Oct. 28, 2004
Complete Release in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader
This Week
The regular season is coming to a close, as there are only two matches left on the slate. Santa Clara will head to Southern California to take on Loyola Marymount on Halloween afternoon. The Lions are 9-5-3 overall and 2-2-1 in WCC play. LMU hosts Detroit Mercy on Thursday. Sunday's match will be key for the Broncos to keep their WCC Championship hopes alive.
A Variety of Line Ups
Santa Clara head coach Jerry Smith has now used 12 different line ups in 18 contests. Injuries have played a role in the line up shifts, but Smith adds that he uses the preseason to experiment with players in different positions and alongside different teammates in preparation for conference play and the postseason.
Tiffany Roberts Reaps Weekly Honors
Midfielder Tiffany Roberts was named the West Coast Conference Player of the Week for her performance last weekend in leading the Broncos to victory over fourth-ranked Portland. Roberts is now the second Bronco to earn the league's weekly honor this season, following Leslie Osborne's selection on September 20. Roberts also earned Soccer America and Soccer Buzz Elite Team of the Week recognition.
The sophomore from Phoenix, Ariz. scored the game-winning goal in the 64th minute to lead the Broncos to a 1-0 victory Sunday afternoon. Roberts dribbled past Pilot defenders and put a shot into the bottom right corner of the goal past Pilot goalkeeper Cori Alexander. The goal marked the first of the season for Roberts.
Osborne on M.A.C. Hermann Trophy Watch List
Senior Leslie Osborne has been named to the "watch list" of players considered among the top candidates for the 2004 Missouri Athletic Club's Hermann Trophy, awarded to the top players in NCAA Division I soccer. The list was compiled by the NSCAA, the official selection body for the M.A.C.'s Hermann Trophy. Osborne, a native of Menomonee Falls, Wis., has already been named a preseason All-America by Soccer Buzz and Soccer America magazines. She has six goals and two assists for14 points so far this season.
A list of 15 semifinalists will be announced in November, with three finalists selected in early December. The winner will be announced at a dinner at the Missouri Athletic Club in St. Louis, Mo., on Jan. 8, 2005.
The award is college soccer's version of the Heisman Trophy. Past recipients include former Broncos Mandy Clemens and Aly Wagner. Clemens won both the Hermann Trophy and M.A.C. Player of the Year awards in 1999, while Wagner became the first honoree to have the distinction of receiving the newly-unified award.
Portland Match to Air on Thursday
College Sports Television, the first 24-hour college sports television network, will televise the Broncos' Sunday victory against No. 4 Portland on Thursday at 5 and 8:30 p.m. Pacific. Tom Stone called the action, while Beth Mowins will provide expert analysis. A feature story on senior Leslie Osborne's long-standing friendship with North Carolina's Lindsay Tarpley will air at halftime.
The Race is On for the League Title
There are only two matches left in the West Coast Conference season, making every contest count. Santa Clara put itself in a position to win its fourth consecutive conference title with a pair of wins last weekend. There is a three-way tie at the top of the WCC standings, as Portland and San Diego also have a 4-1-0 league mark.
In the Rankings
Santa Clara opened the 2004 season ranked in the top five in all four polls. This week, the Broncos are ranked as follows: the NSCAA/adidas poll placed the Broncos fifth, while Soccer America and Soccer Buzz list SCU seventh. Soccer Times moved SCU up seven spots to No. 8. The Broncos have played eight nationally-ranked squads on the regular-season slate.
A Look Ahead: Broncos Close Out Regular Season with Pepperdine
Santa Clara will honor its seven seniors in the team's last home match of the regular season, scheduled for Saturday at 7 p.m. vs. Pepperdine. A pre-match ceremony will take place on the field to recognize Jessica Ballweg, Lana Bowen, Bree Horvath, Megan Kakadelas, Leslie Osborne, Alyssa Sobolik and Monika Sola.
Match Tickets on Sale
Individual tickets for Santa Clara University's final home match of the regular season are on sale through the Department of Athletics' official website www.SantaClaraBroncos.com, and the athletic ticket office at 408-554-4660, between the hours of 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Monday-Friday.
In conjunction with its exclusive Internet partner, College Sports Online, the athletic department has developed an online ticket application that provides fans with the ability to purchase season tickets, family plans, individual matches or an all-sports pass via the official athletic website. Single games are priced at $7 for adults, $5 for youths and seniors and $2 for non-Ruff Riders SCU students as well as members of Bronco Kidz. Single match team passes are also available for $35.