Sept. 26, 2007

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The Bears Head To The Air Force Academy To Play A Pair Of Games:

The Northern Colorado women's soccer team (2-4-1) heads to the road to participate in the Air Force Tournament hosted by Air Force Academy, Sept. 28-30. The Bears will play against UC Irvine (9/28) at 5 p.m. before taking the pitch against North Dakota State (9/30) at 11 a.m.

Scouting UC Irvine:

The Anteaters are 4-2-1 this season. UC Irvine fell to then #25 San Diego over the weekend in overtime, 2-1. In common opponents the Anteaters fell to Fresno State, 3-0, in the first game of the season. The 3-0 score was the same margin in the NC's loss to the Bulldogs (9/14). Sophomore defender Kate Berrini leads the team with her four goals and nine points this season. Senior Frankee Kelly has three goals and six points this season. Freshman Caty Cope has already totaled six assists this year, meaning she has been involved in slightly less than half their scoring plays this season (14 total goals). Freshman goalkeeper Danielle de Seriere has been steady contributor with only two goals allowed in seven games (0.32 goals allowed per game) and 562.59 minutes. She has also won all four of the games this year.

Scouting North Dakota State:

The Bisons are in their first season in the Summitt League and are 5-3 so far on the year. NDSU fell in each of their two games over the weekend at the UTEP Border Shootout. The Bisons fell to New Mexico and Idaho. Senior Michelle Martinez is one to keep an eye and she leads the team with four goals and 10 points. She is also tied with two others with two assists. Sophomore Ashley Dement has scored two goals to go along with her two assists.

Series vs. Opponents:

The Bears series with UC Irvine is knotted up at one all. NC leads the all-time series with North Dakota State 7-2.

The Fourth Week:

The Bears had their best week since opening the season from Sept. 21-23. Northern Colorado went undefeated with a 2-2 tie against Akron (9/21) and a 2-1 win over Jacksonville (9/23). In the game against Akron, NC fought back from a 2-0 deficit to tie the game on goals from senior Marika Johnson and sophomore Laura Engel. Freshman goalkeeper Heidi Owen then did the rest, as she held the potent Akron offense scoreless for the last 97:49 of the game through a pair of overtime periods.

In the game against the Dolphins, Northern Colorado despite outshooting Jacksonville still found themselves trailing 1-0 early in the second half. Sophomore Sydney Vander Velde tied the game up with her first goal of the season off the pass from junior Patricia Wong and sophomore Jessica Zimmerman. The game remained knotted at one and looked to be heading to overtime until Engel stepped up and chipped in the game-winner with only :47 left in the game. For Engel it was her second goal of the week and the season and allowed the Bears to extended their unbeaten streak to three.

A Prime-Time Player:

Sophomore Laura Engel stepped up at the right times for the Bears against Akron and Jacksonville, the week of Sept. 21-23. Engel scored the game-tying goal against the Zips (9/21) and she topped herself with the game-winner in the final minute against Jacksonville (9/23). Engel also put several crosses directly in front of the net in potential scoring situations. On the week she had two goals and four points to lead the Bears in both categories.

The Unbeatable:

Since freshman Heidi Owen took over in goal three games ago the Bears are 2-0-1 and have surrendered a total of three goals, while she has recorded 10 saves in 290 minutes in goal.

Where We Rank:
Jessica Zimmerman and Laura Engel are tied for sixth in the conference with two goals each. Zimmerman is also tied for the third in the conference in points per game (1.0) and game-winning goals (2). Marika Johnson is tied for ninth in the league in assists per game (0.29). Heidi Owen is third in the conference with her average of 1.07 goals per game. Owen is fifth in save percentage (.765).

Keeping Shooting ... It's Bound to Go In!!!

Junior Teresa Prais has moved into the top 10 in the conference in shots and shots per game. She is currently tied for sixth with an average of 3.00 shots per game. The 21 shots for Prais is the fourth highest total in the conference.

The Third Week:

NC started their four-game homestand and took on Fresno State (9/14). The Bulldogs proved to be a tough opponent jumping out to a 2-0 advantage before the end of the first half. Fresno State would add another goal in the second stanza to take the game 3-0. The bright spot of the Bears was the first appearance of the season by freshman keeper Heidi Owen. Owen is officially the last member of NC to get in a game this season. She played the entire second period in goal with a goal allowed and three saves for Northern Colorado.

The Bears then welcomed in Utah Valley State to Jackson Stadium (9/16). NC proved to be the aggressor as they peppered the Wolverines with shots throughout the first half. In the first half alone the Bears set a season-best for shots in entire game with 11, but UVSU stood strong and keep the game scoreless well into the second half. Finally with just under 10 minutes left in the game (80:25), sophomore Jessica Zimmerman gave the Bears the lead for good with her goal off a free kick from about 30 yards out. For Zimmerman it was her second goal of the season. The goal along with some stellar defense clinched the Bears' first win of the season. Owen started in goal for the Bears and got the win with six saves. For the game, Northern Colorado outshot Utah Valley State 24-9.

Zimmerman Gets It Done
Although sophomore Jessica Zimmerman didn't start against Utah Valley State (9/16) she came into the game off the bench to supply the team's lone goal of the afternoon with just under 10 minutes remaining in the game (80:25). For Zimmerman it was her second goal of the season and the 11th of her career in only 25 career games.

Nice Way To Start Rook:

In the first start of her career, freshman Heidi Owen made her presence known in goal. Owen earned the team's first win of the season over Utah Valley State (9/16). Owen was solid in goal with six saves for her first collegiate shutout.

The Second Week:

The Bears had their game against Air Force (9/5) postponed due to weather issues. The game will be made up on Oct. 9 at 4 p.m.

NC then headed to Denver to play against the regionally-ranked Pioneers (9/8). Northern Colorado quickly got down 1-0 in the first half (14:30), only to tie the game up at one just over a minute later (15:51) on Brittani Knott's first career goal. The Pioneers regained the lead at the end of the first half and added three more goals in the second stanza to win the game going away by the final margin of 5-1.

The First of Many:

Brittani Knott scored her first Bears' goal in the loss to Denver (9/8). The freshman took the feed from senior Marika Johnson and beat the DU goalkeeper. She is the second Bears player to find the back of the net this season.

The First Week:

The first week began promising for the Bears as redshirt sophomore Jessica Zimmerman, in her first game in over a year, scored the team's first goal of the season against Creighton (8/31). The Bluejays stormed back though with a pair of goals in the second half to take the game 2-1.

In their second game the Bears put up a good effort but were done in by solid all-around performance from Western Carolina (9/2). The Catamounts tallied a goal in the first half and added three more in the second to take the game 4-0.

Good To See You Again:

Redshirt sophomore Jessica Zimmerman made her return to the pitch in a big way for the Bears. Zimmerman started the NC season scoring a goal off a free kick from 30 yards out against Creighton (8/31). Zimmerman, who sat out the 2006 season, was the 2005 Division I Independent Offensive Player of the Year and is looking to possible capture Big Sky Conference honors this season.

The Tuneup Before The Season:

The Bears hosted a pair of opponents at Jackson Stadium in exhibition games before the official start of the 2007 regular season.

NC fell to regionally-ranked Colorado College by the score of 3-2 (8/23). Sophomore Sydney Vander Velde and sophomore Laura Engel each scored goals for Northern Colorado in defeat.

The next game was a challenge against No. 14 Colorado (8/25). The Bears hung tough for a while but were done in by three opponent goals in each half. The highlight for NC was a brilliant header by redshirt sophomore Jessica Zimmerman off freshman Brittani Knott's corner kick.

Early Success:

The Bears have traditionally been strong starters and are 15-7-1 all-time in the first regular season game of the season since the start of the program in 1985. Under Barrera the team is 5-2 in the last seven opening days.

Northern Colorado Picked Seventh in the Big Sky Preseason Poll:

The University of Northern Colorado's women's soccer team has been picked seventh in the Big Sky Conference's annual poll, the league office announced August 8.

Sacramento State, who won the regular season crown in 2006, are considered the preseason favorite with 40 points. The Bears, who finished seventh in the conference in 2006, tallied 15 points.

Who's Back:

The Bears return 16 players including five starters from last season's team. Among the returners are leading goal scorer senior Marika Johnson. Marika Johnson tallied seven goals and 16 points to lead the team in both categories last year. Also returning to the pitch is the team's leading scorer from 2005, sophomore Jessica Zimmerman. Zimmerman sat out last season, but in 2005 she tallied team high's of nine goals and nine assists on her way to being named the Division I Independent Offensive Player of the Year.

The Newbies:

Northern Colorado has 11 new faces on the roster this season including a pair of new assistant coaches.

• Lisa Kosena (Denver, Colo./Cal State Fullerton)-assistant coach

• Katie Eriksson (Northern Illinois)-volunteer assistant coach

• Andrea Allison (Loveland, Colo./Thompson Valley)-defender

• Katey Borman (Corvallis, Ore./Corvallis)-defender

• Olivia Deadmond (Ft. Collins, Colo./Ft Collins)-defender/midfielder

• Kaitlyn Gould (Bend, Ore./Bend Senior)-defender/midfielder

• Brittani Knott (Greeley, Colo./Northridge)-defender/midfielder

• Heidi Owen (Rolling Meadows, Ill./Rolling Meadows)-goalkeeper

• Monique Wells (Chandler, Ariz./Mesa Community College)-goalkeeper

• Karleigh Zolinski (San Antonio, Texas/O'Connor)-defender/midfielder

The Coaching Staff:

Tim Barrera returns for his ninth season at the helm of the Northern Colorado soccer program. In his now nine years with the Bears, Barerra has a record of 80-65-1 (.545). Overall in 15 seasons as a head coach, Barrera has gone 140-111-10 (.556) at Northern Colorado, Elmira and Wilkes University.

Tracy Chao returns for her third season with the program as an assistant. The staff has also added both Lisa Kosena and Katie Ericksson this season. Kosena is an assistant coach and Ericksson is a volunteer assistant.

2006 All-Big Sky Performers:

UNC in the first year as official members of the Big Sky Conference had five players named to All-Big Sky teams. Senior Marika Johnson and senior Megan Miller were both selected to the second team with junior Teresa Prais and since departed Chrissy Marvin and Lynneal Williams being honorable mention choices.

Eight Bears Named To Big Sky All-Academic Team:

The Bears had eight players named to the Big Sky Conferece's 2006 Fall All-Academic Team. The nine were Sara Hemmings, Marcie Johnson, Marika Johnson, Lynneal Williams, Kady Hydrick, Amanda Kafer, Chrissy Marvin and Annie Osbourne. In order to be selected to the team the chosen eight had to 1) participate in at least half the team competition; 2) achieve a 3.2 cumulative grade-point average (on a 4.0 scale) at the conclusion of the completed term; 3) complete at least one academic term at his/her current institution.

Johnson A 2006 Academic All-District Selection:

University of Northern Colorado senior forward Marika Johnson was named to the 2006 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District Women's Soccer University Division District 7 second team, selected by CoSIDA in the fall of 2006. Johnson had a cumulative 3.74 grade-point average in her major of sport and exercise science.

Johnson was one of 22 players selected from District 7, which includes schools in the states of Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming, and the Canadian provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan. Selections were open to student-athletes who have reached sophomore academic standing and carry at least a 3.20 G.P.A.

The academic all-district team honors student-athletes who excel both on the playing field and in the classroom. The awards are sponsored by and voted on by the members of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).

Up Next:

Northern Colorado only has one game next week and will take on Wyoming on Oct. 5 at 3 p.m.