Six seniors playing final home matches
10/30/2008 1:00:00 AM | Soccer
Heading into the final weekend of the 2008 Southland Conference women's soccer campaign, the Sam Houston State Bearkats control their own destiny as they seek their second consecutive SLC post-season tournament berth.
The Bearkats are 8-6 for the season and 4-4 in Southland Conference play. They stand one game behind Southeastern Louisiana in the race to finish as one of the league's top six teams and qualify for next week's Southland Conference women's soccer tournament at Lake Charles, LA.
In the six-year history of the program, the Kats have earned tournament berths twice -- in 2005 when Sam Houston reached the tournament finals and last year when the Kats lost 1-0 in the first round. The winner of the Southland tournament earns the league's NCAA championship tournament berth.
Victories in both Sam Houston's games at Pritchett Field this weekend would put the Bearkats in the tournament. Also, a split with McNeese and Lamar would still put SHSU in the tournament if Nicholls State can defeat Southeastern Louisiana Sunday.
Sam Houston plays host to McNeese State Friday at 7 p.m. and Lamar Sunday at 1 p.m. at Pritchett Field.
The Cowgirls of McNeese come into Friday's contest with a 10-5-1 overall record and stand atop the Southland Conference standings with a 6-0-1 league mark.
"Obviously, winning both games presents us a challenge. McNeese State has an excellent team, but if we play as hard as we're capable, anything can happen," SHSU head coach Tom Brown said.
The 2008 women's soccer team also will be working to complete the program's first ever winning season. Last year's 6-11 record represented the program's most victories in one year until the 2008 team started this fall 7-2.
Six seniors will be playing in their final home matches this week. Four of those seniors are four-year starters.
The seniors are Raquel Bueno, Monica Madden, Carla Campbell, Brittany Foerstner, Laera Gattoni and Noelle Wiggins.
A mass communications major from Sao Paulo, Brazil, Bueno stands as Sam Houston's all-time scoring leader with 24 goals. She is a two-time honorable mention All-Southland honoree and was "Most Valuable Player" at the 2005 Southland Conference post-season tournament.
Madden, a kinesiology major from Austin, will be playing in her 63rd and 64th matches as a Bearkat this weekend. She has started 32 matches in her four years as a Bearkat. She was a Academic All-Southland Conference honorable mention honoree last year as a junior.
Campbell, an international business major from Frisco, has started 38 matches and appeared in 16 other contests as a defender the past four years for Sam Houston State.
A two-time Academic All-Southland Conference honorable mention selection, Foerstner has started in all 14 matches this season and in 47 contests during her four-year career. She is an education major from Garland.
Gattoni has played in 28 matches as a midfielder since transferring to Sam Houston from Alabama State. She is a Southland Conference academic honor roll honoree majoring in biology.
Wiggins, a health major from Alvin, has appeared in 40 matches as a midfielder for the Bearkats during her Sam Houston State career.
