Sept. 24, 2003
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at No. 19 Kansas (8-1) * Lawrence, Kan. * Friday, Sept. 26 * 7 p.m.
at Oklahoma State (8-0) * Stillwater, Okla. * Sunday, Sept. 28 * 1 p.m.
After a solid start in their non-conference schedule, the Bears will head out of town on their extended road trip for their first two conference matches of the year. At the conclusion of the weekend, the Bears will have played their sixth consecutive game on the road, four of which took place outside the state of Texas.
The No. 19 Kansas Jayhawks enter their first-conference game on Friday after having a successful non-conference schedule, only facing defeat one time at Wisconsin in a close 3-2 decision. The Jayhawks (8-1) are led by sophomore forward Caroline Smith. Smith has 11 goals in only nine games, which places her at the top of Big 12 scorers. The Jayhawks are led defensively by junior goalkeeper Meghan Miller. She leads the Big 12 in shutouts, a feat she has accomplished four times.
On Sunday, the Bears will make their final stop of this road trip to take on the Cowgirls of Oklahoma State. The Cowgirls have been perfect so far this season, going 8-0, most recently defeating Oral Roberts 2-0. As a team, the Cowgirls rank at the top of 10 of the 12 team catagories. Leading this group is newcomer Adriane Radtke. Radtke, a freshman forward ranks first in the Big 12 in points (26) and second in goals (10). The Cowgirls start conference play on Friday against Texas Tech in Stillwater.
Last Time Out
* SATURDAY at No. 23 Cal Poly 1, Baylor 0, (Cal Poly Invitational)
Baylor (4-3) suffered its first scoreless game of the season as they lost 1-0 to No. 23 Cal Poly (8-0) Saturday at the Cal Poly Invitational.
The game was held scoreless until the 39th minute when Cal Poly freshman forward Kelsey Carroll slipped the ball past Baylor goalkeeper Monica Housden. Carroll received a pass from teammate Sharon Day and placed the ball in the left corner from 10 yards out to give the Mustangs a 1-0 advantage. It was Carroll's third goal of the season and second game-winning goal.
The Bears had a golden opportunity to get on the board early when sophomore midfielder Tiffany Boshers blasted a shot from 20 yards out past Cal Poly goalkeeper Greta Shirdon in the 24th minute. The ball deflected off the goal post and was covered up by Shirdon.
* SUNDAY: Baylor 3, vs. Air Force 1 (Cal Poly Invitational)
After suffering their first shutout of the season on Saturday, first-year head coach George Van Linder led the Bears to a dominating 3-1 victory over the Air Force Falcons on Sunday at the Cal Poly Invitational.
Just 16 minutes into the game, sophomore defender Bethany Vick scored her second goal of the season giving the Bears an early 1-0 advantage over the Falcons. Vick received a cross from teammate Brittany Zonker and placed it in the upper corner out of reach of Air Force goalkeeper J.J. Wolf. It was Vick's first game winner of the season and Zonker's third assist on the year.
The Bears (5-3) were held scoreless until the 53rd minute when sophomore forward Tiffany Boshers capitalized on a pass from senior forward Kate Hensman. The goal gave the Bears a comfortable 2-0 lead in the early stages of the second half.
The Bears continued to put pressure on the Falcons (4-3) firing off 13 second-half shots. Late in the 86th minute, freshman forward Missy McConnell buried a shot in the back of the net from three yards out to lift the Bears to a 3-0 lead. McConnell picked up the loose ball in front of the Air Force net recording her third goal of the season.
The Falcons ended up getting on the board just 14 seconds later at the start of the 87th minute. Sophomore forward Hilary Robbins beat Baylor goalkeeper Monica Housden off a rebounded shot from five yards out reducing the Falcons deficit to 3-1.
The Bears defense continued to excel holding the Falcons to only 11 shots on the night. In the end, the Bears out shot Air Force 21-11, which proved to be the deciding factor of the game.
Bears Among Big 12 Stat Leaders
Three Bears rank among the Big 12 individual statistical leaders, through games of Sept. 22. As a team, Baylor is fifth in points (47) tied for third in goals (18) and fourth in goals per game (2.25). The complete list of individuals:
Monica Housden: t-2nd in shutouts (3), 4th in shutouts per game (0.38), 5th in saves (34), 6th in saves per game (4.25), 6th in goals-against average (1.22)
Ginny Rosario-Tull: t-2nd in game-winning goals (3), 3rd in goals (8), 3rd in goals per game (1.00), 3rd in points (18), 3rd in points per game (2.25), t-4th in shots (30), t-4th in shots per game (3.75)
Brittany Zonker: t-10th in assists (3)
Rosario-Tull Rolling on Offense
In her first eight games this season, junior Ginny Rosario-Tull has scored eight goals, good enough to rank among the Big 12 Conference leaders. This matches her freshman year total of goals scored at eight and doubles her sophomore season total of four.
Rosario-Tull's eight goals account for over half the team's scoring, as the Bears have a total of just 15 goals on the year. She has 18 total points on the year, more than four times her next closest teammate.
Air Force Goal Ranks Among Fastest in NCAA History
Air Force's Sunday night goal, scored just 14 seconds after Baylor's third goal of the night was good enough to rank in the NCAA top 10 fastest consecutive goals by an opposing team. Freshman forward Missy McConnell scored the final Baylor goal at 86:46 Sunday night against Air Force. The Falcons immediately responded when sophomore forward Hilary Robbins knocked in a rebounded shot to beat Baylor goalkeeper Monica Housden. The goal places them in a three-way tie for eighth place all-time.
Baylor Picked 10th in Big 12 in Preseason Poll
Baylor was picked to finish 10th in the Big 12 Conference this season as the league's coaches compiled their annual preseason poll. Texas was picked to win the 2003 Big 12 title, followed by defending conference champion Texas A&M and defending conference tournament champion Nebraska. Missouri, Colorado, Oklahoma, Kansas, Oklahoma State and Iowa State placed ahead of the Bears, with Texas Tech rounding out the field in 11th place. The Bears finished the 2002 season in 10th place in the Big 12.
Bears in the Pros
Former Baylor all-America goalkeeper Dawn Greathouse completed her third season as a member of the Woman's United Soccer Association (WUSA) in 2003. Greathouse, an all-American for Baylor in 1998, spent all of 2001 and part of 2002 season with the Washington Freedom. She appeared in five games for the Freedom early in the season, but was released and signed by the San Jose Cyber Rays, with whom she completed the rest of the season. Greathouse spent all of 2003 with San Jose, appearing in two games.
Greathouse is one of three Baylor-related players to have participated in the WUSA's first three seasons. Courtney Saunders, a1998 all-American at Baylor, spent the inaugural season with the Philadelphia Charge, while former assistant coach Rebecca Hornbacher was a member of the Boston Breakers in 2001.
Betty Lou Mays Soccer Field
The 2003 season marks the fifth year for the Baylor soccer team at Betty Lou Mays Soccer Field. The former Baylor Soccer Stadium was retitled during the 2000 season in honor of the late Betty Lou Mays of Amarillo, Texas. Mrs. Mays was the wife of Troy Mays, a 1945 graduate of Baylor; the two were longtime supporters of Baylor athletics.
The stadium seats 3,000 fans, making it the largest soccer-only facility in the Big 12. Betty Lou Mays Soccer Field is is set in the plush backdrop of the Brazos River on University Parks Drive. The field is part of the Jim and Julie Turner Riverfront Athletic Park, which includes the Baylor Ballpark, Getterman Stadium and the Baylor Tennis Center. All four venues share the parking lot with the Ferrell Special Events Center.
Head Coach George Van Linder
George Van Linder is in his first season as head coach of the Baylor women's soccer program in 2003.
He comes to Baylor from SMU, where he led the Lady Mustangs to four straight conference championships and three NCAA Tournament appearances. Under Van Linder, SMU finished in the Top 25 three times and compiled a four-year mark of 59-21-10 (.711) and a conference record of 24-3-2 (.862).
In 2002, SMU finished with a 13-6-4 record and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament, as well as winning its fourth-consecutive WAC championship. The Mustangs finished the year with a No. 20 national ranking by the NSCAA.
Van Linder was named the 2000 WAC coach of the year after leading the Mustangs to a 13-5-1 record and their second-straight conference title.
In 1999 he led SMU to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament and a No. 17 national ranking with a final record of 17-6-1. For his team's outstanding accomplishments, Van Linder was tabbed Central Region Coach of the Year by Soccer Buzz at the conclusion of the season.
Prior to his stint at SMU, Van Linder spent five seasons at Butler, the final three (1996-1998) as head coach of the women's program. He was named the 1996 Midwestern Collegiate Conference Coach of the Year after he led Butler to the MCC regular-season and tournament championships. The Bulldogs were ranked No. 22 in the final poll, the highest national ranking in program history.
Van Linder also has worked extensively with the Olympic Development Program. He coached the Indiana youth squad from 1994-98. He spent 1999 and 2000 working with the North Texas ODP team. Van Linder led the 2000 squad to a second-place finish at the national championships. With his proven success as an ODP coach, Van Linder has spent the last four years working with the top high school players in the Southeast as the Region III Olympic Development Staff Coach.
Van Linder is a native of Galesburg, Mich., and a 1990 graduate of Western Michigan University where he played on the soccer team for two seasons. He and his wife, Chris, are expecting their first child early in the soccer season.
Van Linder Adds Assistant Coaches
Head coach George Van Linder added two other new faces to the Baylor coaching staff for this season with the hiring of assistant coaches Jean Delaski and Mario Rincon. Delaski comes to Baylor from Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, where she served as head women's soccer coach for five seasons. During that time, she led the Jaguars to four conference tournament appearances. Delaski was named Mid-Continent Conference Coach of the Year in 2000.
Prior to her time at IUPUI, Delaski played four seasons at Butler University (1993-1996), where she first played under Van Linder as a senior. A four-year starter, Delaski was a first-team all-Midwest Collegiate Conference defender in 1995 and helped lead the Bulldogs to back-to-back MCC titles in 1995 and 1996. Delaski spent the 1997 season as a graduate assistant at Butler under Van Linder before taking the head job at IUPUI.
Delaski also has worked as an assistant coach for the Indiana Youth Soccer Olympic Development Program from 1997-2002 and served as director of the IUPUI Soccer Camp for three years. She played in the women's USISL pro league for the W-1 Jackson Calypso during the summers of 1997 and 1998. During the summer of 1999, she competed with the Indiana Blaze.
Rincon joins the Baylor program from Duke, where he spent the 2002 season as an assistant with the Blue Devil women's soccer team. At Duke, Rincon's responsibilities included recruiting, scouting, travel and working with the team's goalkeepers. His 2002 Blue Devil recruiting class was ranked eighth in the nation.
Prior to Duke, Rincon spent one year as an assistant with the Miami women's soccer program. His coaching resume also includes three years as a women's assistant at Lynn University in Boca Raton, Fla., three years as head boys' coach at Pope John Paul II High School in Boca Raton, and years of club coaching with the Team Boca Soccer Club. Additionally, Rincon has worked as a member of the Olympic Development Staff in Florida (1997-2000, 2001-2002) and in North Carolina (2002-2003).
Rincon also served one year as a team administrator and scout for Major League Soccer's New York/New Jersey Metrostars. During that time, he assisted in evaluation for the MLS draft and advance scouting, as well as coordinating the team's travel arrangements.
