BOWLING GREEN, Ky. - WKU Soccer wrapped up its 2017 spring slate with last weekend's annual Alumni Game at the WKU Soccer Complex, capturing a 3-1 win over the alumni squad in its final spring outing.
The Lady Toppers posted a 3-1-1 record in full 11-on-11 matches this spring and went 10-5-2 in a pair of 7-on-7 tournaments. WKU split into two teams in each 7-on-7 tournament, separating into Gray and Red teams in Illinois and Red and White teams at the annual Friends of Jaclyn tournament hosted at the WKU Soccer Complex.
"We are a better team now than we were three months ago, and I am very proud of these student-athletes. We made significant strides this spring both on the field and in the weight room. It was terrific watching our young players embrace and overcome all the challenges thrown at them," Head Coach Jason Neidell said of the spring action.
WKU opened the spring at Illinois' 7-on-7 tournament with a 4-3-1 record between its two teams. The Gray team tallied 20 goals and 15 assists, while the Red team notched 22 goals and 17 assists in the late February outing.
Next up, the Lady Toppers hosted the Friends of Jaclyn 7-on-7 Tournament in late March and saw both of their teams reach the semifinals. The Red team, which featured seven goals from Chandler Backes, was undefeated until falling to the White team, which went on to claim the championship behind a team-high eight goals from Hannah Chua and four assists from Nicole Roseland.
As part of the festivities, WKU also raised more than $1,700 for the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation, a nationwide foundation whose mission is to improve the quality of life for children battling pediatric cancer by pairing the child and his/her siblings with high school and college athletic teams, clubs and arts programs.
In the 11-on-11 portion of the spring schedule, WKU battled Memphis to a 2-2 draw at home as Andrea Larsen and Bria Mosley found the back of the net. Underclassmen continued to step up for the Lady Toppers as rising sophomores Aleksandra Kozovic and Christina Bragado each contributed an assist on the afternoon.
Against Centre, Larsen again scored for the Lady Toppers off an assist from Kozovic and Shayna Dheel added an insurance goal in the 2-0 victory. WKU swept the day with a 3-0 win over Bellarmine, getting a strike from Kaylyn Bryant and a pair of goals from Chua, assisted by Roseland and Dheel, to claim the win.
WKU held ACC power Louisville scoreless in the first half before dropping a close 2-0 decision, but rebounded well in the Alumni Game last Saturday, downing the former Lady Toppers 3-1. Roseland, Dheel and Backes capped a strong spring with the goals for WKU.
"I am excited to see what we can accomplish blending our newcomers with this very disciplined and mature group of returning players," Neidell said of his returners.
WKU finished the 2016 season with a 12-6-1 record en route to a third-place finish in the C-USA regular season standings, its best since joining the league in 2014. The Lady Toppers are currently set to add seven newcomers for the fall to a roster that returns three All-C-USA selections in Roseland, Backes and goalkeeper Allison Leone.
The Lady Toppers will embark on their 2017 campaign in August with the finalized schedule set to be released in the upcoming weeks.
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