Soccer Weekend Preview
10/22/2004 12:00:00 AM | Soccer
Oct. 22, 2004
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> Houston Returns Home for Final Three Games; Looks to Turn the Tide
The Cougars return home for their final three games of the 2004 campaign at Robertson Stadium. This weekend Houston hosts USF on Friday night and UAB on Sunday afternoon. The Cougars look to get back on track and bring a halt to their current six-game losing streak.
USF carries a 4-3 lifetime advantage over the Cougars, while UAB leads Houston in its lifetime series, 4-2.
The Bulls enter this weekend with a 4-6-2 overall record, including a 3-3-0 in C-USA, and are in tenth place in the league. The Blazers carry a 9-5-1 overall mark, and rest in third place in C-USA with a 5-2-0 record against conference foes.
> Against Conference USA
The Cougars are currently 1-6-0 against league opponents this season and are 34-27-7 lifetime against league foes since joining C-USA in 1998. Houston's sole league victory came against Southern Miss on Sept. 26. This season's annual C-USA Tournament is slated for Nov. 34-6 in Charlotte, N.C., with the top eight finishers during the regular season earning a spot. The Cougars have participated in the annual tourney each of their five seasons.
> Last Time Out: Houston Falls to Marquette
In closing out its final road trip of the 2004 campaign, the University of Houston women's soccer team fell by a final of 3-0 to Conference USa powerhouse Marquette on Sunday (Oct. 17) afternoon in Milwaukee, Wis.
Meghan Connelly scored first for Marquette when she received a perfect pass from Heather Goranson and beat Houston goalkeeper Nicole Oliver who came out of the box to defend on the play. Connelly scored at 17:41.
Marquette didn't let up as Lindsay Michuda cleared the ball to Alison Loughrin who carried the ball for twenty yards before scoring on a fifteen yard shot.
Kristie Matola sealed the win in the second half with a goal at 58:34. Lindsay Michuda cleared the ball to Meghan Connelly who took the ball into the box and crossed the ball to Matola who found the back of the net.
Marquette goalkeeper Katie Bissen recorded her fourth shutout of the season and had four saves in the win.
> The Offense Goes Crazy
In Houston's consecutive wins over Texas Southern on Sept. 17 and Prairie View A&M on Sept. 19, many school records were either broken or tied. First, senior Nikki Hawkins and freshman Chelsea Davis each posted hat tricks in the victory Sept. 17, combining for six of the Cougars' 14 goals. The 14 goals in the victory over TSU were the most in program history. In the two weekend wins, the Cougars combined to out-score their opponents, 21-1, and during their three-game win streak, out-scored the opposition 24-3.
> There to Lend a Hand
Sophomore defender Sarah Fisher continues to contribute to the offense despite being the team's leader on defense this season. Fisher has started all 16 matches for the Cougars this year and leads the team with six assists, which is one shy of tying Kara Bullinger and Becca Smith for the most in a single season in school history. She set a school mark on Sept. 17 as she led the Cougar brigade with four assists.
> Among the League Leaders
Through games of Oct. 20, senior Nikki Hawkins appears among C-USA leaders in virtually every offensive category, including shots (T5th-45), points (T1st-24), goals (T2nd-10), shots per game (10th-2.81),points per game (2nd-1.50) and goals per game (4th-0.62). Sophomore Sarah Fisher is currently tied for fourth in C-USA with six assists on the season. With 28 goals scored this season, the Cougars are tied with Saint Louis for fourth place among league leaders.
> Saving the Day
Senior goalkeeper Nicole Oliver currently ranks fifth among C-USA leaders with 59 saves this season, and stands in seventh place averaging 4.54 saves per game. The 59 saves so far on the year are good for seventh place among Houston's all-time top ten for saves in a single season. The four-year starter and defensive force for the Lady Cougar basketball team from 2000-04, Oliver joined the Cougar soccer team prior to this season and has had a stellar season.
> Hawkins Named Co-Offensive Player of the Week
Following her first career "hat trick" with all three goals in the Cougars' 3-2 win at Sam Houston State on Sunday, Sept. 12, senior midfielder Nikki Hawkins was named Conference USA Offensive Player of the Week for the week of Sept. 13, as selected by the C-USA head coaches.
Hawkins has scored all five goals for Houston during this season and has moved into first place in school history with 21 career goals. In addition, with 44 career points - seven on this season - she currently rests in second place on the all-time scoring chart.
For the weekend, Hawkins tallied a total of 11 shots, including a career-high eight against the Bearkats.
The award is the second such honor for Hawkins, who was named C-USA's Co-Offensive Player of the Year Sept., 15, 2003. She also has claimed First Team All-C-USA honors each of the last two seasons.
> Hawkins Leads the Offense
This season senior midfielder Nikki Hawkins, who was named to the First Team All-Conference USA last season and picked up C-USA Co-Offensive Player of the Week honors the week of Sept. 13, is Houston's leader on offense and currently leads the squad with 45 total shots so far on the year, including 16 shots on goal. She has started every game of her collegiate career, and currently ranks among C-USA's all-time Top 25 in goals, shots and points, and will continue to move up the ranks this season. In addition, she continues to climb as Houston's all-time career leader in points, goals, matches and shots, and ranks among Houston's all-time top ten in every other offensive category.
Hawkins set a school record with back-to-back hat tricks earlier this season, with three goals against Sam Houston State on Sept. 12 and in Houston's 14-1 win over Texas Southern on Sept. 17.
She led the 2003 Cougar squad in total points (17), goals (7), game-winning goals (2), assists (3), shots (44).
> Struggling Cougar Offense
While the defense has been solid, the Cougars have struggled on offensive this season and have been shut out eight times this season, including five of the last six matches. During the past six games, Houston has been out-scored 20-1. In close games decided by one goal, Houston is 2-3.
> Houston Boasts Top 30 Recruiting Class
Houston women's soccer team entered the 2004 season boasting the 22nd-best recruiting class in the nation's Central Region, according to Soccer Buzz Magazine.
Houston tops the list of four Conference USA schools listed in the Top 30 and leads the pack of Memphis (No. 23), Tulane (No. 25) and Saint Louis (No. 29).
The 2004 recruiting class for the Cougars features eight newcomers, comprised of four signees, two transfers and two walk-ons, including five freshman and two sophomores. Three of this year's newcomers - Ashleigh Williams (Houston, Texas), Rachel Trent (Carmel, Ind.) and Brooke Simon (Mundelein, Ill.) - each played on club teams ranked No. 12 and No. 8, respectively, last year.
This marks the second time in the last three years that a Cougar recruiting class has been ranked among the Top 50 programs in the nation. The Cougars' 2002 recruiting class was ranked No. 7 out of 65 teams in the Central Region and No. 42 overall in the nation.
