take a look at the early season improvements compared to 2004. Louisiana Tech and Nevada have made the biggest improvements. The Lady Techsters, though not a WAC soccer member in 2004, were 0-3 on Sept 13. This year, the Techsters have made the biggest jump, posting a 4-1 record. The Wolf Pack started 2004 0-5, but are .500 so far in 2005 with 2-2-1 record. Heading into its home tournament in 2004, Boise State was 3-1 and are cruising along again in 2005 with a 3-2 record. Hawai'i, the coaches?™ preseason pick, owns a 2-3-1 record this season. The Rainbow Wahine were 3-1-1 at this time in 2004. Idaho has a one-match improvement from 2004 to 2005, starting the season 1-3 in 2004, compared to 2-3 in 2005. Utah State was able to grab two more wins early in 2004, where it was 2-4 at this time. The Aggies are currently 0-4-2. Fresno State has a few more early-season matches in 2005, but have struggled to a 1-5 record. It was 0-3 this time last year. San Jose has the WAC?™s toughest schedule, unfortunantly giving it a 0-7 start. The Spartans were 1-3 last season in early September 2004.
TARPENNING MOVING UP SAVES LISTS ?“ Nevada senior goalkeeper Megan Tarpenning has posted 22 saves in five matches this year, moving her into fourth all-time on the WAC?™s all-time list with 365. Tarpenning needs just eight more to tie Tawni Martineau of Utah for third.
KAI MOVING UP RECORD LISTS ?“ Hawai'i senior forward Natasha Kai, is moving up the WAC career list. Kai is second all-time in shots with 353, 15 behind BYU?™s Shauna Rohbuck. Kai has posted four goals this season, moving her career total to 61 which is good for third and is six behind Kim Harvey of SMU for second. At 135 career points, Kai is 21 points behind SMU?™s Kim Harvey who is second. Kai set a new single-season record for shots at 130 in 2004. She passed Rohbuck who tallied 108 in 1996. She set the new shots mark in the conference-season as well, as she tallied 49 shots, to top 44 by Sherry Dick of TCU in 2000.
SOCCER FORMAT ?“ With the addition of Idaho, Louisiana Tech and Utah State and the loss of Rice, SMU, UTEP and Tulsa, the WAC has taken on a new format. Along with the Vandals, Lady Techsters and Aggies, Boise State, Fresno State, Hawai'i, Nevada and San Jose State all sponsor a women?™s soccer program. The WAC will continue its regular-season play as a single round-robin format for a total of eight conference matches, but will add in a points system. Each team will receive three points for a win and one point for a tie. The six teams with the most points at the end of the regular season will advance to the WAC Tournament.
NCAA OPPONENTS ?“ Of the 95 non-conference matchups, 17 are against teams that played in the NCAA Tournament last year and six are at WAC home sites. Seven teams in the WAC play at least one non-conference opponent that competed in the NCAA Tournament last year while Boise State, Fresno State, San Jose State and Utah State are playing a WAC-high three NCAA opponents. Hawai'i and Idaho are playing two, while Nevada is playing one.
UNLV def. Nevada, 5-0
Utah def. Boise State, 3-0
Pepperdine def. Hawai'i, 2-0
UNLV def. Utah State, 2-1
Utah def. Idaho, 4-1
Stanford def. San Jose State, 5-0
Bowling Green def. Boise State, 1-0
Cal Poly def. San Jose State, 4-1
Hawai'i tied Weber State, 0-0 (2OT)
Cal Poly def. Fresno State, 3-0
Idaho at Weber State, Sept. 15
Fresno State at UNLV, Sept. 16
Utah at Utah State, Sept. 22
Santa Clara at San Jose State, Sept. 28
Boise State at Texas A&M, Sept. 30
Utah State at Weber State, Oct. 1
Fresno State at Santa Clara, Oct. 7
COLLEGE CUP ?“ The 24th Annual Women?™s College Cup will be held December 2-4 at the Aggie Soccer Complex in College Station, Texas. Last season, the WAC had two teams compete in postseason play, with Rice and SMU both falling in the first round. Visit ncaasports.com/soccer/womens/schedules/divi for more information.
TIE-BREAKING PROCEDURE ?“ To determine championship seeding in the event of ties between two teams or ties among multiple teams, the following criteria are applied:
In the event of a two-way tie:
1. Head-to-head competition
2. Compare the teams?™ records to that of the next highest finishing team (if tie for first). If tie is for position other than first, comparison will begin at the top of the standings.
3. In the unlikely event that teams are still tied, the conference conducts a draw.
For a three or more-way tie:
1. Head-to-head competition among the teams involved in the tie. The team(s) with the best record against the other teams receives the higher seed or advances to the next tie-breaker.
2. Same procedures as above.