Our Lady of the Lake University News

OLLU News

Women's soccer hopes to build on last year's success as the season kicks off on Aug. 24

Tue, Aug 24, 2010 - [Women's Soccer] - by

SAN ANTONIO (Aug. 24, 2010) -- The Our Lady of the Lake University (OLLU) women's soccer team opens its 2010 campaign today on the road against Howard Payne University. The Saints hope to build on last year's late season and postseason success.

Last year, the Saints turned around a 3-5-2 record, and finished with seven wins in their last nine games to end the year at 10-7-2. During that stretch, the Saints outscored their opponents 23-6. However, the year ended with a disappointing 1-0 loss to the University of Texas at Brownsville in the final of the Red River Athletic Conference Tournament.

The Saints look to avenge that loss and capture a conference title, said fourth-year head coach Shane Hurley. To do so, the Saints will look to blend youth with experience on a squad with only one senior.

This year's squad boasts more experience than would be expected after carrying only three upperclassmen on last year's squad. Of those players, only senior defender Lauren Shultz will take the field this year. The lack of upperclassmen allowed players such as junior forwards Hannah Collazo and Amanda Bonds to soak up valuable playing time. The two players finished first and second respectively in scoring for the Saints last year.

Hurley is hopeful that newer players to the squad this year will be helpful in one way or another. Their contributions off the bench will be crucial to the Saints push late in the season. One potential contributor is Megan Ochoa, a former standout at McAllen High School in McAllen, Texas. While there, Ochoa notched a school-record 104 goals.

"We need more production from others," said Hurley. "Last year, it hurt having our two leading scorers on the bench unable to play in the final."

Still, Hurley is looking to allow his nine juniors on the squad, including the team captain, midfielder Hailey Olden, to take a more active role in developing the newer additions.

"We have a good core of juniors," he said. "They've provided a great degree of leadership and a high level of maturity."

This maturity will be tested early in the season as the Saints will open with six games in 13 days.

The Saints' first home match will be Aug. 27 at 3 p.m. against the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor.

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