Irish gain playing experience on summer trip to Brazil
By KERRY SMITH
Sports Editor
Forget big shoes. This year's women's soccer squad has huge shoes to fill.
Winning its fifth-consecutive Big East championship and advancing to its fourth National Championship game in six years, the 1999 squad produced a stellar class of seniors that will be nearly impossible to replace.
The loss of five starters and Notre Dame's most impressive class in the program's history does not necessarily mean a lapse in performance, however.
Second-year head coach Randy Waldrum has put a spin on his preseason training to better ready his freshman recruits for high-level competition.
Instead of typical on-site training at Notre Dame, Waldrum broke with tradition and accompanied his squad to Brazil for an 11-day tour of the country in order to square off against top Brazilian club teams. The squad will return Sunday to continue preparations for its season opener against Detroit on Aug. 27.
Providing the backbone for the Irish squad this season is senior All-American Anne Makinen in the midfield, senior defender Kelly Lindsey and top-returning scorer Meotis Erikson, yet there are many gaps left to fill.
Waldrum's freshman recruiting class will have to step up and make an immediate impact in order for the 2000 squad to produce the successes of previous years.
At the forward position, freshmen Amanda Guertin, Melissa Tancredi and Amy Warner will help to fill the void left by the loss of Jenny Heft and Jenny Streiffer, who each scored more than 70 goals in their four-year stints for the Irish.
The freshman forwards arrive at Notre Dame touting impressive achievements: Guertin earned Parade All-American honors, Warner was a leading player in New Mexico, earning back-to-back Albuquerque Tribune Athlete of the Year honors in 1998 and 1999, while Tancredi excelled as a member of the Canadian National Team.
In the midfield, freshman Randi Scheller will join an already talented group of players. The Pennsylvania-native is a two-time Parade All-American.
In the backfield, freshmen Kim Carpenter and Jennifer Carter will look to gain some playing experience from a back line that is weakened by the loss of four-time All American Jen Grubb. Freshman goaltender Lauren Kent will also be seeking some collegiate experience before making a big impact on the squad.
All Sports Stories for Saturday, August 19, 2000
