The Journal

Issue date: 8/30/07 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Max Gersh Members of the Webster alumni team go up to block a hit by a current volleyball team member during the alumni match Aug. 25. Webster's team swept all three sets from the alumni.

Media Credit: Max Gersh Jeanne Engert fights to prevent University of California Santa Cruz forward Annick Lamb from scoring in the second round of last year's NCAA Division III Tournament. Lamb went on to score two goals against the Gorloks.

The fall sports season starts this week, and many Gorlok athletes will go back to work defending Webster's All-Sports Award. Volleyball and men's and women's soccer all kick off this weekend, so here's a look at what Gorlok fans can expect this season.
MEN'S SOCCER

After last year's season, which was cut short by a heartbreaking loss to Fontbonne University in the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference tournament semifinals, the Gorlok men's soccer team is poised to bounce back with a vengeance in 2007.

The upcoming season, the 20th under head coach Marty Todt, holds much promise for the team, which finished last year at 12-4-2 overall and was undefeated in conference play with a record of 7-0-1. Eight Gorloks were named to the SLIAC All-conference team, and lead goal scorer Kevin Fann was named SLIAC Player of the Year.

The team starts the 2007 season with the Bob Baptista Invitational Aug. 31 at Wheaton College in Wheaton, Ill., where they will face both Wheaton and the University of Chicago. The home opener is a match against conference rival Lincoln Christian College on Sept. 4. The last time the Gorloks faced Lincoln Christian, they dominated the Preachers 8-0.

Games are scheduled against Fontbonne Sept. 13 and Oct. 6. The Griffins played the Gorloks to a 2-2 draw in 2006, the only non-win in regular conference play. Games are scheduled against Westminster College on Sept. 18 and Oct. 24, along with matches versus Millikin University on Sept. 5 and Maryville University on Oct. 18. With the season culminating in the SLIAC Tournament Oct. 31, it should prove to be an exciting year for Gorlok soccer players and fans alike.
WOMEN'S SOCCER

As the start of the 2007 women's soccer season draws nearer, ambitions and expectations are high. Coach Luigi Scire is hoping to extend last season's roaring success, when the team finished with an astonishing 16-4-2 overall record. They were undefeated in conference play and want to bring home another SLIAC title.

Scire said the Gorloks have two goals for the season: to bring home another conference title and be a competitive force in the NCAA Division III Tournament.

With sophomore lead scorer Kelsey McClure, who scored 19 goals in 19 games last year and was named to SLIAC All-Conference First-Team, returning along with midfielders Jenna Steiner and Katie Mannion, sweeper Stacey Schuler and goalkeeper Jess Kozeny, these ambitions seem a likely reality.

The team has also enlisted some promising new talent this season. Freshman Megan Niederschulte was second team all-state and conference player of the year and scored 29 goals for Pattonville High School. Center midfielder Christy Catkovic was all-state and scored an unbelievable 81 goals in her career at Mehlville High School.

With this kind of offensive weaponry and a goalkeeper who held a goals against average of 1.20 last season, the women are set to battle their home opener on Sept. 1 against Millikin University.

The Gorloks face tough conference opposition this season, squaring off against Principia College on Oct. 10 and Maryville University on Oct. 18. They will face regional powerhouse Washington University in a non-conference game on Sept. 26, and the University of Dallas on Oct. 20. With the SLIAC tournament looming at the end of October and the NCAA championships beyond that, the Gorloks have a steep hill to climb in order to stay atop the conference.
VOLLEYBALL

Twenty wins in a 30 game schedule is a hard feat for any athletic team to accomplish. Webster volleyball has done it three years in a row, and Head Coach Merry Graf does not predict the winning will stop anytime soon.

Although four-year starter Melanie Klingelhoefer, Libero Susi Rigel and Lesely Poggemoeller graduated last year, there does not appear to be a problem with the roster. Eight players are returning for another season, including senior Crystal (nee Shelton) Spinner who is a three time all conference player and earned the title of MVP during last year's SLIAC conference tournament. Sophomore Jackie Schall will return after earning the title of SLIAC Newcomer of the Year last season. Junior transfer student Sarah Rusnak is expected to contribute along with freshman Mary Jo Schweitzer.

The Gorloks will travel to Colorado during the second week of the season to face off against tough opponents, including Colorado College and University of Wisconsin-Lacrosse, both of whom are expected to be extremely strong squads. In October, the team will get another shot at taking down Washington University, who are ranked fourth in the nation's pre-season poll. The Gorloks narrowly missed taking Wash U. down last year in Grant Gymnasium and are ready for a rematch.

The conference season will begin on Sept. 11 with a home game against Principia College and close against Westminster College on Oct. 30.

The conference schedule underwent a change from the previous format, which now has the team frequently facing off against two different conference opponents in the same day.

"I think that conditioning and depth are going to be important for a team to be successful in this format," Graf said.

With the depth this year's roster has, the Gorloks can expect to have a spectacular season.

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