Bearkat duo named preseason all-conference
8/9/2016 3:11:00 PM | Soccer
HUNTSVILLE – With 13 new players joining the Sam Houston State soccer program this fall, it will be up the seven-member senior class to help set the tone. Two of those members earned high praise from their competitors on Tuesday.
Forward Allie Johnson and defender Megan Bennett were named 2016 All-Southland Conference Preseason Second-Team honorees, an award voted on by the league's 12 head coaches.
“I think it is good recognition from the coaches that both these players have played a significant part in our team the last three years,” head coach Tom Brown said. “Going into their senior year, hopefully they'll be able to play a significant part in our success and building on that success last year.”
For Johnson, the recognition comes after being named All-Southland Tournament a season ago. The Allen native posted a brace in the league tournament semifinals against Houston Baptist and concluded her regular season being named an all-conference honorable mention.
“A.J. has done a good job putting herself in positions to score,” Brown said. “She had a fantastic sophomore year and was down a little early last year but really came on late. She scored some important goals for us to get us to the conference tournament final.”
The Allen High School product finished first on the team with eight goals and ranked eighth in league action with 0.45 goals per match. Over the final six matches, Johnson recorded four goals.
“Going into this year, she has been excited to get in and put that together over the course of the entire season,” Brown said. “She has come a long way from her freshman year where she struggled to score until the very end. She has definitely been a leader of this team and we anticipate that to continue through the season.”
For Bennett, the accolade comes after leading Sam Houston's defensive efforts a year ago. The Bearkats ranked tied for first in goals against average (0.83) and finished second with nine shutouts. In 1,847 minutes, the Spring native also added one assist and five shots.
“Megan Bennett has been almost an automatic selection for us in the back the last three years,” Brown said. “She's a steady player and definitely watches a lot of soccer, paying attention to the trends within the game. She does a good job of getting in and being able to read play and shut down the other team's attack.”
As a true freshman in 2013, Bennett led all Bearkats with 1,916 minutes, starting all 21 games in the heart of the defense. That trend continued as a sophomore, playing in all 19 matches while helping the Sam Houston defense to five shutouts over the final regular-season games.
The Bearkats, who opened fall camp last Wednesday, will host Houston in exhibition play on Friday from Pritchett Field. First touch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. The squad will open regular-season action on Aug. 19 at Alabama before returning home two days later to face UTSA.
“These two as well as all our seniors play an integral part in integrating 13 new players into our team,” Brown said. “How well those 13 integrate into the team culture and help us on the field will be a direct reflection on how good those seven seniors finish their career in terms of wins and losses.”
