LSU has emerged as one of the premier women’s soccer programs in the Southeastern Conference after winning back-to-back SEC Western Division championships and earning consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament in 2007 and 2008. The 2009 season is right around the corner, and the Tigers will look to continue their success as they open up Aug. 21 with a match against Memphis scheduled for a 7 p.m. kickoff at the LSU Soccer Complex.
Second in a five-part series previewing the upcoming season breaks down what LSU fans can expect from the Tigers’ front line this fall.
BATON ROUGE — No front line tandem in the Southeastern Conference scored more goals over the last two seasons than LSU’s Rachel Yepez and Roslyn Jones as the duo combined for 38 goals, 21 assists and 97 points during the 2007 and 2008 campaigns.
That kind of production is what has powered the Tigers to back-to-back SEC Western Division titles and trips to the NCAA Tournament in each of the last two seasons.
But with Jones’ departure last fall as a graduating senior, the Tigers are left searching for someone to step up and join Yepez to form a devastating 1-2 punch up top that is sure to terrorize opposing defensive back lines once again this fall. Leadership is also needed as Jones wrapped up her LSU career as a team captain in 2007 and 2008 while leading the Tigers to their most successful two-year run in program history.
Yepez has proven to be a leader both on and off the field throughout her collegiate career as she enters her senior season with 27 goals and 12 assists for 66 points since putting on the LSU uniform for the first time in 2006. That includes eight goals and 22 points last fall to rank as LSU’s third-leading scorer.
Her performance in leading the Tigers’ offensive attack up top was enough to earn Yepez a well-deserved Soccer Buzz Third-Team All-Central Region selection following the season.
Yepez’s career at LSU has come full circle as she will surely go down among the all-time greats to ever wear the purple and gold. In addition to her selection to the SEC Academic Honor Roll and SEC Community Service Team in 2008, Yepez was selected as a TopDrawerSoccer.com Honorable Mention All-American and an All-Central Region performer in 2007.
“Rachel certainly embodies everything that we look for in a student-athlete,” said LSU head coach Brian Lee. “She has shown tremendous work ethic both on and off the field that has helped her mature and grow both as a player and as a person. Yep has improved so much in each of her three years in the program, and we’re looking for another big season from her as she leads our attack up top.”
Among those looking to step up and fill the void left by Jones are senior Amanda Carreno and sophomore Kellie Murphy, who provided the Tigers with much needed depth along the front line a year ago.
Both look to contend for a spot in the starting lineup this fall after Carreno scored three goals and nine points as a junior during the 2008 campaign, while Murphy added three goals and seven points of her own during her rookie season with the Tigers last fall.
Depth up top this fall will come from a pool of incoming freshmen that includes the likes of Carlie Banks, Amy Jah, Reyna Lubin, Catherine Luparello, Amy Porter and Cambri Prevost.
“Depth is a key for the success of any team, and that will be no different for us if we hope to contend for an SEC championship this fall,” Lee said. “We’re excited about the mixture of youth and experience that we have in our attack, and we feel like our team has the potential to be an outstanding offensive team this fall. It all starts for us up top and how well that group works together.”
The Tigers will welcome the Texas Longhorns to the LSU Soccer Complex on Aug. 14 at 7 p.m. CT for a preseason exhibition match before kicking off the regular season at home on Aug. 21 with a match against the Memphis Tigers, who enter the season as the defending Conference USA champions.
LSU Soccer Season Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased for $35 for adults and $15 for youths at the official website for LSU athletics, www.LSUsports.net.