The Wolf Pack women’s soccer team opens the 2006 season on Sunday, Aug. 27, hitting the road for a match at Sacramento State at 1 p.m Pacific Time. Nevada returns 10 starters and 14 letterwinners in 2006, including all five of its second-team All-WAC honorees from last season (Samantha Miller, Miranda Montejo, Randee Robinson, Aivi Luik and Jessica Wilcox). The Wolf Pack is coming off the best season in program history in which the team finished with an 11-7-2 overall record and a 4-2-1 mark in WAC play. The 2005 team was also the first squad in program history to qualify for the conference tournament. This season, Nevada has been picked to finish fourth in the WAC and had two players named to the Preseason All-WAC team in junior Jessica Wilcox and sophomore Samantha Miller.
This Week
Nevada (0-0-0) at Sacramento State (0-0-0)
Sunday, Aug. 27, 2006 at 1 p.m. PT
Hornet Soccer Field
All-Time vs. the Sacramento State Hornets:
Nevada is 1-3 all-time vs. Sacramento State. The Pack recorded its first victory against the Hornets last season, when Nevada posted a 3-0 home victory. In last year’s game, the Wolf Pack used three second-half goals from Randee Robinson, Miranda Montejo and Naomi Hernandez as Nevada shutout Sacramento State. Two of Nevada’s matches versus Sacramento State have gone into overtime, and Nevada has scored at least one goal in all four matches against the Hornets.
Exhibition Results:
Nevada scored five goals to secure a 5-1 decision over Chico State on Aug. 17 at Mackay Stadium. The Wolf Pack scored four first-half goals courtesy of sophomore Miranda Montejo, junior Kenishia Warren and seniors Aivi Luik and Kristin Anderson. Sophomore Samantha Miller recorded Nevada’s fifth goal of the game. Both of Nevada’s goalies, sophomore Caitlin Holmes and junior Jen Mavis saw playing time.
Record Watch:
Several Nevada players on this season’s roster already have their names in the Wolf Pack career record book and look to to move their names up even higher. Sophomore Miranda Montejo and senior Naomi Hernandez each have nine career goals and are just four away from claiming second and 10 away from first all time. Seniors Kristin Anderson and Lauren Kinneman, who each have seven career assists, are each two assists away from the number one spot. Sophomores Montejo, Miller and Jessica Thompson along with seniors Aivi Luik and Terran Hadlock all have five career assists. Hernandez, who has recorded two multiple goal games, is three multiple-goal matches away from being number one all time.
From All Over:
Nevada’s roster features three international players, the most in program history. Sophomore Karen Zmirak hails from Oakville, Ontario, Canada where she was named the 2004 Female Athlete of the Year by the Toronto Sun. Zmirak played at Georgia during the 2004 season where she led the Bulldogs in scoring, points and assists. Australia natives Luik and junior Kenishia Warren will both play in the Wolf Pack midfield this season. Luik, a native of Gold Coast, Australia, started all 20 matches for Nevada last season and her 17 points (six goals and five assists) were second most on the team. Luik will serve as one of the Wolf Pack’s captains this fall. Warren, who is from Terrigal, New South Wales, Australia, spent the past two seasons playing for Central Coast United in the Australian Women’s Premier League.
2006 Team Captains:
Seniors Terran Hadlock, Aivi Luik and junior Blaine Dugan will serve as team captains for Nevada in 2006. Hadlock has played in 55 career matches for Nevada and has recorded one goal and five assists. After just one season at Nevada, Luik has scored six goals and recorded five assits while being named to the All-WAC second team. Dugan, a native of Tempe, Ariz., has one career assist for Nevada. She played in 17 of Nevada’s 20 games last season.
Upcoming Schedule:
Nevada will put its nine-game home unbeaten streak on the line when it hosts Wisconsin Green-Bay and Northern Iowa on Sept. 1 and 3 at Mackay Stadium. The Wolf Pack will face Wisconsin Green-Bay on Friday at 7 p.m. and Northern Iowa on Sunday at 2 p.m.
