Wake Forest Athletics
Demon Deacons Enter New Season With High Hopes
8/9/2000 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Aug. 9, 2000
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Head Coach Tony da Luz returns 15 letterwinners and nine starters from Wake Forest's most successful team in Demon Deacon history and adds five talented newcomers that could make this squad ... an opponent's nightmare.
Wake Forest returns from its most successful season in the program's six-year history and the Demon Deacons are just getting started. Ranked 12th in the country in the preseason coaches poll and second in the ACC, people are paying notice to Wake Forest women's soccer.
Fifteen letterwinners and nine starters return from the squad that finished 1999 with 16 wins, a final ranking of 12th in the nation and an unprecedented third round advancement in the NCAA Tournament. Head Coach Tony da Luz could not be more excited about the upcoming season and opportunities that lie ahead. With a foursome of talented freshmen and the addition of a superb junior transfer, the Deacs might have something really potent on the pitch.
"I'm very excited about this season," said da Luz, who enters his fourth season at the helm of the Demon Deacons. "We've never had as much depth at all of the positions and we've never had as much versatility as we have this year. Last year we went about 13 and this year we go 16, 17 players deep. That will will definitely be a huge factor for us if we can get through injuries and whatever comes about.
"We did so well last year in so many categories. We had a lot of firsts and a lot of broken records. We had a great spring, going undefeated. So everything is pointing to improvement and we would definitely like to get to the quarterfinals, host again throughout the playoffs and a Final Four chance is not completely out of our reach."
A splendid combination of offensive power and defensive strength gives the 2000 model of Wake Forest Women's Soccer a sleek new look. An amazing amount of speed, quickness and athleticism is evident throughout this group.
The attitude of preseason camp is even different. It isn't business anymore - outworking opponents has become personal. It almost appears that now that Wake has had a taste of success, it won't be satisfied until it achieves more. The potential for a successful season is more than evident as the Demon Deacons bring a combination of experience, determination and depth to the table.
"There is a high expectation and really a high level of excitement and anticipation for what we can do together, da Luz said." There is just more buzz than there has ever been before. I think the kids are probably taking it more seriously than any other time than I've been here. A lot of the pressure is coming from themselves, other than other sources, which is good. They want to win a championship and so do I. I want to win a trophy of some sort this year."
The last two ACC Rookie of the Year winners are both on the Wake Forest roster this season - and with another year of experience under their belts they have only gotten better. Junior midfielder Emily Taggart won the award in 1998 and the two-time all-conference and all-region selection is primed for an all-american season. Sophomore forward Joline Charlton won the award in 1999 and after leading the team in scoring last season, the speedy superstar is ready to lead the conference in scoring.
"Emily (Taggart) and Joline (Charlton) are exceptions to the norm," explained da Luz. "It is difficult to make the transistion to this level of soccer as a freshman, and then standout -especially in the ACC. There are so many good freshman coming into the league this year that it is hard to say who will have the biggest impact. We've got some good rookies coming in that will certainly help our team and hopefully Emily and Joline, as well as the rest of our returners, can help groom them and bring out the best in them."
Coach da Luz, the 1998 ACC Coach of the Year, not only surrounds himself with talent on the field, but talent in his coaching staff as well. Kelly Cagle returns for her fourth season as the top aide. A three-time All-American at Duke, Cagle has helped tutor seven All-ACC selections in her tenure at Wake. Skip Thorpe, assistant coach and the resident goalkeeper specialist, returns for his second season on the Demon Deacon coaching staff. Thorpe has already been working with incoming freshman goalkeeper Kenna Healy, with the Olympic Development Program regional team, where he is also an assistant coach - and his star pupil, starting goalkeeper Erin Regan, earned first team all-ACC honors last year. Amy Goaziou, who begins her first season on the Deac's staff, played for da Luz at San Diego.
"Kelly (Cagle) has been involved with recruiting from day one," da Luz said. "She has been developing great relationships with each member of our team. Kelly is a player's coach always challenging the players to improve. She is also a perfect role model for our players to immulate. Skip (Thorpe) brings a wealth of experience as a long standing ODP Region I staff coach. He provides great insights into our goalkeepers. Amy (Goaziou) played for me at USD for two years and knows what we want to accomplish on the field. She is bright and energetic, a nice addition to our staff."
Not afraid to take on the best, the 2000 schedule includes a trip to perennial power Santa Clara and matchups with California and Missouri, both of which were part of the NCAA Tournament field a season ago. Additionally, the Demon Deacons will face off against familiar ACC foes North Carolina, Duke, Maryland, Virginia and Clemson.
"This is probably our hardest schedule ever as far as non-conference opponents with Berkeley, Ohio State, Missouri, Iowa and then Stanford and Santa Clara," da Luz said. "There are a lot of top-20, if not top-10 teams in there. This year's schedule will definitely be a challenge for us, but I think that our kids are ready for it. Many of our key ACC games will be at home for us, as well as the Cal and Iowa matches. We've got some great home dates. The big test for us will be the weekend at Santa Clara and Stanford. Those are two top-10 teams in one weekend. Whichever way that goes it will benefit us in the long run because it will get us ready for the ACC schedule."
IN NET
First team All-ACC selection Erin Regan returns in net this season for Wake Forest. The junior goalkeeper set school records last season with her 0.71 GAA, nine shutouts, 113 saves and she finished the season ranked 12th in the nation for goals against average. The tall, swift, shot-stopping sensation has flourished with a year of starting experience under her belt. Learning from her will be sophomore goalie Leslie Goelz and freshman Kenna Healy.
"Erin Regan is a solid number one goalkeeper going into the fall," da Luz said. "Kenna Healy, who is a freshman coming in, had a good chance to compete for that spot, but she hurt her knee and will probably be out until the spring."
DEFENSE
All-ACC selection Stacy Roeck returns as the anchor of an iron tough Demon Deacon defense. Roeck, a junior defender, helped Wake hold opponents to 18 goals, 15 assists while pitching 12 shutouts and finishing the season ranked 18th in the country for team defense. She will be surrounded by seasoned veteran, senior Colleen Bradley, a pair of talented sophomores, Liz McDowell and Melissa Murray-Hobbs, and a transfer junior from Canada, Roxanne Chow.
A two-time NAIA All-American, Chow spent last year training in Belgium. Freshman A.B. Robbins along with sophomores Gabi Lieb and Tracy Chao will also compete for time in the backfield.
"Defense is probably the deepest position on our team," da Luz said. "We have Stacy (Roeck), Colleen Bradley, Liz McDowell, Katie Johnson, Gabi Lieb, Melissa Murray-Hobbs and Tracy Chao returning and they are solid. Then there are the new kids. Roxanne Chow played left back for the Canadian Under-21 National Team, so we think that she will be able to find a place back there. A.B. Robbins, who was the Virginia Player of the Year, has a lot of experience running the backline and she is very vocal. We're hoping that she can step in and move Stacy Roeck either up into the midfield or even up front, but we'll see."
MIDFIELD
Skilled juniors Emily Taggart, Sarah Kate Noftsinger, and crafty senior, Rachael Lewis, along with the savvy sophomores Joline Charlton, Katie Johnson and Lindsey Griffin make up a smart, quick and versatile group of midfielders. A pair of athletic freshmen, Katherine Winstead and Alena Thom, will also compete for time in the midfield.
"We have Rachael Lewis coming back off her knee injury," da Luz said. "She's going to be back 100 percent and will help us with playmaking in the midfield and give us a lot of possession. Sarah Kate (Noftsinger) is another one who will play in the middle. She is very active and has done a great job. Katie Johnson easily should move from the backline to the midfield, where she played at least half the season last year.
"Emily Taggart playing wide left in the midfield will give us a lot of attack down the left side and Joline Charlton played a lot on the right for us in midfield and will probably move up. Lindsey Griffin could end up on the right. She has really been working hard and has improved quite a bit.
"Then we have the newcomers coming in. Katherine Winstead gives us a new dimension and covers a lot of ground. She may figure in as a defensive midfielder. Alena Thom could see some time at either wide left or wide right. She's got a lot of speed and is such a physical kid that she could earn her way into one of those spots."
UP FRONT
Sophomore Joline Charlton and junior Emily Taggart, along with freshman Alena Thom, represent the thoroughbreds on the squad. These lethal strikers have a nose for the goal.
"Up front we have to decide what we are going to do with Emily Taggart, Joline Charlton, Lindsey Griffin and Alena Thom," da Luz said. "I would say that those four have the best chance of playing up top."
2000 Schedule
| Date | Opponent | Time |
| 8/20 | + #27 MINNESOTA | 5:30 PM |
| 8/25 | UNC GREENSBORO | 6:00 PM |
| 8/29 | at East Carolina | 4:00 PM |
| 9/1 | $ vs. Ohio State | 1:30 PM |
| 9/3 | $ at #30 Missouri | 1:00 PM |
| 9/12 | at UNC Charlotte | 7:00 PM |
| 9/15 | % CALIFORNIA | 7:30 PM |
| 9/17 | % VIRGINIA TECH | 2:00 PM |
| 9/22 | * #23 MARYLAND | 7:00 PM |
| 9/24 | IOWA | 1:00 PM |
| 9/29 | & vs. #7 Stanford | 6:00 PM |
| 10/1 | & at #3 Santa Clara | 12:30 PM |
| 10/4 | * #22 DUKE | 7:00 PM |
| 10/7 | * at Florida State | 7:00 PM |
| 10/12 | * #16 VIRGINIA | 7:00 PM |
| 10/17 | * at #6 Clemson | 7:00 PM |
| 10/25 | DAVIDSON | 7:00 PM |
| 10/27 | * #1 NORTH CAROLINA | 7:00 PM |
| 10/29 | * at NC State | 1:00 PM |
| 11/2-5 | ^ ACC Tournament | TBA |
ALL CAPS home match at Spry Stadium
* ACC game
# NSCAA/adidas preseason ranking
+ preseason exhibition match
$ Missouri Nike Tournament, Columbia, Mo.
% Wake Forest Nike Tournament, Winston-Salem, N.C.
& Santa Clara Nike Tournament, Santa Clara, Calif.
^ ACC Tournament, Durham, N.C.
