Commencing its ninth season of intercollegiate women's soccer, Drake opens its 2010 campaign this week with a pair of road matches at Iowa State and Green Bay. The Bulldogs face the Cyclones on Friday (Aug. 20) at the Prairie Ridge Soccer Complex in Ankeny, Iowa, before traveling to tangle with the Phoenix on Sunday (Aug. 22). Game time versus Iowa State is slated for 5:00 p.m., while the showdown in Green Bay kicks off at 1:00 p.m.
SCOUTING THE CYCLONES
Iowa State (0-0) enters its 2010 campaign looking to rebound after a disappointing 7-9-4 mark, including 2-8-0 in the Big XII, a year ago. The Cyclones return their top-two leading scorers in sophomore Amanda Woelfel and junior Mary Kate McLaughlin, who tallied four goals each in 2009. Iowa State will be breaking in a new goalkeeper this season with the departure of Ann Gleason, who made 85 saves, while owning a 1.04 goals against average last fall.
SCOUTING THE PHOENIX
Green Bay (0-0) eyes a bounce back campaign this fall after registering a 4-11-3 mark, including 2-4-2 in the Horizon League in 2009. The leading returning scorer for the Phoenix is junior Corey Arno, who tallied three goals and two assists last season. Returning in net for Green Bay is junior Maddie Drusch, who recorded 97 saves, while posting a 1.44 goals against average a year ago.
SERIES HISTORY
The Bulldogs are meeting Iowa State for the seventh time with the series all-square at 2-2-2. A year ago, the two sides engaged in a scoreless double-overtime draw at Drake Stadium. For the fourth time in school history and first since 2007, Drake will encounter Green Bay, with the Bulldogs having claimed wins in each of the previous three meetings.
THE COACHES
Iowa State: Wendy Dillinger is in her third season leading the Cyclones, registering a 12-21-6 (.385) mark. In eight previous campaigns as a head coach, she owns a 98-46-14 (.665) ledger.
Green Bay: Trevor Warren is in his third campaign directing the Phoenix program, registering a 9-18-7 mark. His record in 10 seasons as a head coach is 112-56-14 (.654).
Drake: In her third season on the Drake sidelines as head coach is Lindsey Horner, who owns a 17-19-4 mark (.475).
DRAKE HEAD COACH LINDSEY HORNER
Lindsey Horner is in her third season leading the Drake women's soccer program after serving five years (2003-08) as assistant coach for the Bulldogs.
Horner was named to her position on April 10, 2008, becoming only the second head coach for women's soccer, which began as a varsity sport in 2002.
Horner guided the Bulldogs to a 9-9-1 mark in 2009. Earning first team All-MVC honors was senior Elizabeth Woerle, while fellow seniors Blair Nelson and Crystal Townley collected second team laurels. Receiving All-MVC honorable mention recognition were seniors Rachel Gielau and Melissa Lewis along with junior Bailey Dorrington. Laura Moklestad was selected to the MVC All-Freshmen squad. Lewis also earned first team All-MVC Scholar-Athlete honors for the second consecutive year.
In her first season leading the Bulldogs, Drake posted an 8-10-1 mark in 2008, including a 4-2 record in the Missouri Valley Conference. Senior Katie Sauer was tabbed a first team All-MVC selection, while then senior Jenny Schroeder and juniors Elizabeth Woerle and Crystal Townley were chosen as second team All-MVC selections. Juniors Blair Nelson and Melissa Lewis gained honorable mention all-league accolades, while freshmen Samantha Knosby and Danielle Figliola were named to the All-MVC Freshman team.
Off the field, Drake maintained a collective 3.25 grade point average with Schroeder and Lewis tabbed as first team All-MVC Scholar-Athlete selections.
Horner was the Bulldogs' top assistant from 2003-08. During her tenure, the Bulldogs compiled a 56-35-9 record winning four Missouri Valley Conference regular season championships, while competing in the 2006 NCAA Tournament. She assisted in all facets of the Bulldog soccer program and served as camp director of the Premier Soccer camps.
Horner has been involved with Iowa Olympic Development Program since 2004. She plans to assist with the 1994 girls squad this season.
She has worked with several youth clubs as a clinician and a coach.
In 2002, Horner was a sports marketing intern for the Washington Freedom of the Women's United Soccer Association, where she was invited to try out for the team and also was a coach for Freedom camps and clinics.
Horner, a native of West Des Moines, Iowa, was a four-year letterwinner at Kansas, being named the Jayhawks' most valuable offensive player as a senior in 2000. She was an all-academic Big 12 Conference selection in the spring of 2001 and graduated in 2002 with a bachelor of science degree from the school of education, majoring in exercise science with an emphasis in sports management. She is working towards a master's degree in adult learning and organizational performance.
She also helped the Kansas women's basketball team to a second-place finish in the Big 12 Conference Tournament while making an NCAA Sweet Sixteen appearance in 1997.
Horner holds a Premier Coaching Diploma from the NSCAA and a 'B' license from USSF.
ON THIS DATE IN BULLDOG HISTORY
Drake will play in its earliest contest in school history when it faces Iowa State this week and the Bulldogs' inaugural showdown on Aug. 22 when it tangles with Green Bay.
IN SEASON OPENERS
The Bulldogs go in search of their second consecutive season-opening victory when Drake faces Iowa State on Friday (Aug. 20). In their previous eight season lidlfiters, the Bulldogs have been challenged by Arizona (twice), Eastern Michigan, Florida, Minnesota, Northwestern, Iowa and North Dakota State and own a 2-6 mark. Drake's two victories came over Eastern Michigan in 2003 (2-0) and versus North Dakota State last season (2-1 in OT).
IN OUR LAST MEETINGS
Drake 0, Iowa State 0 (2OT) (Sept. 20, 2009)
DES MOINES, IOWA - Drake unleashed a defensive gem as the Bulldogs turned in their third consecutive shutout earning a 0-0 double-overtime tie with in-state rival Iowa State at Drake Stadium.
The defensive execution by then junior Bailey Dorrington (Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Xavier), and departed seniors Rachel Gielau, Karissa Brown and Melissa Lewis proved instrumental in Drake garnering its first result in a match with the Cyclones since posting a 4-2 victory at Iowa State in the 2006 campaign.
Then sophomore goalkeeper Kourtney Arnold (Norwalk, Iowa/Norwalk) highlighted the defensive gem, collecting a game-high eight saves en route to her fourth shutout of the season.
Iowa State won the shot count in the affair, 15-13, but it was then senior Elizabeth Woerle that recorded a game-high four shots to pace the Bulldogs.
The Cyclones garnered four shots apiece from Jordan Bishop and Jordan Wagner. Ann Gleason pulled in five saves for Iowa State.
Drake 4, Green Bay 0 (Oct. 7, 2007)
GREEN BAY, WIS. - Drake got on the winning track in a big way with a 4-0 win over host Green Bay. Six different Bulldogs players were in on the scoring.
Sinead Brown scored Drake's first goal in the ninth minute (8:17) on a one timer from Nikki Thaden and Lauren Hoguta.
Thaden scored a goal of her own in the 32nd minute (31:12) from 30 yards out with an assist from Crystal Townley.
Townley scored Drake's third goal in the 39th minute (38:50) after dribbling through the midfield and taking a 15-yard blast unassisted.
Bulldog Sarah Foote scored her third goal in as many games to cap off the Drake scoring attack in the 76th minute (75:40) on a feed from Melissa Lewis. Foote sent a shot through the Phoenix defense from eight yards out.
The Bulldogs peppered Green Bay goalkeeper Brooke Wikgren with 12 shots on goal. Drake outshot the Phoenix, 24-12.
Brown led the Bulldogs attack taking six shots. Lewis added five shots with three on goal for the Bulldogs effort.
MOKLESTAD EARNS PRESEASON ALL-MVC HONOR
Sophomore forward Laura Moklestad (Des Moines, Iowa/Roosevelt) was among 15 players tabbed by a vote of the seven Missouri Valley Conference head women's soccer coaches to the All-MVC Preseason squad the league announced on Aug. 10.
Moklestad was named to the honorable mention team after turning in a breakout rookie campaign, appearing in all 21 games, including 12 starts. She led the squad in assists (5), while ranking second in goals (5) and points (5) and fourth in shots (26) and shots on goal (12) en route to being named to the All-MVC Freshman unit.
PRESEASON MVC POLL TABS DRAKE FIFTH
Drake was picked to finish fifth in the MVC Coaches Preseason poll with 19 points. Pegged ahead of the Bulldogs are Evansville (23 points), Missouri State (36 points), Creighton (37 points) and league favorite Illinois State (46 points). Rounding out the poll was Indiana State (19 points) and Northern Iowa (16 points).
WINS VERSUS LOSSES
In their nine victories last season, the Bulldogs registered 15.8 shots, 5.0 corner kicks and 4.1 saves, while their opponent recorded 9.1 shots, 3.0 corner kicks and 5.3 saves. In its nine setbacks, Drake averaged 8.9 shots and 5.1 saves, while seeing the opposition net 15.6 shots and 3.7 saves per game.
UP NEXT
Drake remains on the road with contests at North Dakota (Aug. 27) and South Dakota State (Aug. 29). Game time versus the Fighting Sioux is slated for 4:00 p.m., while the game with the Jackrabbits begins at 1:00 p.m.
