BATON ROUGE — LSU soccer head coach Brian Lee addressed members of the media Tuesday at Walk-On’s Bistreaux to discuss the progress of his team during fall camp and his expectations heading into the 2005 season.
Lee continues to be impressed with the team’s condition, as well as the dedication and leadership shown by the upperclassmen through the first week of fall camp.
“We’ve practiced eight times, and we feel great about the conditioning of our team,” Lee said. “We certainly want to have a good season this fall and make progress within our program. The team is focused on just getting better each day, and through the preseason that has been accomplished.”
Lee singled out the team’s three senior captains, defenders Holly Davis and Tara Mitnick and midfielder Kate Ripple, as demonstrating the leadership and work ethic it takes to succeed in the Southeastern Conference.
“I’m asking a lot from those three this year. They are here to lead our team on and off the field and are doing a great job of getting us together,” Lee said. “I want these kids to have a great experience, especially these three.
“They have really put in the blood, sweat and tears since January when we got here. We want them and their senior teammates to go out with a bang. There is no one more determined to turn this program around than our senior class led by Tara, Kate and Holly.”
The strength of the team lies in the midfield position where Caroline Vanderpool, a member of the U20 Canadian National Team, will team with incoming freshman Melissa Clarke, a Soccer Buzz Top 50 Recruit for 2005, to lead the LSU attack.
“In the middle at midfield there is a great strength for our team,” Lee said. “Caroline Vanderpool spent the summer with the U20 Canadian National Team, and she will be joined by our top freshman, Melissa Clarke. She should make an impact in a big way.
“Out wide we have Kate Ripple. We ask our midfielders to be extremely fit and the top conditioned athletes on our team. Kate ripped up our fitness testing and she certainly fills that bill.”
The Tigers open the season with the Oregon State Beavers at the Oregon Classic in Eugene on Aug. 26, and Lee believes this will be a good test of the maturity of his young program.
“That’s a big opening for us,” Lee said. “Probably the best non-conference opponent we play is right out of the gate, Oregon State. They should have a great chance to be an at-large team in the NCAA Tournament. We turn around and play Oregon two days later. If we can come out of that weekend with positive results we can start thinking about an NCAA at-large bid.”
LSU opens SEC play against Kentucky on Sept. 23, and Lee believes if the team has a fast start to the conference slate it can achieve many great things in 2005.
“Our goal as a program this fall is to make the SEC Tournament. If we do that we should be in competition to possibly get an NCAA at-large bid,” Lee said. ” We don’t want to put a cap on what the goals of the program can be this fall. We think if everything breaks right and we stay healthy we’ve got a chance to compete and win the SEC West.”
Lee is excited to be the head coach of the LSU women’s soccer program and looks forward to leading the Tigers to much success in his time in Baton Rouge.
“We’re on our first go round as coaches with the LSU soccer program,” Lee said. “We got here in late December and early January, and everything we’ve been through has been fantastic. We’re excited and we’re looking forward to a bright future with LSU soccer.”