Friday, August 22, 2008
Nevada vs. UC Santa Barbara, 7 p.m.
Mackay Stadium
Reno, Nev.
Nevada (0-0-0) vs. UC Santa Barbara (0-0-0)
Follow the Pack
All of Nevada’s home matches and select road matches will have Live Stats. The Live Stats will be available at kickoff at the following link:
http://www.nevadawolfpack.com/liveStats/liveStats.dbml
About Nevada
The University of Nevada soccer team will begin its ninth season of play on August 22, 2008 hosting UC Santa Barbara. The Pack returns 15 letterwinners and nine starters from its 2007 team that recorded its third consecutive WAC Tournament appearance. The Pack welcomes seven newcomers to its 2008 team including two Nevada natives, Sarah Voss (Spanish Springs HS) and Joanne Terranova (McQueen HS).
Nevada in Season Openers
Nevada is 1-6-1 in season openers. The Pack fell in its season-opening game in 2007, dropping a 1-0 home game to #19 Oregon. Nevada won its season opener in 2006, a 2-0 road victory at Sacramento State while the Pack opened the 2005 season with a 1-1 tie versus UC Riverside.
Follow the Leader
Senior Miranda Montejo is the Pack’s all-time leader in points with 44. She is also second all-time in career goals (17) and needs two goals to become Nevada’s all-time leader in goals. Senior Karen Zmirak is second all-time in career points (41) and is third in career goals (16). Senior Jessica Thompson is first all-time in assists with 15 while Montejo and senior Samantha Miller each have recorded 10 career assists.
Montejo Named to the Preseason All-WAC Team
Senior Miranda Montejo was named to the 2008 Preseason All-WAC team for the first time in her career. Montejo, a two-time All-WAC second team selection, has played in 60 career games for Nevada, making 51 starts. Montejo has recorded 17 career goals and 10 career assists. Her selection marks the ninth time a Nevada player has earned Preseason All-WAC honors.
Start the Season
2008 marked just the fourth time in program history the Pack did not play an exhibition game against a college opponent. Nevada faced Pacific in 2000 but did not play an exhibition match again until 2004. From 2004 until 2007 the Pack faced Chico State. Nevada also faced CS Stanislaus in 2007.
Busy Summer
Several members of the Nevada soccer team spent their summer training and competing at various events. Senior Patrice Godwin was invited to the U23 Select/Amateur National Team Camp in San Bernadino, Calif., July 2-6. Sophomore Erin Smith and freshman Annabelle Allen won the Region IV Championship in Honolulu, Hawaii on June 22. The win automatically qualified their club team, Colorado Rush, for the US Youth Soccer National Championships in Little Rock, Ark. , July 22-27. Smith and Allen led their club team to a 3-0 shutout victory over Sting 90 (North Texas) to win the 2008 U18 US Youth Soccer National Championship.
News and Notes
Nevada has opened its season at home four times during program history including two times in the last three seasons (2007 and 2005)...first-year head coach Jaime Frias is the fourth head coach in Nevada’s nine year history...Nevada goalkeeper Sarah Hunt won a WAC Championship and advanced to the NCAA Tournament with the Pack softball team in 2008.
Frequent Flyers
Nevada’s 2008 roster features four international players, two from Canada and two from Australia. Senior Karen Zmirak, the first Canadian player to sign with the program, is from Oakville, Ontario, Canada. Fellow Canadian, junior transfer Nikki McEachern, is from Calgary, Alberta, Canada. McEachern transferred to Nevada this season after playing two years at Clemson University. Zmirak transferred to Nevada as a sophomore in 2006 after playing one season at the University of Georgia. Sophomore Vanessa Mann is from Shellharbour, New South Wales, Australia and is joined this season by freshman Ellie Stott who is from East Gosford, New South Wales, Australia.
Home Grown
Nevada’s 2008 roster features five players from the Reno/Sparks area: seniors Trisha Gibbons (Reed HS) and Sarah Hunt (McQueen HS); sophomore Alyx Sacks (McQueen HS); and freshmen Sarah Voss (Spanish Springs HS) and Joanne Terranova (McQueen HS). Since 2000, players from Northern Nevada high schools have appeared on Nevada’s rosters 29 times. Local players have come from seven high schools: Galena, Carson, McQueen, Reed, Reno, Spanish Springs and Douglas. Players from Reed High School have appeared on Nevada’s rosters 11 times while players from McQueen High School have appeared on the Pack’s rosters seven times. The 2003 team had the most local players in program history with seven.
Scouting the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos
All-Time Series: UC Santa Barbara leads the all-time series 1-0.
Last Meeting: UC Santa Barbara won the only meeting between the two schools posting a 3-0 win over Nevada at Mackay Stadium in 2002.
A Look at UC Santa Barbara: UCSB played one exhibition match this season, beating Westmont College 3-0 on August 16. The Gauchos will open the regular season against Nevada. UCSB, who ended the 2007 season 6-10-4 overall and 3-4-1 in Big West Conference play, is picked to win the conference this season. UCSB’s 12-member incoming class is ranked 38th in the nation by Soccer Buzz. The Gauchos return eight starters and 15 letterwinners from its 2007 team. UCSB is coached by Paul Stumpf who is in his 10th season.
Nevada to Host the 2008 WAC Soccer Tournament
The University of Nevada and Mackay Stadium will host the WAC Soccer Tournament for the second time in program history. The league’s top six teams from the regular season standings will qualify for the conference tournament. This fall will mark the second time Nevada has hosted the conference soccer tournament. The Pack hosted the tournament for the first time in 2006, beating Fresno State in the championship game 4-2 in penalty kicks to win its first WAC Tournament title and qualify for its first NCAA Tournament appearance. Nevada has qualified for the WAC Tournament every season since the program’s first appearance in 2005.
GBYSL Game-Day Information
Thanks to a generous donation to the Nevada soccer program, all members of the Great Basin Youth Soccer League U-14 and younger, will get in free to all of Nevada’s home matches by showing a copy of their GBYSL membership card at the gate or by wearing their uniform to the game. Due to NCAA rules, high school players who play in the GBYSL are not eligible.
2008 Nevada Camper Day
Nevada camper day is Sunday, September 28 when the Wolf Pack faces UC Davis at 1 p.m. All campers who attended one of Nevada’s soccer camps this summer will receive free admission to the game by wearing their 2008 Nevada soccer camp t-shirt.
Upcoming Schedule
The Pack will travel to Las Vegas, Nev. for the Rebel Classic, Aug. 29 and 31. Nevada will face UNLV on Friday at 1 p.m. and will take on UOP on Sunday at 1 p.m.
