High Hopes
Despite having young players, the TCU women’s soccer team is confident about its first postseason appearance since 2000.
By Adam Williams
Skiff Staff

With the 2003 regular season complete, the TCU women’s soccer team finds itself not looking toward next season.

It is looking toward the postseason for the first time since 2000.

The Frogs capped off their regular season schedule with a 2-1 victory over Memphis Friday.

This year, the team will play in its first C-USA Tournament since entering the conference in 2001. In 2000, the Frogs played in the Western Athletic Conference tournament as the No. 3 seed, only to be upset in the first round by the No. 6-seeded Fresno State Bulldogs 3-1.

The 2003 Frogs are confident they will not meet a similar fate this year, despite the fact the team features only four players who have any postseason experience.

Senior defender Jenny Swanson, who was a freshman on the 2000 squad, said the lack of experience seems to be of little concern for the group.

“We know we are capable of beating any team in the conference, regardless of our age and inexperience,” Swanson said.

The Frogs earned the No. 2 seed in this season’s C-USA tournament and will face the No. 7 seed Tulane Wednesday in Charlotte, NC. With three wins in the C-USA Tournament, TCU could be on its way to its first ever appearance in the NCAA tournament, which begins Nov. 13.

Swanson said although the team opens the tournament against Tulane, the Frogs’ path through the tournament will include a game against South Florida, who defeated the Frogs Sunday in overtime. She said the Frogs want an opportunity for revenge against South Florida.

“Ideally, we would love to face South Florida again,” Swanson said. “We know that we should have beat them and would love the chance to play them again.”

One reason for the elevated confidence within the women’s side stems from the consistent play of the defense, especially freshman goalkeeper, Katie Buchanan. Buchanan, a true freshman from Plano, TX, has started 13 of the 17 games for the Frogs, recording five shutout victories.

Junior forward Jessi Moore attributes the women’s conference success this season to Buchanan’s solid performances.

“She has come up big for us in the tight conference games,” Buchanan said. “She’s smart and always does the right thing when the game is on the line.”

Friday’s victory over Memphis featured the Frogs in their final home appearance of the year. With the win, the Frogs, who won only two games last year, wrapped up their first winning season in the last three years.