64 days til the Lady Ags BTHO Michigan......

Returning Starters:
F Emma Smith
F Kat Krambeer
M Becky Olsen
M Laura Probst
M Carrie Berend
M Amanda Burke
D Annie Burnett
D Linda Pierson
D Shannon Labhart
GK Kati Jo Spisak

Let me preface by saying I love Aggie Soccer but it's also the only time I ever follow the sport. I'm not a soccer expert by any means.

M Amy Berend, M Melissa Garey, and F Ashlee Pistorius are the 3 most highly rated recruits, as they are McDonald's and Parade All-Americans. Which one of these girls is most likely to see the starting lineup and replace Kristen Strutz??

Also, why do we start two forwards instead of three? Is that just Coach G's preference to make our defense tougher or is it because we just had more talent at M instead of F in the past 2 years I've followed the team??

Will be interesting to see how this years team develops. This is arguably the best recruiting class A&M has ever had. I suspect that a number of the incoming freshmen will be starters. If they aren't, then they aren't as good as advertised. One player won't replace Strutz as she was well always good. More scoring has to come from the forwards and until proven otherwise Kat & Emma will have to be better. If not, their field time will be limited.

I'm excited about this team, but I think it'll take this year for the heralded recruits to work their way in. If the Aggies do well, it'll be the seniors and Spisak who lead the way.

Any comments about defense? I think the strong defensive play last year kept the Aggies in contention to the Sweet 16. The entire starting defensive unit is returning. Just need more goal scorers.

AggieGreg -

Good post, can't wait to see them in action. As for your question about why just 2 forwards. Most coaches from college thru professional prefer to play a 4-5-2 utilizing attacking midfielders. The rationalization is that you want to control the ball in the midfield stopping your opponent's attacks and organzing your own. Most youth teams will play the normal 4-4-3. Scoring goals gets much tougher as the competition gets harder.

60 days left until opening day!

I think you mean 4-4-2 or 4-3-3 unless girl's soccer has 12 players but that just doesn't seem right. I've only been to one NCAA girls game and I think I owuld have caught that but it was running cats and dogs so maybe I didn't.

you should be going to more.....59 days left

can you feel it.....52 days!!!

Kat Krambeer is hott!!!

It should be 53 days from Monday and 52 days away on Tuesday. I think I did the math wrong the first time.

I can't wait. It's getting closer.

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66 days until the Aggie Men's Soccer opener!

http://recsports.tamu.edu/msoccer/home_page/home_page_frameset.htm

Way to screw up our math Greg. Yo greg have you checked out the photos of the womens soccer game vs brazil you can see Schick, Brooke, Luis, and myself in a couple of the photos. I forgot how cold it was that day the weather was really crazy.
Im excited we're gonna score about 2007 goals a game this year A-A-A-A-A!!!!

Can you say 46 days till opening Day!!

I'm excited about this year's team but I'm REALLY excited about 2005. We're hosting the College Cup, Kati Jo will be a senior and our top-ranked recruiting class will have a year under their belts.

Exactly one month away from opening day.

Is your chest painted?

I hope those guys who pound the plastic drums down by the other team's goal line are back this season. Who are they?

Oh, gosh no. Somebody should steal those buckets and run.

Does coach G maybe run a 3-5-2? I seem to recall Burke being a problem-solver type player who was able to roam the pitch. If that's the case, it might have been a 4-4-2, but more like a 4-1-3-2 with Burke as the 1 (a stopper or sweeper).

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i didn't get to go to any of last year's games...but i seem to remember a 4-4-2 the year before. i might be wrong though.

4 tier starts are great. In high school we usually ran a 3-1-4-2. Worked very well.

I am pretty sure Burke was in the defense last year, but is going to be in the midfield this season.

I saw the team play in Allen against Purdue in April and it looked like we were in a 4-3-3. It was hard to tell how many were on the back line, since the Ags scored 6 and were in attack most of the game. Burke definately seemed to be in the midfield in that game.

I did not see very many of their games while I was A&M but I always caught a couple of games when the soccer team is here in San Antonio. Based on the schedule and their recruiting class this year I have high hopes that they will make it to at least the sweet 16 and the Final Four at most. Overall I believe they can take the Big XII Title and Tourney.

With that in mind, can't wait for the season to start.

BTHO Michigan and Gig'em Aggies

since I have seen very little actual counting down on here, I figured I would contribute.

only 17 days baby!

Great reporting on their European tour going on right now! They've got good competition and are getting valuable lessons that reach far beyond the field.

2 Days and counting! Whoop!!!

Ranked #4 nationally. Gig 'em, Ladies!

Let's not forget about the Aggie Men's Team!
First game against t.u. on 9/10.

**Admission is Free**

http://recsports.tamu.edu/msoccer/home_page/home_page_frameset.htm

[This message has been edited by DaveHimself (edited 8/20/2004 1:01p).]

9 hours till TCU, 6 days until Meeeechigan.

Gameday - Whoop!!

I hope this bad weather clears up. It's not raining at the moment but the skies are dark.

I will be there...Whoop...

Here comes stamp number one

wreckncrew---2004 Pickoff Champion---put it in the bank

A solid 4-0 win. Great job girls! Keep it up!

TOMORROW is the official opening night of the 2004 soccer season. Are YOU gonna be there?

10 hours and 10 minutes till opening kick!

Gig'em Aggies!

"Can I ask you a question?
What is it?
It's an interrogative form of sentence, used to test knowledge. But that's not important right now."