Furman and Georgia Southern will write a new chapter to their extensive five year-old rivalry in this year's Southern Conference Semifinal match. This meeting will mark the 11th time Furman and Georgia Southern have battled, with the Lady Eagles holding an 8-2 all-time advantage. Georgia Southern defeated Furman three times in the Lady Paladins' first year of existence in 1995 and claimed the first meeting of 1996, until Furman snapped the four-game losing streak in their second meeting of 1996 en route to the Southern Conference regular season title. Georgia Southern then claimed the next four matches, until Furman's 3-1 victory earlier this season in Greenville. Leah Versteegen scored all three goals in that match for her second career hat trick.
Lady Paladins Fight For Berth
Furman enters the 1998 Southern Conference Tournament as the second seed and can earn its first ever NCAA Tournament berth by winning the Southern Conference Tournament. The winner of the semifinal match will face the winner of the UNC Greensboro-Wofford match in the finals at 3 p.m. Sunday at Furman.
Special Kaye
Furman freshman Kaye Brownlee has made her mark on the women's soccer program in a lot of ways this year. She broke Furman's single season records for assists with 18 (broke old record in only 12 matches) and recently broke Furman's single season points record with 34. Entering the weekend, she was leading the nation in total assists. In matches in which Brownlee records an assist, Furman is 11-0, while they are only 1-7 in matches in which she does not record an assist. Along with her school records for single season assists and points, Brownlee tied the school record for single game assists with four vs. Chattanooga on October 31. Brownlee is already #4 on Furman's all-time assist chart, only five behind leaders Leah Versteegen and Melissa Sutton. She is only two assists away from tying the SouthernConference record for assists in a season.
All-Time Leader?
Tracking who Furman's all-time leading scorer is has been a difficult task over the past two seasons. Only 31 games into her collegiate career, Melissa Sutton became Furman's all-time leader in points last year as a sophomore only to see Liz Bielefeld pass her within a few weeks. Early this season, Sutton again became Furman's all-time leader as she scored in a 4-0 victory over ETSU on September 20 only to see current senior Leah Versteegen pass her just 20 days later during a three-goal performance vs. Georgia Southern on October 9. With her one-goal, one-assist performance on October 31 vs. Chattanooga, Sutton again claimed the title of Furman's all-time leading scorer. As of today, Sutton has 26 goals and 23 assists for 75 points, while Leah Versteegen has 25 goals and 23 assists for 73 points.
Youth Serves Furman Well
Once again, Furman's women's soccer team is extremely young as eight freshman and sophomores regularly start in Furman's lineup. Five freshmen, including goalkeeper Melissa Barnes and leading scorer Kaye Brownlee are regular starters. Only one senior, Leah Versteegen, is a regular in Furman's starting lineup.
Streaky Season
After beginning the season 2-3, the 1998 season has been one of ups and downs. Furman proceeded to march on to a school record eight straight wins before losing four straight. The Lady Paladins ended that losing streak vs. Chattanooga on October 31 and hope to proceed on another long winning streak.
Falling Records
It's been a season of falling records as Furman has broken or tied 12 records. The records that have been broken include: Most Goals, Team (50), Most Assists, Team (63), Fewest Shutouts (2), Wins in a Row (8), Most Assists, Individual (Brownlee, 18), and Most Points, Individual (Brownlee, 34). Furman records that have been tied include: Most Wins (12), Most Wins at Home (7), Most Wins on the Road (5), Most Shutouts, Team (7), Most Assists, Single Game (Bronwlee, 4), and Most Shutouts, Individual (Barnes, 7).