Women's Soccer Plays Host To #10 Florida

Aug. 26, 2000

CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The University of Miami women’s soccer team will play host to the #10 Florida Gators to open the 2000 season on Sunday afternoon at Cobb Stadium.

Miami (0-0) and Florida (0-1) have never faced each other, but it will be an important match for the Hurricanes in only their third season of soccer. The Gators won the National Championship in 1998.

In their only exhibition game this season, the Hurricanes shut out Lynn University, 7-0. Junior Alexis MacKenzie (Plantation, FL) scored two goals and added an assist to lead the Hurricanes to the victory over Lynn.

Returning from last year’s 12-8-0 squad are a number of players with extensive starting experience: 1999 All-BIG EAST Second Team defenders Deidre Bass and Lisa Gomez, ’99 scoring leader Allison McWhinney, both goalkeepers Elizabeth Swinson and Rachel Elsby, and 20-game starters Ashley and Laura West.

Gomez was also named a First-Team Freshman All-American, while Bass is the lone player to have started in the program’s 39 overall matches. Additionally, a total of 14 players on the 2000 roster have logged 13 or more starts.

Eight outstanding athletes highlight the 2000 recruiting class, which was rated 14th nationally by SoccerBuzz. Head coach, Jim Blankenship, a former five National Coach of the Year and four-time National Champion at NAIA Lynn University, also put together SoccerBuzz’ 10th-ranked recruiting class in 1999.

The incoming freshmen contingent contains two players with extensive action at midfield and backfield, Mary Luke and Carrie Ratliff. Two others, Nikki Mullan and Nicole Safran will add competition to the midfield, while Allison Ford and Alexandra Palacios will shore up in defense. Newcomers, Vonda Matthews and Caryn Blood will join the Hurricanes up top.

Game time is set for 1 p.m. at Cobb Stadium, admission is free.