Soccer Set to Open Exhibition Slate Against Mercer
8/12/2009 12:00:00 AM | Soccer
Aug. 12, 2009
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - The Alabama women's soccer team will kick off the 2009 season with an exhibition match against Mercer slated for Thursday, Aug. 13 at 5:00 p.m. The Crimson Tide welcomes the Bears to the Alabama Soccer Complex before traveling to Atlanta, Ga. on Saturday for their final exhibition match against Clemson.
Last Season Recap: Under first-year head coach Todd Bramble Alabama won six of its first nine games to jump out to a 6-2-1 start. The Tide played its last 11 games at a 3-7-1 mark, but finished with a 4-6-1 Southeastern Conference record and earned its first trip to the SEC Tournament since 2004 and just its second since 1998. Alabama's run in Orange Beach was ended in a 1-2 first-match loss to No. 7 Florida. The Tide recorded a 7-3 record within the friendly confines of the Alabama Soccer Complex and notched eight shutouts on the year, which tied for second most in the league. Sophomore Brooke Rogers garnered an All-SEC Second Team selection by racking up 10 points off three goals in conference play and four assists that tied her for most on the squad with four other teammates. Senior Kailey Corken capped off her career with a team-high seven goals and three assists to lead the Tide with 17 points. Victoria Frederick netted three goals and assisted on four others in addition to leading the team with 21 shots on goal in her sophomore effort.
Season Preview: After earning a trip to the SEC Tournament in Orange Beach, Alabama looks to improve on its 2008 effort. The Tide returns seniors Alex Butera, who logged a team-high 1,714 minutes as part of Alabama's stingy defense in 2008, and Kelsey King who adds experience in the offensive attack after netting two goals and assisting on four others last season. Although seven juniors return to squad, Alabama welcomes 11 newcomers to the team and will rely on the fresh faces to add quality depth and make an impact in 2009. After taking the 2008 season off to represent Team Canada in the U-20 World Cup in Chile, goalkeeper Justine Bernier returns for her sophomore year of collegiate action. As a freshman at the Capstone, Bernier garnered SEC freshmen honors after breaking the school record in saves with 145. In addition to the tough stretch of SEC action and the instate opponents of UAB, Samford, Jacksonville State and South Alabama, the Tide will host Memphis and travel to Lubbock, Texas for matches against Texas Tech and TCU.
Scouting Mercer: The Bears are coming off a 2008 campaign in which they captured their first-ever Atlantic Sun regular season title after finishing the season with an 11-5-4 overall record and a 7-2-1 mark in conference play. Mercer netted 34 goals, had 30 assists and 98 total points while holding the opposition to only 10 goals all season. The Bears return their top two scorers in Olivia Tucker and Ali Meek. Tucker paced the squad in goals (10), points (23), shots (52) and shots on goal (29) while making 16 starts and seeing action in all 20 games. Meek netted five goals and assisted on two more to accumulate 12 points in 19 starts. Kacie Hudson joins Tucker and Meek for her junior year after scoring four times in 20 starts in 2008. Goalkeeper Jean Worts returns for her senior season after making 44 saves in 19 starts last season. Bears' head coach Grant Serafy returns eight starters plus another six letter winners and looks to add to his 40-46-9 overall record that he has accumulated over five seasons.
Series History: Alabama vs. Mercer: In six meetings against Mercer dating back to the second year of soccer at Alabama in 1987, the Tide holds a perfect 6-0 record over the Bears. Alabama has outscored Mercer 18-2 and recorded four shutouts. The two teams have squared off three times in Tuscaloosa (1988, 2005-06); twice in Macon, Ga. (1988, 2007) and one neutral site match in Mt. Berry, Ga. (1987). The most closely contested battle came in the series' last match during the 2007 season when the Tide edged the Bears 1-0. Rosaly Petriello netted a goal in the 77th minute to secure the victory for Alabama.
Bramble Ties: Head coach Todd Bramble is no stranger to the Mercer soccer program. Bramble played his collegiate ball with the Bears where he lettered four years and was an All-Conference goalkeeper in 1988. Bramble earned a degree in Business Management from Mercer in 1995.
Home Sweet Home: The Alabama Crimson Tide has posted a winning season every year except one at the friendly confines on the Tuscaloosa campus. The lone losing season came in 2006 when Alabama went 3-4 at matches held at the Alabama Soccer Complex. Alabama won a school record nine games at home during the 1996 season and has gone undefeated at home twice. The Crimson Tide posted a clean sheet at home with a 6-0 mark in 1988 and another 6-0 record in 1995 when Alabama won the SEC Western Division title. Alabama set the school record for consecutive home shutouts by blanking the opposition six times to open the home slate in 2008.
Returning Honorees: With the departure of five starters Alabama will lean on a group of experienced veterans, including three players recognized by the SEC for their accomplishments. Brooke Rogers returns for her junior season after scoring three goals in conference play and tying for the team lead with four assists. For her efforts, Rogers was selected as an All-SEC Second Team member last season. Justine Bernier, a SEC All-Freshmen Team member in 2007, rejoins the Tide after representing Team Canada at the U-20 World Cup in Chile during the 2008 season. As a freshman Bernier broke the school record in saves with 145. Victoria Frederick enters her junior year as one of the Tide's leading scorers from last season and was named to the SEC All-Freshmen Team after leading Alabama in points and goals her freshman year.
Bernier Helps Canada to U-20 World Cup: Alabama sophomore goalkeeper Justine Bernier (Oakville, Ontario) kept busy in her year away from collegiate action by representing her county and getting to travel the world in doing so. Bernier and team Canada sailed through CONCACAF women's under-20 championship to earn the title by the way of a 1-0 decision over the United States in Mexico. Team Canada did not fair as well at the U-20 World Cup in Chile, as they failed to advance out of their group after losses to Germany and Japan. The Alabama single season record holder in saves has been in the team Canada pool at the U-16, U-17 and U-18 levels.
Youth Movement: With 11 newcomers and 10 freshmen joining the Tide for the 2009 campaign, at least a few of the rookies will make an immediate impact on the field. After graduating the two leading scorers from last season, the offense looks to be an area that will look for help from the new faces. Head coach Todd Bramble cites Amanda Ortegon, from McAllen, Texas, and Lindsey Sillers, a local product from Birmingham's Briarwood Christian School, as two potential players who can add depth to the offensive attack. With the bulk of the defensive starting positions being occupied by returning veterans, the midfield is another area that can potentially be helped by the influx of newcomers, and Bramble sees freshman Josie Rix as a candidate to win the defensive midfield spot.
Two Seniors Look to Cap Off Alabama Careers: Although this year's senior class is thin, Alabama will rely heavily on the two that are part of the squad. Alex Butera logged a team-high 1,714 minutes while starting in every game for the Tide in 2008 as part of a defensive unit that recorded eight shutouts on the season, which tied for second most in the SEC. Kelsey King rejoins the Tide's offense after starting in all 20 games her junior season where she was one of four players to lead the team with four assists. King also netted two goals to total eight points on the year.
Alabama Soccer on Twitter: Fans of the Alabama soccer team can now follow the squad on Twitter. The social website will give fans an inside look into the program. Head coach Todd Bramble will provide the posts and will include pictures and videos of the team. htttp://twitter.com/AlabamaSoccer
Next Time Out: Alabama will play one more exhibition match before entering into regular season play. The Tide will travel to Atlanta, Ga. to square off against head coach Todd Bramble's former team, Clemson, on Saturday, Aug. 15 at 1:00 p.m. CT at the Tophat Soccer Club.
