With a perfect 2-0 record in MWC action, the 21st ranked BYU women's soccer team steps out of conference play to make its last regular season road trip. The Cougars battle 4th ranked Nebraska Wed. Oct. 17 and then returns home to host MWC foe UNM on Fri. Oct. 19. The game against the Lobos is set for a 7 p.m. kick off at South Field.
Last Game Recap
BYU opened the 2001 Mountain West Conference schedule on the road with a 3-1 win at UNLV and a 3-2 victory against SDSU. The win over the Aztecs was only the second time the Cougars had won a conference game there. All American Aleisha Cramer scored two of the three goals against the Rebels. At SDSU Jeni Willardson Viernes picked up three points from a goal and an assist in that game. Kim Devine and Sarah Higham Yee also scored. The Cougars outshot both conference opponents (20-7) at UNLV and (18-7) against SDSU.
Willardson Viernes Gets MWC Weekly Honor
Junior Jeni Willardson Viernes was named this week's MWC Women's Soccer Player of the Week after picking up two goals and and assist in this week's MWC action. She helped BYU go 2-0 in MWC games. The 5-9 midfielder/forward from Murray, Utah scored one goal in the game agains UNLV and picked up a goal and an assist in the 3-2 win over SDSU.
Cougars in National Polls This Week
No. 21 by SoccerTimes Top 25 Coaches Poll
No. 23 by Soccer Buzz Magazine Top 25 Poll
Hermann Watch
• All American Aleisha Cramer is also one of 13 college players to be nominated for the Hermann Trophy. She's the lone sophomore nominated.
Returning Starters To Watch
• 17 Aleisha Cramer - MF, So (5G, 4A, 14PTS, 35SH)
• 11 Sarah Higham Yee - MF, Sr (4G, 1A, 9PTS, 25SH)
• 18 Jeni Willardson Viernes - MF/F, Jr (5G, 3A, 24PTS, 39SH)
Newcomers To Watch
• 15 Kim Devine - 5-5 F/Fr, Laguna Niguel, CA (Has started in all but one game, 6G, 3A, 15PTS, 27SH). She's currently the team's scoring leader
• 9 Krissa Campbell - MF/F, Fr, Folsom, CA (Played in all games, 1G, 2PTS, 10SH)
• 2 Kimmie Davis - MF/F, Fr, Torrance, CA (Played in all 12 games, starting in one, 2G, 3A, 7PTS, 6SH)
Cougar '01 Quickie Stats
• Averaging 16.69 shots on goal per game
• Averaging 2.08 goals per game
• Average1.92 assists per game
• Average 4.85 corner kicks per game
BYU Picked To Win MWC Crown
The MWC Coaches picked BYU to win its third consecutive title. The Cougars received five first-place votes and collected a total of 36 points to capture the top spot in the poll.
BYU won the 2000 regular-season MWC crown with a perfect 6-0 league record and captured the conference tournament title with a 6-1 victory over Utah.
Cougar Notes
With just five games remaining in the 2001 season, the BYU team has compiled a 8-4-1, 2-0-0 record after opening up MWC play with two straight road wins. The Cougars are poised to win an unprecedented third straight MWC Championship crown as well as the regular season title. Their remaining conference games are all at home after Wednesday's game at Nebraska. Freshman Kim Devine tops the scoring chart for the Cougars with 15 points from six goals and three assists. Two others are in double digit scoring for BYU. All-American Aleisha Cramer has 14 points from five goals and four assists with teammate Jeni Willardson Viernes right behind her with five goals and three assists for her 13 points. Cramer also leads the team in assists with four to date.
In MWC games only , Viernes and Cramer are tied with five points from two goals and one assist each.
Injury Report
Returning defender Farrah Hofheins is out for the season due to a torn ACL suffered in practice at the start of the season. Freshman forward Megan Dickerson has been cleared to practice after her second ACL injury and is expected to play this week. Sophomore defender Britney Holman will not travel or play this week after suffering a severe sprained ankle after the UNLV game last Thurs. Oct. 11.
Nebraska Notes
The fourth ranked Cornhuskers host the Cougars in Lincoln this Wednesday where they have a perfect 7-0 record to date. Nebraska's overall record is 9-2-0 with their to losses to Notre Dame and to Texas. There are four players on their 2001 team that are in double digits in points with forward Christine Latham at the top of the list with 20 points from eight goals and four assists. She's followed by Meghan Anderson has tallied four goals and six assist for her 14 points with Kori Saunders at 13 points from six goals and one assist. Christy Harms rounds out the top four scorers for the Cornhuskers with four goals and two assists for 10 points off of 17 shots. Nebraska is averaging 25.5 shots and 3.0 goals a game and have tallied112 corner kicks to opponents 18.
Series Record: 0-1 favoring the Cornhuskers. The last time the two teams met was back in 1995 during the first season that BYU's women's soccer team had been established as a Division I program. The score was 2-0 for Nebraska in Lincoln.
New Mexico Notes
The Lobos come to Provo with a 2-8-2, 1-0-1 record after beating Air Force 2-1 and a 0-0- tie against Wyoming. Freshman forward Coco D'Angelo is here team's leading scorer with two goals and one assist for five points. In conference games Camille Bremer and Laura Hafner have each scored a goal for their two points to date. New Mexico is getting 13.3 shots on goal and0.8 goals a game.
Series Record: 5-1-1 for BYU. The Cougars have won the last five straight contests between the two conference foes. BYU's lone loss dates back to the 1995 season when both schools were part of the WAC. The Lobos defeated the Cougars in the conference tournament 1-3 on Nov. 2, 1995.
The Rockwood File
Jennifer Rockwood begins her seventh season at the helm of BYU's women's soccer program. In six years she has guided her team to three conference championships and four straight appearances in the NCAA Championships beginning with the 1997 season. The Cougars have had two "Sweet Sixteen" finishes in 1998 and in 2000. Her many honors include two Coach of the Year honors, by the WAC in 1996 and in 2000 by the MWC.
Last season, she became the first MWC coach to eclipse the 100-win total on Sept. 23 with a 2-0 victory over Milwaukee-Wisconsin. Entering the 2001 season coach Rockwood ranked fifth among active coaches by winning percentage. She has averaged 18.6 wins per season over the past five years, which ranks second behind only Anson Dorrance of North Carolina for wins per season. Dorrance has won an average of 22.2 matches per season.
Rockwood has also coached in the Utah ODP , the youth club's and high school levels.
Rockwood's Record (13 Years at BYU, 7 with club team)
Division I/years: 120-30-3/6 (.784)
1995 Record: 11-8-1
1996 Record: 22-1-0
1997 Record: 19-4-0
1998 Record: 20-5-0
1999 Record: 21-4-0
2000 Record: 19-4-1
2001 Record: 8-4-1, 2-0
Rockwood Quotes
(On Cougars) The team is looking forward to the opportunity to play Nebraska, one of the top teams in the country. We're coming off a good weekend, we played well and we need to be prepared and be up for both of these games. Right now we have Britney Holman hurt so we'll have to make some adjustments in our defense and we'll need players to step it up.
(On Nebraska) Nebraska is a very strong, fast team that attacks a lot. We need to play our style of play and make Nebraska defend us as well.
(On New Mexico) It will be nice to play at home after this last road trip. We're looking forward to the New Mexico game and we need to be focused and stay mentally tough and prepared. They (New Mexico) will come very prepared and ready to play .
Cougars Travel Itinerary
On the team's final road trip of the regular season, BYU leaves for Lincoln, Nebraska on Tues. Oct. 16 on a United flight departing at 4:40 and arriving at 9:35 p.m. While there the team will stay at the Fairfield Inn Lincoln on 4221 Industrial Avenue, 402-476-6000 for phone and fax. The Cougars return Thurs. Oct. 18 leaving Lincoln on a United flight at 7:50 a.m., arriving at the Salt Lake International Airport at 10:36 a.m.
Practice Schedule In Lincoln
The Cougars are scheduled to practice on Wed., Oct. 17, at 9:30 a.m. on the University of Nebraska campus.
BYU Media Information For Home Games
At home, the Cougars practice daily from 2:15 to 5 p.m. Player and/or coach Rockwood interviews may be done in advance by contacting Norma Collett at 801-378-4908 or via e-mail at norma_collett@byu.edu
There are no player interviews 24 hours prior to games. The Cougars practice at Haws Field, just west of the Smith Fieldhouse.
Up Next For The Cougars
The BYU finishes its MWC schedule at home hosting its last four games. The first conference foe New Mexico comes to South Field Fri., Oct. 19 in a 7 p.m. kickoff. Then its Air Force on Oct. 25 and Wyoming on Oct. 27. BYU's final home game is on Nov. 3 against instate rival Utah.