1999 Tulane Soccer Outlook
Aug 2, 1999 | Women's Soccer
Heading into the 1999 season, one word can be used to sum up the feeling surrounding the Tulane women?s soccer program - excitement. With the success of the 1999 FIFA Women?s World Cup this past summer, attention to women?s soccer is at an all-time high. And the excitement from the Women?s World Cup has spread to New Orleans and the Tulane women?s soccer team.
First-year head coach Eliot Perkins inherits a squad that features 10 field players who started at least 12 of the Green Wave?s 19 games a year ago. Six of the Wave?s top eight scorers return, as does Tulane?s top goalkeeper from last season.
Joining the team this year are 10 newcomers who should push the veterans for playing time. Among the 10 are five players who were All-State selections in high school, six who have been members of their state Olympic Development team and two who have Region Team experience.
Goalkeeper
Returning for her third season between the Green Wave goalposts is junior Jaclyn Urso. Urso notched 18 starts as a true freshman and started the first seven games of last season before injuring her knee against UNC Charlotte. However, she showed her resiliency, and indeed her competitveness, by returning a month later and posting a shutout against league rival Southern Miss in her first game back. Pushing Urso this season is freshman Claire Wilkinson. Wilkinson, who will be a sophomore academically at Tulane, has experience with both the Virginia and Iowa Olympic Development teams. While playing with the Bethesda Express club team, Wilkinson played an entire club season without allowing a goal.
Defense
Despite being manned by a freshman, two sophomores, a junior and a senior, the Tulane back line features a wealth of experience heading into the 1999 season.
Junior Samantha Cramer has played in every game during her two-year career. She has also started all but two of those contests. Senior Kristen Smeby brings three years of experience to the Wave defense. She has played in all but two games during her three-year career and is tied for second in career assists in Tulane history.
Sophomores Laura O?Grady and Jayme Ormiston also return for their second seasons and both bring a measure of versatility to the position. Both line up at outside marking back spots and both have a tremendous ability to go forward into the attack.
Freshman Katy Garlinghouse joins the back line this season after a standout prep career in California. A three-time Most Valuable Player, Garlinghouse was named Most Outstanding Athlete as a prep senior.
Midfield
At first glance, the Tulane midfield seems to be crowded, with 11 players listed for just four starting positions. But that also reveals two of the Wave?s strengths - versatility and depth. Nearly every player can play multiple positions, giving Tulane several options at any point during a game.
Returning to the midfield are seniors Jaclyn Scalzo and Tami Prisco. Scalzo is Tulane?s top returning scorer, while Prisco is an All-Conference USA honoree. Both provide a vast amount of experience. Sophomores Leslie McCombs, Desiree Bordes and Siobhan Sullivan also return in the midfield. McCombs was named to both the All-Conference USA team and the C-USA All-Freshman team last season, one of two players so honored by the league?s coaches. Bordes is coming off a tremendous spring season and can play almost anywhere down the center of the field. Sullivan played out wide for Tulane in 1998 and should see action there again this season.
Six newcomers are looking to make their mark on the Green Wave midfield this season. Stephanie Donaldson and Emily McArthur join the Tulane squad from the highly-successful Team America club program, helping the squad to a third-place showing at the 1998 U.S.Y.S.A. national championships.
Tracey Powers and Alycia Wanat also played their club ball together, with the D?Feeters club team in Texas. Powers should compete for a spot out wide, while Wanat can line up almost anywhere on the field. Rounding out the newcomers are Mandy Schumacher and Jennifer Champagne. Schumacher was an all-state choice in Florida who also spent time with the Region III team, while Champagne was an all-state selection in Texas.
Forward
In addition to the midfielders who can move forward to join the attack, the Green Wave front line features two seniors and two freshman, looking to rewrite the Tulane offensive record books.
Kate Mortland and Elyce Kirchner return for their senior seasons. Mortland is the only player to have played in all 59 games in Tulane soccer history and is tied for second in career assists. Kirchner has missed just one game during her collegiate career and ranks third in Tulane career shots.
New to the Wave front line are Colleen Lake and Megan Stack. Lake comes to Tulane after a stint with the Texas Longhorns club team and was a standout basketball player as well, while Stack was a three-time all-state selection in Tennessee.
