Northwestern University Athletics
Wildcats Preparing to Take On 2010 Schedule
8/12/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Aug. 12, 2010
One year after taking on the most challenging schedule in program history, the road won't let up in 2010 for fifth-year head coach Stephanie Foster and Northwestern women's soccer. NU will look to improve on last year's 7-10-2 record while taking on nine opponents that participated in the 2009 NCAA Championships.
The Wildcats will rely heavily on their defense, led by third-year starting goalkeeper Carolyn Edwards (Lincolnshire, Ill./Stevenson). Edwards posted a 1.07 Big Ten goals-against average with six shutouts in 2009 and enters the season in fourth place in the Northwestern career record book with 11 career clean sheets. The senior is also fourth all-time in program history in minutes played and career saves.
Northwestern's back line will be anchored by sophomore Bri Westlund (Cottage Grove, Minn./Park), who earned Big Ten All-Freshman honors in 2009 while becoming the first player in school history to play every minute of her freshman season at center back. Returning starters Nicole Duller (Los Altos, Calif./Los Altos) and Leigh Jakes (McDonough, Ga./Eagle's Landing) will also factor heavily in the 'Cats defensive rotation.
Leading the way in the midfield is senior captain Jennifer Baumann (Waukesha, Wis./Catholic Memorial). A four-year starter, Baumann played every minute of Big Ten action for the 'Cats last year. Joining Baumann are junior Jill Dunn (Naperville, Ill./Neuqua Valley), who recorded the first point of her career on a game-winning assist in Northwestern's season ending win over Illinois last fall, and newcomer Julie Sierks (Edina, Minn./Edina), who has had an impressive showing in preseason.
With just three goal scorers returning in 2010, the NU attack is perhaps the biggest question mark for Foster and her coaching staff. Senior Sam Greene (Santa Monica, Calif./Santa Monica) has 28 career points and enters the year in fifth place on Northwestern's career assists list. Juniors Caroline Dagley (San Rafael, Calif./The Branson School) and Emily Langston (Los Altos, Calif./Los Altos) each recorded a goal last season, while sophomore Kelsey Bertamus (Burnsville, Minn./Lakeville South) - limited in 2009 while returning from a knee injury - will look to regain her finishing touch.
Seven newcomers will also vie for time in the Wildcat attack, including freshman Natalie Lagunas (Canyon Country, Calif./Golden Valley). Lagunas scored a game-winning goal for the Mexican U-20 National Team at the 2010 CONCACAF Women's Championship. Additionally, Kate Allen (Whitehouse, Ohio/Anthony Wayne) and Bo Podkopacz (Plymouth, Minn./Wayzata) bring athleticism and hunger to the NU offense.
Awaiting the Wildcats is a bruising schedule that Foster calls "by far the most difficult and competitive in the history of our program." Northwestern opens the 2010 campaign at home against DePaul on Aug. 22 - the first of a school-record 11 home matches - before hitting the road for a three-game swing that includes matchups with 2009 national semifinalist UCLA and a trip to BYU.
"We did a lot of preparation last year with a difficult schedule, so our team is a lot more prepared for these kinds of games," Foster said. "It will be a good opportunity to position ourselves RPI-wise and preparation-wise for Big Ten play by facing this kind of schedule early on. We will have to navigate this schedule in a very calculated way. One huge bonus is the preparation our team did this summer when it comes to fitness."
September opens with a five-game home stand that features a pair of Big XII opponents, Kansas and Missouri, and a matchup against another national semifinalist, Notre Dame.
The Wildcats have won at least four Big Ten games in each of the last three seasons, a program-best mark that Northwestern looks to extend into 2010. After opening Big Ten conference play at Indiana and Purdue, the 'Cats will play five of their six games in the month of October at home, including a three-game stretch that will see Michigan, Penn State and Ohio State all visit Lakeside Field.
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