SFA Soccer Opens 2004 Season at Home
8/24/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Aug. 24, 2004
NACOGDOCHES - The Stephen F. Austin Ladyjack soccer team will take its first steps toward defending its 2003 Southland Conference tournament title Friday at 7 p.m., when they open the regular season against Arkansas State at the SFA Intramural Complex. The Ladyjacks will be right back in action on Sunday Aug. 29 when they host Oral Roberts at 2 p.m. A Closer Look at Nicole Nelson SFA head coach Nicole Nelson is entering her third season at the helm of the Ladyjacks soccer program. Nelson's troops have recorded a 22-14-6 (.595) overall record in her two seasons. In 2003 Nelson was named the SLC Coach of the Year after leading her team to a school-best 15-5-2 overall record and the program's first appearance in the NCAA Championships. Scouting the Team The Ladyjacks return 17 letterwinners and 11 starters, including 10 all-conference honorees, from a 2003 team that went 15-5-2 overall and advanced to the NCAA Championships for the first time in SFA history. SFA returns all this talent from a 2003 team that set a school-record in wins and shutouts victories (nine). Assault on the Record Books The current Ladyjack roster is leaving its mark on the SFA record books. Junior Kendra Cannon enters her third season with SFA as the school's all-time leader in points (64) and goals (29). Cannon also owns the school's single-season mark for points (34) and goals (15). Senior Christie Mestayer enters her final year as the school's all-time assist leader (11) while junior Sara Hernandez set the SFA single-season mark with nine assists last season. Junior goalkeeper Natascia Michalezki currently owns the school's top-two single-season saves records and needs only 44 saves to become the school's all-time leader in that category. Up Next ... The Ladyjacks return to action Friday Sept. 3, when they travel to Rock Hill, S.C., to face Akron. The game against the Zips is slated to begin at 1 p.m. -SFA-
