FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 8-23-07

AASU Soccer Opens Third Season Of Competition With High Expectations

Coach Faulconer returns 14 players from last season’s squad that led the PBC in scoring with 64 goals. With the addition of several talented newcomers for 2007, the Pirates will look to contend for the Peach Belt title in just its third season of competition.

The Pirates had no problem finding the back of the net last season, scoring 2.78 goals per game. AASU is led by returning top scorer, Kristin Burton (5-8, Soph., Ocala, Fla.), who chalked up an impressive Peach Belt leading 19 goals and seven assists for 45 points, earning her a spot on the NSCAA All-American team and the title of PBC Freshman and Player of the Year. Accompanying Burton up front will be All-Region and All-Conference forward/midfielder Lyndsi Stricklen (5-3, Jr., Middleburg, Fla.), who led the PBC with 12 assists and marked five goals of her own for 22 points. Shana Neves (5-7, Jr., Milton, Fla.), who tallied eight goals and four assists for 20 points in 2006 and was an All-Conference selection in 2005, returns to contribute to the Pirate offensive front and midfield in 2007. Rounding out the returnees up front is Kristin Savoy (5-4, Soph., Woodsville, N.H.), who saw time in both the midfield and on the front line and notched one goal and two assists for four points in 2006.

Incoming talent for coach Faulconer will only strengthen the scoring punch with such players as Brittany Carr (5-6, Jr., Alpharetta, Ga.), a transfer from West Georgia who tallied 13 goals and one assist for the Wolves in two seasons and was the team’s second leading scorer in 2005. Lindsey Willar (5-6, Soph., Shoreline, Wash.), a transfer from the Savannah College of Art and Design, played in 15 games for the NAIA Region XIV Tournament Runner-up Bees as a freshman. Freshman Lianne Stricklen (5-7, Fr., Middleburg, Fla.), the younger sister of fellow Pirate Lyndsi Stricklen, will look to see some action up front and in the midfield as she was one of the “Top Five Players to Watch” by the Florida Times-Union as well as the alltime leading scorer at Ridgeview High School with 133 career goals.

Junior Jamie Craine (5-7, Jr., Port Orange, Fla.), a two time All-PBC Tournament selection in 2005 and 2006, returns as an anchor to the midfield for AASU. All-PBC Tournament selection Ginny Child (5-8, Soph., Newnan, Ga.), who marked two goals and one assist for five points during her debut season also returns in the midfield. Senior Ashley Elam (5-5, Sr., Valdosta, Ga.) played in 21 games last year, notching three assists, looks to be a vital go-to midfielder. Junior Maggie Kennedy (5-5, Jr., Abita Springs, La.) returns to the squad off a two goal and three assist sophomore season. Holly Grulich (5-6, Jr., Tallahassee, Fla.) was a CoSIDA Academic All-District honoree in 2006 and will find some action in the midfield and on the defensive back line in 2007. Freshman midfielder Elizabeth Kerkhoff (5-5, Fr., Oxford, Ind.), a three time All-Conference selection and two-time All-Area selection at Benton Central High School, joins the Pirates lineup in 2007. Carey Patterson (5-9, Fr., Panama City Beach, Fla.), who helped Northwest Florida Force club team to the U18 White bracket title will see some time in the midfield and on the back line.

The Pirates return two defenders from the 2006 squad that lowered its GAA by more than a goal a game from its inaugural season. Jennifer Brian (5-7, Jr., St. Simons Island, Ga.), who tallied four goals in her sophomore season returns to the defensive backline. Kayley Ralton (5-7, Soph., Edinburgh, Scotland), who started 19 games and recorded three assists as a freshman until suffering a season ending injury. Faulconer looks to strengthen the defensive presence by adding several talented players to the roster, including Kelli Bahr (5-10, Fr., Middleton, Wisc.), who helped the Middleton Yahara Soccer Coalition to two division titles in 2004 and 2005. Junior Amanda Reynolds (5-7, Jr., Columbus, Ga.) was NSCAA All-Region First-Team honoree as well as a Second-Team All-American selection at Darton College. Alyssa Anderson (5-9, Fr., Niceville, Fla.) was a club team member of the Northwest Florida Force U18 White bracket champions with fellow teammate Carey Patterson while Columbus, Ga. native Kyndal Schaaf (5-8, Fr., Columbus, Ga.) rounds out the Pirate defensive newcomers as an All-BiCity Selection by the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer.

AASU returns two players in goal who split time last season. Tarra Kohler (5-6, Sr., Panama City, Fla.) returns for her final year of competition coming off a season where she averaged 0.94 goals against per game and made 49 saves in 13 starts. Samantha Held (5-10, Soph., Green Cove Springs, Fla.) returns off a debut season where she allowed 10 goals for a 1.11 goals against average while making 37 saves in 10 starts.The Pirates will get some help in goal from freshman keeper Tracey Mitchell (5-11, Fr., Albany, Ga.), who was a GISA threetime Honoroable Mention All-State selection for Deerfield-Windsor HS.

The Pirates, who are among teams receiving votes in the preseason NSCAA Division II Top 25 Coaches’ Poll, open up competition in Tampa against Nova Southeastern on Aug. 24, another team that has received votes. AASU then visits Florida Southern on August 26. AASU faces three nationally-ranked teams this season who will look to prohibit the Pirates from entering post season play. AASU will get a chance to seek revenge on a team that knocked them out of the NCAA Southeast Regional as No. 8-ranked Tusculum College comes to Savannah on Oct. 15. The Pirates will be on the road against fellow PBC opponent and No. 21-ranked Columbus State on Oct. 3, who bested AASU in penalty kicks in the 2006 Peach Belt Conference Tournament Championship match.

Rounding out the road trips for the Pirates will be road contests against Erskine on Aug. 31. A trip to Columbus, Ga on Sept. 7-9, to battle No.9-Ranked Carson-Newman, a fellow NCAA Southeast Regional participant in 2006, and Catawba, who fell to Armstrong Atlantic last year giving the young team its first ever win over a ranked squad. Other road trips include several PBC matches and a road contest against Queens University (N.C.) on Sept. 27.

Armstrong Atlantic will open its home schedule against Flagler on Sept. 2. The Pirates also host several PBC competitors including Clayton State, who is picked to finish second in the PBC by the league’s coaches. Making the trip to Savannah on Oct. 6 will be Newberry, who fell to AASU, 4-3, in the 95th minute on Oct. 7, 2006.

- Pirates -