TCU looks for big finish
Women’s team finds solution to offensive woes
By Kelly Morris
skiff staff
After the women’s soccer team scored a total of six goals in last weekend’s victories against San Jose State (3-1) on Friday and Fresno State (3-0) on Sunday, freshman midfielder Rebecca Repaskey said the Frogs have not only reached a turning point in conference play, but found a possible solution to their offensive woes.
“These games were the best we’ve played all season,” Repaskey said. “It has been an uphill battle, but these wins make the road smoother for us. We’ve been struggling with offense, but we’ve realized we can’t wait for someone else to score.
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David Dunai/CO-PHOTO EDITOR
Senior midfielder Jennifer Maunder looks to advance the ball up the field during the Frogs’ 1-0 victory over Alabama Sept. 15 at Garvey Rosenthal Soccer Stadium. Maunder is second on the team in points (7), goals (3) and shots on goal (15). |
“Although our coach emphasized that we needed to win these two games, it was more the team deciding that we were going to go out there and win.”
Before last weekend’s games, the Frogs had only scored five goals in seven games. Friday and Sunday’s games marked the fourth and fifth times the team has scored three goals in a game this season. The wins were also the first time the team has recorded consecutive victories since Sept. 10 and 15 when they defeated Oklahoma State and Alabama.
Sophomore forward Sherry Dick scored two goals in each of this weekend’s two games.
Sophomore midfielder Lori Robbins said Dick’s increased offensive presence has been crucial to the team’s success.
“Since I have been playing with (Dick) since elementary school, I’m very familiar with her style,” Robbins said. “She is a phenomenal goal-scorer and always gets her job done.”
After playing in just seven games last year because of a torn ACL, Dick has come back strong by leading the team in goals (9), points (19) and shots on goal (34), but the season has still been a struggle.
“This season has been very hard for me,” Dick said. “In the last few games, I’ve realized that I am here to have fun. Soccer is a lot more enjoyable for me if I remember that and keep that mindset.”
Sunday’s game against Fresno State did not only mark the end of this year’s home schedule, it was also senior day, the last college home game for senior defenders Christy Filice and Jackie Rodriquez and senior midfielders Jennifer Maunder and Tara Rudiger.
“My teammates gave me roses, and I celebrated the afternoon with my parents,” Filice said. “It was an honor and a really special ceremony. I have seen the way this day has affected graduating seniors for the past three years.”
Repaskey said three of the graduating seniors play defensive positions, so their presence will be greatly missed.
“All four of them have great team leadership, and they have all really shown me what it means to give 90 minutes in each game,” Repaskey said. “We played very well this weekend, and I am so glad they have a good memory of their last home game.”
Kelly Morris
k.l.morris@student.tcu.edu
Undefeated, but not enough
Despite success, Frogs need tougher schedule to be considered
for BCS bowl, national championship
By Danny Horne
sports editor
Before the season started, the Horned Frog football team faced worlds of questions about how good it was and how good it could be. At that time, head coach Dennis Franchione said he wouldn’t talk about expectations of being undefeated and whether or not this year’s football squad could compete with the top programs in the country.
While the Horned Frogs haven’t faced off against any of the top programs in the country at this point in the season, some pollsters seem to believe that TCU is as good as advertised.
In the latest polls, TCU is ranked No. 11 by The Associated Press and No. 10 in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll.
Early season comparisons put TCU in the same boat with previously undefeated overachievers like Tulane in 1998 and Marshall in 1999. During Tulane’s run at an undefeated season, it got no higher than No. 10 in the polls.
TCU has reached that point with six games remaining on its schedule. Apparently, the voters have more respect for TCU football than was originally thought.
ESPN.com has reported in its coverage of the Western Athletic Conference that TCU has a legitimate chance at a birth in a BCS bowl game. Tulane and Marshall never seemed worthy of such BCS consideration.
Having the nation’s top-ranked defensive unit (allowing 236.6 yards per game) and the 15th-ranked offense goes a long way toward opening eyes and swaying doubters.
Talks of a weak schedule still remain at this point in the season despite a win over Northwestern that has looked better and better with each passing week. The Wildcats picked up road wins over Wisconsin and Michigan State in the Big 10, and up until a loss against Purdue last Saturday, were early front runners for the Rose Bowl.
The reality is this:
TCU clearly has a quality football team. The fact is the BCS committee has a stipulation about schedule strength. The Horned Frogs do not play anybody worthy of schedule-strength excitement. Road games against Tulsa, San Jose State and Southern Methodist and home games against Rice and Fresno State remain in the weeks ahead.
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David Dunai/CO-PHOTO EDITOR
Sophomore quarterback Casey Printers takes to the air against Northwestern Sept. 16 in an effort to pick up some extra yardage. TCU is 5-0 and ranked No. 11 by The Associated Press. The TCU offense is ranked 15th overall while the defense is ranked No. 1, allowing just 236.6 yards per game. |
None of these teams have an appeal that would warrant a finish among the top five in college football even if TCU finishes 11-0. And, undefeated isn’t even a given.
San Jose State has surprised some people with its play, and the TCU community should remember when a winless Horned Frog team beat SMU at the end of the 1997 season to keep the Mustangs out of a bowl game.
SMU has struggled mightily and would want nothing more than to knock TCU from the ranks of the undefeated in November.
There are five teams currently undefeated in the AP poll — Nebraska, Virginia Tech, Clemson, Oklahoma and TCU.
Nebraska and Oklahoma are on course for a showdown in Norman in two weeks, so one of those teams will eventually have a loss. Clemson must still play at Florida State and Virginia Tech still plays at Miami in the Big East.
Theoretically, TCU gets a berth in the Fiesta Bowl because anything can happen.
Realistically, TCU finishes 11-0, but nobody cares because wins over SMU and Tulsa are not enticing enough for the BCS committee to give the Frogs a shot at a BCS bowl game, let alone the national championship.
Sports Editor Danny Horne is a senior broadcast journalism
major from Carrollton.
He can be reached at (bravestcu3116@mindspring.com).