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Aug. 20, 2008

Complete Release in PDF Format

 Women’s Soccer Weekly Release #1
8/20/08 For Immediate Release
Contact: Laurie Wild 319-273-3783

 

PANTHERS OPEN SEASON AGAINST MINNESOTA, UPPER IOWA

 

 

The University of Northern Iowa soccer team will kick off its 2008 season when it plays at Minnesota on Friday at 7 p.m. The Panthers will play in their first home game of the season when they host Upper Iowa on Sunday at 1 p.m. at the CVYSA Complex.

UNI is 0-2 against Minnesota. The teams last met in 2005, when the Golden Gophers picked up a 3-1 victory. This will be the first time that UNI has faced Upper Iowa.

First-year head coach Jen Plante will need to replace 12 letterwinners from last season’s team that finished 6-10-2. The Panthers are led by a pair of seniors, Jackie Gielau and Gretchen Orcutt, who are each returning from season-shortening injuries in 2007. While their injuries could still limit their playing time, Plante is depending on the two captains to provide leadership for the young team. Junior Tiffany Wendel will also serve as a team captain, and junior Jana Teauge will once again be a key figure in the Panther midfield.

The Panthers have a young look, with 16 freshman and sophomores holding spots on the roster. UNI returns All-Missouri Valley Conference honorable mention forward Chelsie Hochstedler. The sophomore led UNI with six goals and 12 points in 2007, earning a place on the MVC All-Freshman team in the process. Ericka O’Meara, a sophomore forward, returns after scoring two goals for UNI last season. Sophomores Nicole Ferlito, Laura Heaton, Kalyn Jones and K.J. Shepard also return for the Panthers. UNI will have 10 freshmen on its roster for the season opener, including goalkeeper Lauren Potzman.

 

ABOUT MINNESOTA

The Golden Gophers bring back 10 starters from a team that finished 9-8-2 on the season and won four of its last four regular-season outings. Mikki Denney Wright is 34-35-6 in three seasons at Minnesota.

 ABOUT UPPER IOWA

The Peacocks are coached by former UNI assistant, Brian Bahl. UIU finished 12-8-1 in 2007.

 UNI ON THE WEB

 The latest press releases, statistics, schedules and results for all UNI sports are available on the UNI athletics home page. Updated daily, the site is located at www.unipanthers.com. The Missouri Valley Conference home page is located at www.mvc.org.

 

PRESS LUNCHEONS

 Each Monday starting on August 25, UNI’s in-season coaches speak at noon in the back room of Pepper’s Grill and Sports Pub, located on 18th St. in Cedar Falls. The public and media are invited to attend and hear what the coaches have to say about their season.