Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Women's Soccer	SIUE Athletics SIUE Women's Soccer

August 22, 2007 SIUE Women's Soccer Opens Season Sunday          EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. - The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville women's soccer team will open the 2007 season Sunday with a home non-conference game against Newberry.          The Cougars, 12-5-3 a year ago, begin a 17-game regular season schedule Sunday. The contest is to be played at Korte Stadium beginning at noon.          SIUE Coach Lynda Bowers said she is still weighing options on who to start in Sunday's game. The Cougar head coach, in her fifth season as the team's mentor, said she is looking at the crop of incoming freshmen to play a role in the team's success.          "We're still sorting out our lineup," said Bowers. "We're going to see which combinations are the most effective."          Bowers pointed to four returning players as the group to watch this season. Kelley Humphrey (Edwardsville), Elizabeh Valenti (Overland Park, Kan.), Kelly Limpert (St. Charles, Mo.), and Sara Stroud (Collinsville) are spread throughout the field but play roles on offense and defense.          "They need to be on for our team to be on," said Bowers.          The Cougars' top two scorers from last season return in Valenti and Jenny Kates (Florissant, Mo.) Both scored seven goals last season. Valenti posted one more assist than Kates with four.          Despite outscoring its opponents 32-14 last season, Coach Bowers said she will be focusing even more effort on the team's defense.          "Our focus is to maximize our defensive potential," said Bowers.          That begins with the goalkeeping of junior Kaci Backs (Greenville) and senior Kim Roady (Granite City). The duo combined for nine shutouts last season and 12 shutouts two seasons ago.                   -siue cougars-