University of Houston Athletics
Cougar Soccer Improves to 5-0 in Spring Season!
3/18/2002 12:00:00 AM | Soccer
March 18, 2002
Houston, Texas -
In their annual Spring Tournament, The Cougar Clash, the Cougar Soccer team made history by going undefeated in four games over two days and improved their spring record to 5-0.
The team went into the weekend without its 10 seniors who have used up their eligibility and will all graduate within the next year. That meant the team consists of only 14 players this spring.
The team started out the tournament by playing the Klein Houston Challenge team, a team they have never beaten since the start of the program in 1998. The Cougars got on the scoreboard first with a goal from Anne Gasser from the right midfield position. The team then relaxed and controlled the ball for much of the rest of the game. Gasser was not done as the Cougars served the ball inside the goal box and Gasser hammered it home inside the near post and past the diving Challenge goalkeeper. That would be how the game ended for the Cougars, a 2-0 win and a great start to the weekend.
The team would have until 7:30pm to rest up before matching up with the quick and feisty Oklahoma Fury team who had won their first game against West U. 5-1. The Coogs were once again ready for the battle and came out very composed and kept possession of the ball for most of the game. They got on the board first again with a run made by sweeper Emily Allwardt who passed it to Nikki Hawkins who found the side net to make it 1-0 Coogs. Later in the game Ashley Fortenberry got into the scoring by sending a rocket over the goalie's head and into the net. The Coogs then kept possession the remainder of the game and cruised to its second win and second straight shutout.
It would be a struggle Sunday morning as the team played late Saturday night and had the first game Sunday morning at 9:00am. The opponent was the Dallas D'Feeter's premier team in Dallas. After a 0-0 first half of battling through soreness and fatigue Nikki Hawkins put the Cougars ahead with another shot past the diving goalkeeper and into the side net. It would remain 1-0 Coogs the rest of the way. Houston would win its third straight game in less than 24 hours and add yet another shutout.
The final game was against the Houston Wildfire, another club team from Houston. Already with an impressive weekend the Cougars wanted to make sure their spring season remained undefeated and make sure that everyone knew the best college team in Houston were the Coogs! Again, the Coogs started out possessing the ball when they were able to spring Anne Gasser down the sidelines who sent a serve to a streaking Leslie Guevara. Guevara got control and placed it in the back of the net for the 1-0 lead. Minutes later Veronica Saavedra got into the scoring attack as Gasser sent another serve in the box where Saavedra placed the ball past the keeper for the 2-0 lead. The final goal would come from midfielder Nicole Aubuchon as she hit a blast from 24 yards out to the back of the net for a 3-0 victory.
Overall, Houston was faced with four games in two days and came out of the Cougar Clash with four wins and no losses. Most importantly, no goals were conceded by the Cougar defense. Defenders Emily Allwardt, Ashley Fortenberry, Sherika Hardaway, and transfer Alison Sinclair helped to keep the ball out of their net with Jenny Glover goal tending.
Houston extended its spring winning streak to 5-0 and hope to keep it going, as they will play two games on April 7th at Rice University and one game April 11th in Robertson Stadium at 7:00pm vs. the Texas Wave.
