Soccer Squads To Kick Off Exhibition Seasons On Saturday 8/19/02

Vanderbilt’s men’s and women’s soccer teams will kick off the exhibition portion of their 2002 schedule on August 24 when they play a double-header at Moss Wright Soccer Complex in Goodlettsville, Tenn. The men’s team will take on Berry College at 5 p.m., while the women will compete against Jacksonville State at approximately 7 p.m.

The Vikings of Berry College, who compete at the NAIA level, finished the 2001 season with a 17-5 overall record and 6-1 mark in the TranSouth Athletic Conference. The Vikings’ 2001 season concluded with a 2-1 loss to Seattle University in the NAIA National Tournament.

The Gamecocks of Jacksonville State, who compete in Atlantic Sun Conference at the Division I level, concluded their 2001 season with a 6-10-1 overall record and a 3-7 conference mark, which was not good enough to make their conference tournament.

The Vanderbilt men’s soccer team is led by first-year head coach Tim McClements. The former Southern Methodist University assistant coach and Eastern Illinois head coach has been working feverishly since beginning August 1. The opportunity to rebound from a 6-10-1 season looks promising as the Commodores return 19 players from last season’s squad, including five of their top six scorers.

The Commodores’ women’s squad is also looking to rebound from an injury-plagued 2001 campaign. Second-year head coach Ronnie Hill has been preparing her team since it arrived Tuesday, August 13. Vanderbilt finished last season with a 7-10 overall record and a 4-5 mark in the Southeastern Conference. Hill returns 16 players from last year, while adding 10 freshmen and one transfer.

Both the men’s and women’s teams will play one more exhibition prior to the start of the regular season, which kicks off on August 30 for the men (home against Belmont) and September 1 for the women (home against Saint Louis). The men’s final scrimmage is at 1 p.m. Monday, August 26, against Union College at the University School of Nashville’s River Campus. The women conclude their preseason schedule at 8 p.m. Tuesday, August 27, against cross-town rival Belmont.