Thursday, August 10, 2006
Soccer Teams At Presbyterian Report For Preseason Camp
CLINTON,
S.C. - For Brian Purcell, who is in the top five for career wins
among all coaches in NCAA Division II, it is his final run
through Division II with PC. The only coach in the 18-year
history of the women’s program, Purcell will notch his 200th
victory with the Blue Hose’s first win of the 2006 campaign.
“We’re just trying to set the tone right now,” said Purcell. “We are just taking it one day at a time trying to get back into things. We’ll focus on the next practice for now before we even start to look ahead to the next game.”
Purcell’s team is looking to bounce back from a 6-9-1 season last year, which saw the Blue Hose finish eighth in the conference with a 1-5-1 conference mark. Last season was only the third sub-.500 season in Blue Hose women’s soccer history. The year following the previous two sub-.500 seasons the team responded with over ten wins and a second place regular season finish in both instances.
Coach Bret Boulware begins his seventh season as head of the Blue Hose men’s soccer team. His team is coming off an 11-7-1 season in 2005 with a 3-4-0 conference mark. The team finished fifth in the South Atlantic Conference and ended the season with a 1-0 loss to fourth seeded Wingate in the opening round of the Food Lion/SAC Tournament.
“We’re excited that preseason is actually here,” said Bulware, who has compiled a 57-43-8 record in his six seasons at the helm of the Blue Hose program. “I am looking forward to working with this team this season. I really emphasize the word team because we have really worked hard since last Fall at becoming a unit that will work together to achieve our common goal.”
Both teams return the leading scorers from last season. On the men’s side PC gets back Brandon Tucker (Englewood, Colo.), a 2005 All-Region pick. Tucker’s eight goals and five assists were both tops on the Presbyterian squad.
Similarly, the women’s side returns Ginny Wolfe (Lexington, S.C.) and Claire Joyce (Aiken, S.C.). Wolfe led the blue hose with nine goals followed by Joyce’s seven. Wolfe also led the team with 23 points for the season followed again by Joyce, who had 18.
The defense returns All-South Atlantic Conference defender Lindsey Leffler (Rocky Mount, Va.), who returns for her final season in a Blue Hose uniform. The senior has been named to the All-SAC team for three consecutive seasons.
The men’s team will return All-SAC defender John Odum (Aiken, S.C.), team captain Johnathan Anderson (Lawrenceville, Ga.) and All-SAC goalkeeper Mark Owens (Charleston, S.C.).
“It’s an exciting time,” echoed both coaches. ”We are excited to have our players back and to get out on the field.”
The men’s preseason begins with a fitness test at 6 a.m. after which the team will then practice at 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. The women’s team fitness test begins at 7 a.m. with practice at 2 p.m.
The Blue Hose men punctuate the preseason with a scrimmage at South Carolina on Aug. 16 at 7 p.m. The first game is Aug. 26 when the Blue Hose host Shepherd at Martins Stadium.
The women will get in a preseason scrimmage on Aug. 19 with a round robin scrimmage against USC-Upstate and Limestone in Spartanburg, S.C. The season begins with a Sept. 1 game at Armstrong Atlantic followed by the home opener on Sept. 3 at 1 p.m. against East Stroudsburg.