Cajuns Soccer to Open Practice on August 7th

Contact: Nick Ross

LAFAYETTE, La. – With the fall athletic season just around the corner, the Ragin' Cajun soccer program has all eyes on their 2013 campaign. Practice is slated to begin on August 7, giving them 11 days to prepare for their exhibition match against Sam Houston State at 7:00 P.M. at the Cajuns Soccer/Track Facility. The season opener is just five days later, when the Cajuns travel to Oxford, Miss, to take on Ole Miss at 7:00 P.M on August 25.

Head coach Scot Wieland has a young squad coming in for 2013, but not necessarily an inexperienced one. With several freshmen honing their skills with the top club teams in the nation, he fully expects them to be able to make a quick and smooth adjustment.

"Our freshmen are coming from some high-caliber clubs in the country," Wieland said of the youth coming to Louisiana in 2013. "We have girls coming from club teams that could possibly beat some Division-I programs. Our level is higher this year because we have players who have played at higher levels before college."

The preseason will be filled with position battles all around, especially at goalkeeper, after losing the most prolific goalkeeper in school history in Amanda Moorefield to graduation.

A majority of the incoming freshmen spent the summer in Lafayette, working out with strength coaches and taking summer classes. Wieland hopes that that will help them ease into the season quicker and give them a smoother transition to collegiate soccer.

FORWARDS

The Cajuns will enter the season with high-hopes for the forwards, with two of the top three scorers returning from the 2012 squad. Elizabeth Manuel led the team in shots with 44 as a freshman and compiling 11 points, the most among all returning players. Shelby Isley had a strong start to the season, netting four goals and adding three helpers for 10 points in 11 games, before a leg injury sidelined her for the rest of the year.

"As far as forwards go, we have two returners coming back in Elizabeth Manuel and Shelby Isley." Wieland said of the front line for 2013. "We have some pretty strong newcomers. Once preseason starts a lot of players will emerge to provide stronger competition."

The Cajuns forwards will add explosiveness and finishing to an offense that scored 29 goals in 2012.

MIDFIELDERS

Wieland addressed the midfield position in recruiting for 2013, a position he felt lacked depth in previous seasons. The 2013 squad will have eight freshman listed at midfield, creating a strong competition to watch coming out of preseason.

"Last year I felt that midfield was our weakness." Wieland said of the position. "We had no depth, so we really paid attention to our depth at the midfield position [in the offseason]. We have a lot of options and the good thing about midfielders is they are the most technical players, and sharper when it comes to speed."

Two of the additions to the midfield crew are local standouts, Taylor Kennedy and Eleanor Cook, both of St. Thomas More. The duo doubles the number of Lafayette student-athletes on the squad, joining Caroline Trahan, also from STM, and senior Brooke Perry from Lafayette High.

DEFENDERS

The Cajuns will return 2011 all-SBC selection Grace Howell-Harries on defense, one of just three members of the 2012 squad to start all 20 games. Howell-Harries led the team in minutes played, logging 1868 minutes on the pitch.

Along with Claire Ruehle, Howell-Harris will have the task of stepping up and leading the young squad in 2013. Ruehle has seen some time at midfield as well, but will move back to defense to solidify the back line.

"Defensively we did the same thing [as midfield], adding depth" Wieland said about his defensive corps. "We have a lot of speed coming back, Grace Howell-Harries and Claire Ruehle are two starters coming back. Now we need to see who is going to fill some space after graduating Gayla Foster."

Also returning with experience at defense are the aforementioned Lafayette-natives, Trahan and Perry. Trahan played in every game last season, logging over 1000 minutes at defense, while Perry saw limited action before an injury ended her season last year.

GOALKEEPERS

The biggest question in the preseason position battle is for the spot between the pipes. The Cajuns have sophomore Cory DeMarco as the lone returning goalkeeper, in competition with senior transfer Kendall Graham (Florida) and freshmen Alexias Stricklin and Kristal Breaux.

"It is going to be incredibly competitive," Wieland said of the starting goalkeeper. "We will have four girls, something we've never had, and it will be very competitive. Right now I can't say who the two girls who are going to travel will be, because I don't know. That's a really good problem to have."

DeMarco has the most experience as a Cajun, seeing time in three games last season and going 1-0. Graham saw limited action in her time at Florida and brings a tall build to the net standing at 5-10.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Grace Howell-Harries

Howell-Harries is the only member of the 2013 squad to be named to an all-Sun Belt team, picking up that laurel as a freshman in 2011. She has been a staple point in the Cajuns back line for her entire time here at Louisiana, and will look to add to that in 2013.

"Grace is the model student-athlete." Wieland said of his junior defensive captain. "She is a great student, a great person and is so well respected by her teammates. She does it all very well. The team would walk through fire for her. The best way I can explain it is that she is a model student athlete. Every coach wants a player like Grace."

Harries is second on the team in career-games played, seeing a majority of the time in all 40 matches the last two seasons. Only senior Shelby Isley has played in more, seeing time in 50 games in her three years.

A native of London, Ontario, Howell-Harries has fit in well with the Cajuns. As a freshman she added two assists, while mustering 27 shots from defense.

Elizabeth Manuel

Manuel will lead the Cajuns in the front, bringing an improved set of skills back from an impressive freshman campaign. Her 44 shots tied her with teammate Hayden Gibson in 2012, and is the second-most in a single season at Louisiana.

"Manuel is going to be a girl who will help out a lot up top," Wieland said. "As a freshman she caused a lot of problems for the opponents. She created some incredible opportunities as a freshman. She made a transformation from freshman to a college player between fall and spring."

Manuel posted three points in a game on two separate occasions last season, picking up a goal and an assist against Prairie View A&M on Aug. 24, and against Southern on Sept. 7. Her goal against Southern was the first of the game, registering as the game winning goal in the clean sheet.

A native of Mandeville, La., the sophomore will look to continue and create problems for the opposing defenders.

University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics

Cajuns Soccer to Open Practice on August 7th

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