Kats challenge Baylor defense Friday
8/17/2011 10:10:00 PM | Soccer
Kickoff at Baylor's Betty Lou Mays Field is at 7 p.m. and the Bearkats face a stiff challenge in the Bear's outstanding defense.
Baylor senior goalkeeper Courtney Seelhorst and her backline teamed to set a school record last year with 11 shutouts. Sam Houston was the victim of one of those shutouts as the Bears defeated the Kats 2-0 in Huntsville in 2010.
Sam Houston returns six starters from a squad that tied a school team record with nine victories and earned the Bearkats their second consecutive Southland Conference tournament berth.
Junior Kirby Zak and sophomore Tricia Mallory return to lead the Sam Houston offense. Zak became the first Bearkat women's soccer player to earn first team All-Southland honors last fall. She begins her junior season ranked fifth in SHSU career goals with 14.
In 2010, Mallory became the first Bearkat to be named as the recipient of a regular season league individual honor as the Southland's "Freshman of the Year." She set a Sam Houston record for most goals by a freshman (10) and ranked second in the league in goals scored.
Sam Houston has had only two weeks of preseason work to ready for the season opener. The Bearkats will return to Huntsville for their home opener at Pritchett Field Sunday night at 7 p.m. against Houston Baptist.
Other returning starters for the Bearkats include senior Deanna Long, juniors Lindsey Posner and Paige Rodriguez and sophomore Emily Edenstrom.
Other returning letter winners include senior Michele McCullough, juniors Hillary Ackerman, Kayla Anderson, Amanda Biega and Emily Jurecka and sophomores Cat Abitua, Natalie Johnson and Gayle Ziegler. Goalkeeper Mallory Garthwaite, who red-shirted as a true freshman in 2010, also returns.
Joining the squad as transfers are defender Hailey Shelpuk from Samford University and Jordan Sickman from Tyler Junior College. Incoming freshmen include Madison Bible, Becca Cheiffetz, Ashlyn Davis, Ashley Fluty, Megan Manis, Jordan Sickman and Jessica Toms.
