Six Lady Tigers receive postseason awards

By Adam Douglas

Sports Editor

   

Joe Murphy

The U of M women’s soccer team celebrates after defeating UAB last week.

 

Heading into today's Conference USA tournament at the Mike Rose Soccer Complex, the No. 9 U of M women's soccer team (18-0-1, 10-0-1 in C-USA) will look to capture its fifth consecutive C-USA crown.

And with six players and coach Brooks Monaghan all receiving postseason honors on Tuesday, as voted by the conference's 12 coaches, the Lady Tigers seem poised to do just that.

Senior defender Lizzy Simonin was named Defensive Player of the Year; sophomore midfielder-forward Christabel Oduro, Offensive Player of the Year; senior midfielder-forward Lizzy Hildebrant, All-Conference Second Team; and Kylie Davis and Natalia Gomez-Junco, All-Freshmen Team.

Simonin and Oduro join senior goalkeeper Elise Kuhar-Pitters as All-Conference First Team selections.

"The girls have been special this year," Simonin said. "The freshmen and sophomores have followed the upperclassmen and they have led the way. I think that's what brought us to where we are this year – having good leadership and good chemistry."

That leadership and chemistry will be key as the Lady Tigers turn their focus to the C-USA tournament. Oduro said that with team's undefeated season and awards, the Lady Tigers will have a target on their back.

"(Tulsa) will be playing us extremely hard because we've beat them before," she said. "They will be coming out for blood wanting to get that game back. I think it's going to be tough, but I know if we play our game there's no reason for us not to bring home a fifth conference title."

Head coach Brooks Monaghan was named C-USA Coach of the Year for the second time in his tenure at Memphis. Monaghan, a graduate of The U of M, guided the Lady Tigers to a program-best 18 wins this season and a program-first undefeated season, establishing Memphis as a national power with a 104-33-10 (.742) mark since the 2004 season.

"This season has been unbelievable," Monaghan said. "The kids have made my job easy with what they bring every day. From a coach's standpoint, we just want it to continue and enjoy this ride as long as we can."

Monaghan said that though the regular season is over, the Lady Tigers still face a long road ahead.

"It's a three-game season," he said of the C-USA tournament, "and our focus is on Tulsa. When the tournament's over, the season's not over. We will refocus and hopefully improve and see where we're at so that we can make a deep run in the (NCAA tournament)."

The Lady Tigers face the Tulsa Golden Hurricanes on Wednesday at 8p.m.