September 2, 1997
PULLMAN, Wash. -- The Washington State women's soccer team (1-0-0 overall)
prepares for its first road trip of 1997. The Cougars travel to Minneapolis
for a weekend of soccer at the St. Paul Campus Soccer Field.
WSU opens with the University of Detroit Friday, Sept. 5 and ends the
weekend with a Sunday, Sept. 7 contest versus the University of Minnesota.
The host Golden Gophers (2-0-0) are ranked 25th in the National Soccer
Coaches Association of America/Umbro preseason poll. Minnesota is the first
of five Cougar opponents that competed in the 1996 NCAA Tournament.
"It's a long season, so I don't want to put too much pressure on any
particular weekend," said Cougar head coach Lisa Gozley. "Detroit and
Minnesota are two competitive, physical teams. This weekend will serve as a
barometer and show us where we need to go from here."
Prior to accepting the head coaching spot at WSU in 1994, Gozley was an
assistant coach one season at Minnesota under current Golden Gopher mentor
Sue Montagne. "I don't get caught up in the emotions," Gozley said of her
return to Minneapolis. "I'll be coaching against one of my best friends,
but it's just another game for me."
The Cougars opened their season with a 2-0 home victory over Gonzaga August
30. Senior Shalli DeWitt (Auburn, Wash./Fife) and freshman Deka DeWitt
(Auburn, Wash./Fife), the first sisters to play soccer together for WSU,
each scored a goal. Sophomore Christina Pallan (Las Vegas, Nevada) picked
up two assists in her first stint as a center midfielder. Freshman
goalkeeper Shannon Wilson (Las Vegas, Nevada), a prep teammate of Pallan at
Bishop Gorman High, picked up the shutout and made seven saves in her
collegiate debut.
In 1996, the Cougars posted a 4-2-1 record in away matches
- the first winning away mark in the history of the program...last season
WSU posted a 2-2-1 record vs. ranked opponents with victories over San Diego
State and California and a 1-1 draw to NCAA Final Four participant Santa
Clara at the Broncos' home, Buck Shaw Stadium...the Cougars are 1-1-1
all-time vs. Big Ten opponents with all three matches vs. the Wisconsin Badgers.
