Success comes with experience The Lady Bison Soccer team completed their third season with their best record of 10-7-1 and finished the season ranked 10th in the final NCAA Division II South Region poll. Coach Terry Edwards was pleased with the team's season. "This was the first year for us to be in the Gulf South Conference, and we battled the strongest teams we have ever faced and had the most wins we have ever had," he said. The team was composed of 22 players, nine of them being freshmen. "We really had to come and play well together quickly," senior center-mid fielder Andrea Richmond said. "With all the new players, the girls with the most experience on the team really had to step up this year and all be leaders." Richmond was tied with freshman forward Courtney Saul with nine goals for the 2000 season. Four of Saul's nine goals were game winning goals. With a winning season, the offense is obvious for game winning points. However I Edwards said the defense is what is credited for the successful year. "Our defense was the backbone of the team," he said. The Lady Bison's defense consisted of senior goal-keeper Jodi Besenyei, junior defenders Michal Edwards, and Tricky Tarole, sophomore sweeper Carmen Sutton First Row: Michal Edwards, Tricky Tarole, Courtney Pierron, Katie Ford, Carmen Sutton, Courtney Saul, Jennifer Riley, Amy Walker, Lyndsey Garner, Toni Edwards. Second Row: Coach Terry Edwards,Brooke Cockrell , Megan Bills, Lauren Hensley, Debbie Gulledge, Biance Beck, Jodi Besenyei, Andrea Richmond, Heather Gray, Meredith Simon, Kelly Nickell, Leah Rogers, Ryan Singleton, Steve Young. Photo by Jeff Montgomery. I ~r ___________ V~V o~r~ne ~n~ '~s ~S~o~ c c~ ~e r V Athletics and freshman defender Brooke Cockrell. Both Edwards and Cockrell were named All-Gulf South Conference Second Team - an outstanding honor for Harding defenders, coach Edwards said. "The defense's teamwork was so strong because of our experience," Sutton said. Besenyei had her career high with seven shut outs, naming her All-Gulf South Conference First Team. Also named All-Gulf South Conference First Team was junior center-mid fielder Heather Gray who led the team with 10 assists. With four All-Conference Team members from Harding, it was evident that the skill level was much more distributed among the team. This higher skill level led to upset defeats such as the game against West Florida. "That game was important to us," Michal Edwards said. "We went out as underdogs, and won 1-0. That game was won by everyone, including the players on the field, our strong bench and our coaching." Coach Edwards said he is positive about next season as the team is steadily growing. He gave credit to the fans who came out to support the Lady Bisons at both home and away games. Coach Edwards assured the Lady Bison team throughout the year that they will have an even more experienced team and more winning seasons in the future. - Heather Gray the team
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