Women's Soccer Notebook - Week 1

COMING UP: vs. UBC-Okanagan (La Grande, Ore.), Saturday, 1 p.m. (PT)
 
LIVE STATS/LIVE VIDEO: Live Stats of Saturday's match vs. UBC-Okanagan will be available online thanks to Eastern Oregon University at http://portal.stretchinternet.com/eou/. No Live Video will be available.
 
TIME TO OPEN THE SEASON: The Lady Yotes open the 2015 regular-season on Saturday, playing the first of five non-conference games, meeting British Columbia-Okanagan at a neutral site in La Grande, Ore.  Starting the 27th year of the program, C of I is 10-15-1 all-time in openers and will be looking to end a three-match losing streak in opening games of a season.
 
LAST GO ROUND FOR THE SENIORS: Of the 29 players on the C of I roster, only 11 are upper-classmen – and of the 11, just four are seniors.  The quartet – defenders Aurora Ostolasa and Allie Swanson, midfielder Sydney Woods, and forward Brianna Blair – embark on their final collegiate season, hoping to lock down a second-straight postseason berth and the squads first playoff win since 2008.

CONFERENCE POLL: Despite coming off a postseason appearance and returning 10 starters, the C of I was picked to finish sixth in the 2015 Cascade Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll, announced Aug. 11 by the league office. The Lady Yotes, who posted a 7-6-4 record during the 2014 season, received 97 voter points by the 12 league coaches. Defending CCC regular-season champion, Northwest, claimed 10-of-12 first-place votes and earned the top spot, followed by Corban and newcomer, Carroll College. Southern Oregon was ranked fourth by the coaches, followed by Rocky Mountain and C of I.
 
OPPONENT PREVIEW – UBC-OKANAGAN: C of I hits the road on Saturday for their first-ever meeting against UBC-Okanagan, a Canadian Interuniversity Sport affiliate and member of the Canada West Conference.  The Heat (3-10-4 in 2014), from Kelowna, B.C., have a 22 player roster that looks to jump from a seventh-place finish in last season's conference table. Offense was the issue for UBC-O, as the 2014 squad scored just seven goals in 17 games, but return their top two scorers in Courtney Hemmerling and Michelle Smith, who each tallied a pair of goals.  The Heat also will have a new goalkeeper, as top net minder Christine Tallon has graduated.  UBC-O opened the season last weekend, playing a pair of scrimmages against the University of Calgary.
 
AGAINST A CANADIAN SCHOOL: Saturday's match marks the first time since 2008 that the club has played a team from outside the United States.  In 2007 and 2008, C of I played former NAIA (and now NCAA Division II) powerhouse Simon Fraser – dropping a match in 2008, but playing SFU to a scoreless draw in 2007.
 
SCRIMMAGE AT TREASURE VALLEY: The Lady Yotes played the first of two preseason scrimmages on Sunday, traveling to Treasure Valley CC for a friendly.  "The playing surface was extremely thick and we had heavy legs," head coach Brian Smith said. "We played 25 players and did some good things.  Our first group played the opening 30 minutes and created some outstanding opportunities and did not allow a shot.  The biggest key is that the health of our team has been good and we are very fit.  I am excited heading into this weekend."
 
ABOUT THE COACH: Head coach Brian Smith is in his 12th season as the Director of Soccer at the C of I and is in his fourth season as women's soccer head coach.  He currently has a 96-91-14 all-time record, including a 14-27-5 mark with the Lady Yotes. As head coach of the Coyote men's program, Smith was named CCC Coach of the Year at the conclusion of the 2006, 2008, and 2010 seasons.  He has coached 36 All-CCC performers; 22 NAIA Scholar-Athletes; and four NAIA All-Americans in his 11 years as Director of Soccer. The USSF Class "A" licensed coach has has guided his teams to four postseason appearances - three in the CCC Championships and an NAIA regional berth.  In 2006, his men's squad advanced to the NAIA Region I tournament semifinals, before losing to eventual champion, Westminster, while in 2008, his men's team defeated Warner Pacific in the CCC semifinals, before dropping a 2-1 decision to Concordia in the title game.  In 2010, his men's team lost a CCC semifinal to Warner Pacific in penalty kicks, while last season, his women's squad dropped a 2-0 decision to Warner Pacific in the CCC quarterfinals. Smith led the Coyote men to a CCC co-championship in 2006, while in 2008, helped C of I to the only unbeaten, untied regular-season in CCC history in winning the South Division crown. Prior to coaching at the College, the Boise native had a highly successful high school coaching career, directing the Timberline High boys program from 1999-01 and the girls program in 2002 and 2003.  Smith was named Idaho 5A Coach of the year in 2001 and Southern Idaho Conference Coach of the Year in 2003. A 1994 graduate of the College with a political science degree, Smith was a four-year letter-winner and helped C of I to a 35-21-1 record as a player for longtime coach, John Calpin, earning All-District honors. He has served as a coach with the Boise National Soccer Club; the Les Bois United Soccer Club; and with the Idaho Olympic Development Program - while currently serving as a team coach with FC Nova and their entry in the ECNL.
 
FOR MORE INFORMATION: For more on the C of I women's soccer program, visit the official homepage of the Lady Yotes, http://yoteathletics.com/index.aspx?path=wsoc&tab=1.