Eagles Prepare for Season Debut in the Sunshine State

Eastern will play two first-time opponents at season-opening tourney in Fort Myers, Fla.

Although a week earlier than normal, the Eastern Washington University women's soccer team is more than ready to get the season underway. The Eagles debut this weekend at the 5th Annual Embassy Suites Kick-Off Classic in Fort Myers, Fla.

Eastern will play host Florida Gulf Coast on Friday (Aug. 19) and Robert Morris on Sunday (Aug. 21) – both of which are first-time opponents for the red and white.

"This weekend is going to be a great task," said head coach George Hageage. "We have a lot of young players, who bring a lot of energy and enthusiasm. Everyone wants to win a position. We've had just 13 days of practice, but I know we're all chomping at the bit to get a game in."

Eastern's first opponent is a talented team out of the Atlantic Sun Conference. Florida Gulf Coast - also known as the Eagles - won its league title last season with a nearly flawless 8-0-2 record. The Blue and Green Eagles return seven starters and seven other letterwinners from that squad.

"Florida Gulf Coast is going to be a good team, probably similar to a Northern Arizona in our conference," said Hageage. "They will definitely knock the ball around and be well organized. They also have a defender who is on the [TopDrawerSoccer.com] Top 100 Watch List. It should be a good test."

Eastern's next test will be Robert Morris, a small school out of the Northeast Conference.

"We don't know a whole lot about Robert Morris, but expect them to be similar to other teams we've played out of the Midwest," said Hageage. "They should be pretty physical defensively and definitely run at you with talent up top."

2011 SEASON OUTLOOK: New Season, New System, New Spirit

The Eastern Washington University women's soccer team is ready for a fresh start.

Last season, the Eagles possessed many valuable pieces, but struggled to find the chemistry and consistency that would foster success on the field. Head coach George Hageage and his squad spent a lot of time in the offseason reflecting and re-evaluating, and what came out of it was an exciting new attitude about Eastern Washington women's soccer.

"We really wanted to focus on setting a better foundation, and get this program back to where we were a few years ago," said Hageage. "We are changing the way we practice and changing the way we play, and although it is bit of a process, we are confident this new approach will bring positive results."

In addition to some noticeable roster changes, the Eagles welcomed a new assistant coach in Julio Morales, a veteran of soccer in the Pacific Northwest. Morales came to Eastern with more than 17 years of coaching experience at a variety of levels, as well as four years of Division I playing experience.

"With the addition of Julio, we were able to reassign some duties within the coaching staff, and that has really helped breathe new life into the team," said Hageage.

The Eagles return just five starters from the 2010 squad that went 2-14-1 overall and 2-5 in the Big Sky. Hageage does return 10 other players who all saw minutes last season, but are still fairly new to the ins and outs of Division I soccer. Making up the bulk of his 2011 roster will be the 13 newcomers, of which 11 are freshmen and two are junior college transfers.

"We definitely lost a lot of players, including a few who were very instrumental in our program," said Hageage. "But with so many new players, and with the returners who were here in the spring and introduced to a new coach and new style of operating, we have an amazing opportunity to really build this team from the ground up."

Forwards

The key characteristic to Eastern's new system is an attack-minded offense. The Eagles will look to put pressure on the opposition by creating havoc up top with an influx of players.

"Last year, we just didn't get as many shots as we needed," said Hageage. "Because of that, our recruiting efforts were really focused on finding aggressive players who do well up top."

Junior Whitney Brannan will be the leader and anchor of this new offense, as she returns after a stellar junior season in which she was selected to the All-Big Sky Honorable Mention squad. Brannan led the Eagles in scoring with eight goals on 42 total shots, while also tallying three assists.

"Whitney will obviously be the one most people scout," said Hageage. "She matured a lot last season in her ability to put the ball in the back of the net, so it is no doubt she is seen as our main offensive threat. That fact has not changed, but her overall game has evolved. This winter and spring, we put a lot of emphasis on Whitney taking more people on at her feet. We want her to feel more comfortable with the ball and really create opportunities for herself. She has really done a great job improving in that area."

Along with Brannan, Hageage will look to fellow senior Kirsten Fausko, as well as sophomores Siara Byers and Torri Stizman. Fausko was sidelined for the first seven games of the 2010 season, but when she returned healthy, she had a definite presence on the field. She was one of five Eagles to score a goal last year.

"Both Kirsten and Siara can help us a lot up front in terms of holding the ball," said Hageage. "Although they were not mainstays in the lineup last season, both did a great job for us when they were in. Torri Sitzman also contributed solid minutes off the bench, and although she is young, we are excited to see what she brings this year."

Hageage is also excited about a couple of his freshmen that fit in particularly well with the new system. Katie Cashman from Granite Falls, Wash., and Haley Stading out of Evergreen, Colo., will likely vie for a starting spot. And what is most unique, and valuable, about these two players in particular, is that starting spot could be anywhere on the field.

Cashman was the 2010 Offensive MVP for the Cascade Conference, and is a two-time All-State selection. She owns the Granite Falls High School record for career goals (72) and assists (58).

"Katie offers size, speed and aggressiveness," said Hageage. "I think she has an opportunity to step into a number of places. She was the leading scorer on her high school team, and an integral part of her Crossfire club team, so she obviously knows how to create shots and score goals. But she also has experience playing as a center-mid or center-back. She definitely has the ability to help us immediately."

Stading earned All-State honorable mention accolades in 2009 after leading her high school team with 18 goals and eight assists. She also helped her club team, Colorado Rush, win three-consecutive state championships from 2009-11.

"I had an opportunity to watch Haley play in Denver a few months before she arrived on campus, and I was really excited about what I saw," said Hageage. "She is attack-minded, and has the ability to break people down on the dribble. She could have an immediate impact as a forward or as part of the midfield."

Midfielders

Although Eastern lost seven starters and a number of other letterwinners from a year ago, the midfield was one area that was not affected too dramatically. The Eagles welcome back two starters and three other players who saw quality minutes last season.

Headlining the group is All-Big Sky Honorable Mention selection Lauren Jacobsen (Lynnwood, Wash.), who started all 17 games during her sophomore campaign. She averaged 79.3 minutes per game, and registered 14 shots, nine of which came in Big Sky Conference play.

"Jacobsen was really the anchor of our midfield, and the one we relied on to organize that part of the field. She holds the ball well for us and plays a smart, simple game. We want her to continue expanding that role, and really focus on breaking teams down."

Junior Melissa von der Hofen (Lake Stevens, Wash.) also returns with a great deal of experience, as does senior Melanie Kitsman (El Dorado Hills, Calif.), who scored the game-winning goal for Eastern in its 2-1 victory over Weber State last season.

Junior Kasey McNeill and sophomore Tanya Baker will provide additional depth in the midfield, with McNeill performing more of an offensive role and Baker providing help on the defensive side.

Defenders

Contrary to the midfield, Eastern's defensive unit will have a completely new look in 2011. The only returner from last year's starting back line is senior Dashia Huff (Kennewick, Wash.).

"Dashia is really going to have to carry the load back there," expressed Hageage. "But she played nearly every minute last season and had a great spring, so we are confident she can handle the job."

Huff started all 17 games in her first year with the program and logged 1,591 total minutes - the most of any player on the team. Following the season, she was recognized by the conference coaches as a member of the All-Big Sky Honorable Mention squad.

Although Huff represents the only returning starter, the Eagles do have a few squad members who have an opportunity to step up and seize a starting spot, specifically junior Tess Locke (Langley, B.C.) and sophomore Brianna Brannan (Kennewick, Wash.). Both players appeared in five games during the 2010 season.

With the position pretty wide open, Eastern will also look to freshmen Kayla Sutter and Jessica Wallace to fight for minutes.

Wallace comes to Eastern from Squalicum High School in Bellingham, Wash. She was an All-Northwest Conference second-team selection in 2010, and earned honorable mention accolades in 2009. She led her high school in assists as a freshman, and again during her junior year.

"Jessica is a fast and feisty defender," said Hageage. "She got a lot of great experience with her club team, and will definitely give us some depth in the back."

Sutter is a two-time All-Metro League second-team selection out of Westview High School in Beaverton, Ore. She helped the Wildcats to a second-place finish in the 2009 Oregon 6A State Championship, and a berth in the semifinals in 2010.

"Kayla played most of her career as an outside defender, but she is quite versatile and can really play anywhere on the flank," said Hageage. "She is explosive and can really break people down with the dribble."

In addition to the differences in actual bodies on the field, Hageage says the entire M.O. of Eastern's defense will also see some changes, as he has assigned Morales to take over that area.

"With Julio in charge of the defensive side of things, I expect we will be more organized as a unit and significantly better in one versus one situations. We really want to defend higher up the field this season to maximize scoring opportunities, so we will experiment with a few different systems to best make that happen."

Goalkeepers

Eastern's goalkeeping situation is in a great place entering the 2011 season. Not only does EWU welcome back two-year letterwinner Jamie Walker (Graham, Wash.), but the team will also enjoy the expertise of a former member of the Swiss national team in Nathalie Schwery (Scheupfheim, Switzerland).

Before coming to Eastern, Schwery played in more than 20 games with the Swiss national team, and two of those contests were in the 2010 U20 World Cup in Germany. Goalkeeping coach Tamara Hageage said she is excited about Schwery's talent, but knows she still has a lot to prove, especially when going up against the veteran Walker.

"Nathalie has had really great training and fantastic experiences," said Hageage. "Having played on her national team and in the U20 World Cup is definitely a feather in the hat for this program, that we can attract that kind of player. But it doesn't necessarily secure her the position. We are definitely looking forward to watching her play, but Division I is a beast in itself. Nathalie is still a freshman and will have all the same obstacles to deal with."

Walker was the starting goalkeeper for EWU in 11 of 17 contests during the 2010 season, but she played at least 45 minutes in every single outing of the year. She finished the season with 95 total saves, which was the most for all keepers in the Big Sky.

"Jamie is a tremendous goalkeeper, and a great teammate," said Hageage. "She worked so diligently on improving her weaknesses last season, and now the consistency and sharpness in her technique is there."

"Jamie is innately a very kind-hearted, soft-spoken person," added Hageage. "But the most important quality to have in a goalkeeper is the ability to lead with your mouth. So, we are still working on getting her to be a vocal, demanding, urgent leader on the field."

Creating even more competition among the keepers is freshman walk-on Katie Emery. Emery is a local player out of Mt. Spokane High School.

"Katie is what I call a blue-collar player," said Hageage. "She is a hard worker and knows what she wants. She had a dream to be a Division I athlete and really wanted to come to Eastern. She may not be in the one or two spot her first year, but I see her coming in and being very athletic and very competitive. She will make Nathalie and Jamie practice hard everyday."

Schedule

Eastern will open its 2011 campaign with two tournaments on the road that will both feature a few unfamiliar opponents for the red and white.

"Our two tournaments right off the bat are going to be great tests, especially for our younger squad," said Hageage. "Three of the first four teams we have never seen before, so we're not really sure what to expect. They are probably not quite at the same level as some of our opponents last year, who were ranked regionally and nationally in Division I, but we know they are quality teams. I think we should match-up pretty well."

First, EWU will travel completely across the country for a tournament in Fort Myers, Fla., on Aug. 19-21. Eastern will play Florida Gulf Coast and Robert Morris for the first time in Hageage's tenure.

The Eags will then head to Boise, Idaho, for the 2011 Bronco Invite. The Eagles will play host-school Boise State on Aug. 26, as well as Air Force on Aug. 28.

"We have played Boise State a few times, but never beaten them," said Hageage. "We have never played Air Force, but that is a school that usually competes well against Big Sky teams. I'm not entirely sure what style they play, but I can tell you one thing, I know Air Force will be fit."

Eastern will then have three home games and one short jaunt to Moscow, Idaho, before conference play begins with a trip to Montana on Sept. 30.

"I tried to put this year's schedule together in a way that would have us traveling to tournaments early, and then be closer to home as we head into Big Sky," said Hageage. "I think we accomplished that goal with a good mix of opponents."

The Eagles will open league play on the road at Montana before returning home to face Portland State and Sacramento State, both of which were Big Sky tournament teams a year ago. Eastern will also play Northern Colorado at home on Oct. 21, before traveling to Flagstaff, Ariz., for its final conference matchup on Oct. 23.

"One interesting aspect to this year's conference lineup is who we get to face at home," said Hageage. "The four conference teams that were really playing the best at the end of the season, and could be even stronger this year, were Sac, Portland State, UNC and NAU. We will get to play three of those four schools in Cheney, and I think that will help us a lot."

A little different than usual, the Eags will finish their regular season against a non-conference foe. Because of a change in the conference composite schedule, Eastern will take on Seattle the week before the league tournament on Sunday, Oct. 30.

"This year, the Big Sky schedule has an open weekend before the championship, so we wanted to take advantage of that by playing at least one game," said Hageage. "We think it's important to maintain relationships with other schools in our state or ones close by like Idaho. I really enjoy working with Julie [Woodward, head coach of SU women's soccer] at Seattle, and that weekend worked well with their schedule too, so we are excited to be able to fit in one more competitive contest."

This year's Big Sky Conference Championship is scheduled for Nov. 4-6 at the site of the regular-season champion. Northern Arizona hosted last year after an undefeated regular season at 6-0-1, but Sac State upset the Lumberjacks in Flagstaff in the championship game to advance to the NCAA College Cup for the second time in school history. 

In the 2011 Big Sky Preseason Coaches' Poll, Northern Arizona narrowly edged Sacramento State as the favorite to repeat as the regular-season champion. The Lumberjacks garnered 43 total points with three first-place votes, while the Hornets had the same amount of first-place votes, but came out one point shy at 42.

The Eagles, who finished seventh in 2010, were selected last in this year's preseason poll. Eastern earned seven points to finish behind No. 7 Idaho State (14), No. 6 Montana (19) and No. 5 Weber State (26). Eastern did beat ISU and WSU during the 2010 season.

Northern Colorado and Portland State, both tournament teams a year ago, finished in third and fourth, respectively.

2011 Big Sky Preseason Coaches' Poll