OFFENSE..CHECK, DEFENSE...CHECK
After returning just three starters from the 2006 squad that won the Loggers their fifth straight Northwest Conference title, the 2007 version looked tough in their season opening wins over Northwest and #7 UC Santa Cruz. This week, the Loggers continue the homestand as they will take on Cal Lutheran and Augsburg on East Athletic Field.
The Loggers vs. Northwest
After a year off due to injuries, sophomore Janece Levien (Beaverton, Ore.) made up for the time lost, scoring four goals as the 21st-ranked Puget Sound Loggers blasted the Northwest Eagles, 6-0, in a non-conference women's soccer game on Friday evening at Peyton Field in Tacoma, Wash.
Levien scored the Loggers first goal of the young season in the 18th minute on a long shot from about 20 yards out that nicked off of Northwest keeper Jasmine Yeldon's outstretched hands. Just about five minutes later, Levien scored again, this time on a feed from freshman Ryne Olsen (Durango, Colo.) as the Loggers took a 2-0 lead into halftime.
In the second half, Levien collect the hat trick when senior Adrienne Folsom (Lakewood, Wash./Charles Wright Academy) fed her from the right side and Levien blasted the ball in from about 10 yards out. The Loggers made it 4-0 when junior Nikki Graff (Corvallis, Ore./Crescent Valley) took advantage of a deflection of a Northwest defender to put the ball into the net.
Sophomore Melissa Abellanida (Pukalani, Hawaii/King Kekaulike) made it a five goal lead when Graff found her about five yards out and Abellanida converted the opportunity. Levien scored her final goal of the evening in the 78th minute when Folsom found her again and the Loggers got the win in their season opener, 6-0.
Kallie Wolfer (Salt Lake City, Utah/Skyline) made two saves in the first half and Katie Wheeler (Oregon City, Ore.) made three saves in the second half as the Loggers secured the shutout.
The Loggers vs. UC Santa Cruz
In a battle of nationally-ranked squads, it was the 21st-ranked Puget Sound Loggers getting the win, 4-0, over the seventh-ranked UC Santa Cruz Banana Slugs in a non-conference women's soccer game on Sunday afternoon on Peyton Field in Tacoma, Wash.
The Loggers picked up an early goal when junior midfielder Fiona Gornick (Portland, Ore./Grant) took a pass from Kandace Logan (Tacoma, Wash./Barry) in the fifth minute and blasted a shot from outside the box past UCSC keeper Katie Loomis. Puget Sound doubled their lead in the 35th minute when Janece Levien (Beaverton, Ore.) scored her fifth goal of the season, taking a pass from Adrienne Folsom (Lakewood, Wash./Charles Wright) that was redirrected by the foot of Katie Gillette (Fairbanks, Alaska/West Valley).
In the second half, the Loggers made it 3-0 in the 48th minute when Lauren Gehring (Port Orchard, Wash./South Kitsap) took advantage of a corner kick, heading in the ball lofted up by Logan. The Loggers earned their final score of the afternoon in the 59th minute when Gornick took advantage of a deflection off the right post and put the ball into the net for the second time this afternoon.
Sophomore Kallie Wolfer (Salt Lake City, Utah/Skyline) earned the clean sheet for the Loggers, making four saves. Loomis made five saves for the Banana Slugs, but allowed the four goals as the Loggers took the 4-0 win.
National Attention
The Loggers early season wins didn't go unnoticed in the national polls. In the adidas/NSCAA national rankings, the Loggers moved from 14th to fifth after taking over the West Region's top spot. In the D3Kicks.com Top 25, the Loggers also made a big jump, moving from 21st to 11th in the first regular season poll.
Award Time
After scoring five goals in the season's first two games, sophomore forward Janece Levien (Beaverton, Ore.) joined teammate Kallie Wolfer (Salt Lake City, Utah/Skyline) as Northwest Conference Players of the Week, as announced by the conference on Tuesday. In addition to the conference honors, Levien was also named to the D3Kicks.com National Team of Week.
Scouting Cal Lutheran
California Lutheran University women's soccer will enter the 2007 season returning 11 players, including five starters from last year's squad that finished fourth in the SCIAC standings. Seniors Jordan Kirkman and Mackenzie Porter are co-captains of this year's team and junior Sarah Rickert returns her team leading seven goals for the Regals. CLU will take on Point Loma Nazarene in their season opener before heading up to Tacoma.
Scouting Augsburg
The Auggies, from Minneapolis, Minn., will come to Tacoma this weekend with a record of 1-1 on the young season. Augsburg earned a 6-0 win over Northwestern College-Roseville before falling to Wisconsin-Eau Claire, 3-0, in their home debut on Saturday. Prior to taking on the Loggers on Sunday, the Auggies will travel to Parkland to take on Pacific Lutheran on Friday.
The Coach
Leading the Loggers in 2007 is six-time Northwest Conference Coach of the Year Randy Hanson, who has put together a record of 153-49-21 through the weekend in 11 seasons with the Loggers.
Subscribe to Puget Sound RSS Feeds
