Southern Hospitality; CSU set to host BSC Tourney, face Radford

CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Charleston Southern soccer team has earned the No. 3 seed and will face No. 6 Radford University in the first round of the 2009 Big South Women’s Soccer Championship presented by Musco Sports Lighting. The two teams will take the pitch at 7 p.m. Nov. 5 at Blackbaud Stadium.

The Buccaneers and Highlanders will be doing battle for the second time this season, with the first match going in favor of RU. Radford earned the 2-1 overtime decision Oct. 10 at Buccaneer Field, and Charleston Southern will be looking to turn the tides in the opening round matchup.

CSU entered last year’s conference tournament as the No. 4 seed, but succumbed 3-2 to No. 5 High Point University.

The last time the Buccaneers advanced past the first round was 2005 when they defeated Coastal Carolina in the opening round. CSU has only been defeated outright once in that three-year span, however, losing twice in penalty kicks after ending in draws against both Winthrop University (2006) and University of North Carolina Asheville (2007).

CSU is 6-4-6 all-time in the first round of the Big South tournament, and the Buccaneers advanced three times on penalty kicks in those six ties and were knocked out by PK’s in the other three tie games. Charleston Southern is 2-1-1 (PK win) all-time in the opening round against Radford.

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No. 6 RADFORD
The Highlanders will enter the game with an 8-10 overall mark and a 5-4 record in the Big South. After scorching the conference in the first six games of league action, Radford went on a three-game losing streak to end the regular season. Those three losses came at Liberty University (2-0), at High Point (1-0) and at Virginia Military Institute (2-1).

Mary Wiley (5g-1a=11p) leads RU in both goals and points, and she is ninth in goals and goals per game in the Big South. Justine Dugger (4g-1a=9p) is tied for ninth in the BSC in shots per game (2.29), and both players have two game-winners. Maryellen Derenda (3g-0a=6p) also has two game-winners. Latrice Lee (0g-2a=2p) leads the Highlanders in assists.

Preseason Player of the Year Lisa Lubke (8-10) has started all 18 games in goal for RU and has played 1604:33. She has a 1.13 goals against average, an .813 saves percentage and four shutouts.

CSU is 6-11-4 all-time against the Highlanders.

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No. 3 CHARLESTON SOUTHERN
The Buccaneers are coming off a 0-1-1 record to wrap up the regular season, falling 1-0 to Gardner-Webb University at Blackbaud Stadium and drawing 1-1 with Winthrop University.

The team ended its Big South lead in every offensive statistical category. These include shots (school record 451), points (142), goals (47), goals per game (2.53), assists (school record 48), assists per game (2.53) and corner kicks (108). Their goals per game mark ranks 14th in the nation.

Marky Boyce (13g-7a=33p) is ranked 21st in the country in points per game and 26th in the NCAA in goals per game.

She is leading the conference in points per game (1.74), goals per game (0.68) and game-winners (school record of 7). She is third in shots per game (3.53) and second in assists per game (0.37)

Sarah Catenacci (7g-3a=17p) is first in the conference in shots per game (4.88), third in points per game (1.06) and fourth in goals per game (0.44). Caitlin Wesnesky (6g-5a=17p) ranks fourth in the Big South in shots per game (2.63), fifth in points per game (0.89), eighth in goals per game (0.32), third in assists per game (0.26) and fourth in game-winners (3).

Michelle Dennis (6g-3a=15p) is eighth in the league in points per game (0.83) and sixth in goals per game (0.33). Morgann Wood (5g-3a=13p) ranks tenth in goals per game (0.26).

Jen Vroman (4g-7a=15p) ranks first in assists per game (0.41), seventh in points per game (0.88) and ninth in shots per game (2.29). Lindsey Trexler (2g-5a=9p) is third in assists per game (0.26) and fourth in shots per game (2.63). Casey Bolduc (0g-4a=4p) is tenth in assists per game (0.21).

Starting goalkeeper Jena Lalich (7-2-2) has played in 1068:13. She now has a 1.01 goals against average and a .797 saves percentage.

All tournament information can be found at CSU’s Tournament Central Web site located at the link below.

BSC Tournament Central