This is the second installment of White & Blue Review’s preview for the 2009 Creighton women’s soccer team. Join us every day this week as we take a look at a different part of Bruce Erickson’s club, leading up to his team’s exhibition game Sunday, August 16, versus Minnesota State.
Women's Soccer Preview: The Attack
The Attack
With the loss of last season’s senior leader Marcy Gans, the Jays will be looking to reload this season with two sophomores and two freshmen tabbed for the forward position. Gans was a key component to last season’s offensive efforts, as she led the Jays with 15 goals and tallied 4 assists. The All-MVC star accumulated 34 total points; the next closest in this offensive category was Mary Zapapas‘ 13 points.
The new senior leader on offense this season will be Jordan Bruch, who finished her 2008 campaign with 669 minutes played in 19 games last season. The local product out of Papillion-La Vista High School started 5 contests, and she brings an offensive mindset to the pitch as evidenced by her 27 shot attempts last season, fifth on the team. Expect that number to increase.
Assisting Bruch up top will be bevy of underclassmen, led by sophomore Annmarie Hengel. She returns to the Jays after a freshman campaign that saw minimal playing time (192 minutes of action in 12 appearances off the bench). Still, Hengel capitalized on that time by tallying 2 goals, 1 assist, and 6 shots on goal. Hailing from Brookfield, Wisconsin, Hengel was successful not only on the pitch but in the rink as well; she lettered in ice hockey. Maybe some of that toughness will carry over again in 2009.
The second sophomore with striker experience is Macy Mauer. Mauer, a member of the Missouri Valley Conference All-Freshman team in 2008, started 17 of 19 games last season. She recorded 2 goals, 3 assists, and 6 shots on goal while recording the game-winner (her first career goal) in her first home game (vs. South Dakota State last August). The experience Mauer gained as a freshman is critical to the success of Creighton’s attack in 2009.
As mentioned above, there will be two newcomers to the striker position this season as the Jays welcome Andrea Zuniga and Brittney Neumann to the rotation. They bring to the Bluejays lofty credentials.
Zuniga, a transfer from the University of Nebraska, left college a few matches into the 2007. It wasn’t due to injury or any other negative event, however. Zuniga had the opportunity to train with the Chilean Under-20 National Team and represent Chile in the FIFA U-20 World Cup. She’s back in her home state now, though, in the city where she starred for Omaha Burk High School for four seasons.
Another successful local product rounds out our preview of the top of the women’s attack for 2009. Neumann, a true freshman from Millard North High School, is a four-time All-Nebraska player. She looks to bring the same play-making ability to the Creighton squad that found her score 63 goals in high school and record 58 points as a senior.
So, though the Jays must find a replacement for the offensive firepower lost by Gans’ graduation, Bruce Erickson’s young attack looks poised to yet again make some noise in the Valley.
Tomorrow we’ll see how Erickson and his staff have built a solid foundation at the midfield position. Stay tuned!.