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SPORTS

THE TARTAN Sept. 14, 2011

Che Brown looks to continue dominance on the field

Sophomore goalkeeper is looking to build on monster freshman season; now heralded as best goalie in Big South
A.J. NEUHARTH-KEUSCH
[email protected]
Sophomore goalkeeper Che Brown is on pace to completely rewrite the Radford Highlanders womens soccer record books. In her freshman year as goalkeeper for the Highs, she was named Big South Defensive Player of the Year, Freshman of the Year, rst team all-conference, second team all-state and was rst in the conference in goals allowed average, save percentage and shutouts. Out of her 19 starts, Brown had eight clean sheets. She had a save percentage of .871, which was 16th in the NCAA. She only allowed .67 goals per game, which is second in Radford history and shes only six games into her sophomore season right now. Before her collegiate superstardom, Brown was a typical highschooler. Shes the all-time leading scorer for her high school basketball team, the Manassas Park Cougars. She was named MVP her sophomore and junior years in basketball and softball. She was on the honor roll and received an academic letter. On top of all that, she played some soccer too. When asked how she found time to achieve such phenomenal accomplishments in high school, Che Brown said, Im the type of person that gets stuff done when I have a lot to do. There were a lot of nights when I was up late, but I dont think it was that difcult. My deciding factor was if I could imagine myself not playing. Ive played all year round for my whole life, Brown said. Brown is listed at 57, which is considerably short for a goalkeeper. Im 58, said Brown jokingly on the topic of her height causing a disadvantage, But compared to Lisa Lubke [a 61 goalkeeper for the Highs], yeah, I do have a disadvantage to that point. Ive been this way for a while, so I just jump. Although Brown and the Highs had an impressive 12-6-1 record going into the Big South tournament in 2010, their season came to an abrupt halt with a devastating 78th minute goal allowed in the rst round against Gardner-Webb University. They were obviously disappointed, but continue to work and set goals to avoid the same fate as last year. Brown reected on the previous season and stated her goals for the upcoming year. Obviously, we want a winning season, but we want to progressively get better and better. I just want to get better each year and help the team as much as I can. As a goalkeeper, being a leader is vital. The 2011 season holds big expectations for Brown and the Highs. Brown is commonly looked at as one of the leaders of the young team, which has just four seniors. Ive always been the type of person thats going to step forward, try my best, and work hard, Brown said. We denitely have three really good captains, and our fourth senior Maryellen (Derenda) is also right there, so basically there are four, Brown said. She portrays the winners mentality and leadership skills that every coach hopes for and dreams of. The hard work in the offseason is already paying off. The Highs currently have a 4-2 record and a 18:8 goal ratio. Victories were achieved against Southern Virginia (8-0), Francis Marion (2-0), Alabama A&M (4-0), and Tennessee Tech (3-1). Losses came from powerhouses Ohio State (0-4) and East Tennessee State (0-1). A few weeks from Big South conference matchups, the Highs are hoping to continue their success and be crowned conference champions in the coming months. Brown hopes to learn from her mistakes and build on her accomplishments throughout her

Courtney Earll | The Tartan

Sophomore goalkeeper Che Brown was voted Big South Defensive Player of the Year as a freshman after the 2010 season.

collegiate career. When asked if she wants to continue with soccer after college, Brown said, I want to. I havent looked into it yet and I havent talked to coach yet, but Im denitely thinking about talking to him after this year about getting into something after college. Keep your TVs tuned to ESPN, because you might just see Che Brown rewriting professional soccer record books in a few years.

WOMENS SOCCER:
Highs trounce TTU on Patriot Day at Cupp Stadium
From page 7
watching, so it was a special day for me to get my rst goal. Another twenty minutes of stiff defense ensued, with the Highlanders pressing the issue with the TTU Golden Eagles. In fact, most of the game after the 15th minute was played in TTU territory with only a few exceptions. Wileys goal came in the 60th minute when she hit a rebound off the right post back into the net past Toler. Mary [Wiley] just has a knack for being in the right place at the right time, said Head Coach Ben Sohrabi, Thats why shes one of our leading scorers and our leading players overall. It was a great play beforehand by [senior midelder] Maryellen Derenda, though, because she was the one who made a great tackle and came up just short of the goal with a post shot that set everything up. The Highlanders gave up only their second goal of the season at Cupp Stadium in the 66th minute, when TTU forward Kris Cambron was able to run down a loose ball on a break away. With only one person to beat, Cambron scored easily from 15 yards out. The Highlanders wouldnt wait very long at all to respond, though. Leading by just one goal going into the last 20 minutes of the match, freshman midelder Annabel Bergin sealed the deal for the Highs with the rst goal of her career on a far side cross in the 69th minute, just three minutes after the Highlanders allowed Cambrons goal. Bergins goal was assisted by sophomore forward Sahar Aaki. The last 20 minutes was marked by an intense game of keep-away. With the match rmly in hand, the Highlanders watched the clock tick down to triple zero as they secured their third home win of the year. We have really strong defenders, and obviously Che [Brown] is a great player on her own, said sophomore defender/midelder Rachel Conway, They keep us organized, making sure were always sticking with our man on the eld and that were as tight as we can be. Were working really hard in practice, and you can tell were really trying to use what we learn in practice and in the games. Sohrabi also has strong opinions on the teams tough defensive style. I think we played really well today in every facet of the game, Sohrabi said, We didnt give up many shots at all from a defensive standpoint. It was a shame to give up a goal; we obviously dont like to give up any. Defensively our team is really stout. The road doesnt get any easier for RU, as the Highs next match takes place on Friday, Sept. 16, when they will travel to Farmville to face Longwood University in an away contest scheduled for 7 p.m.

Mens soccer dominates at High Point

BRENNEN WOODRUFF
[email protected]
The mens soccer team had an impressive performance in the Flash Gordon Motors Invitational at High Point. The Highs came into the invitational off a tough loss to Maryland on Sept. 4 in College Park. The tournament consisted of two successful games: one on Sept. 9 and the other on the 10th anniversary of Sept. 11. The Radford seniors were able to knock in four goals in the rst half against St. Bonaventure University, two of which were in the rst eight minutes. Senior midelder Brian Gwanzura nailed the rst goal off of an assist from sophomore midelder Luis Grande only 3:46 into the game. Shortly after, senior forward Iyiola Awosika scored his 20th career goal off of an assist from freshman midelder Chel Ho Kim Park. The Highs ended the rst half with a comfortable 4-0 lead. In the 60th minute, St. Bonaventure knocked in their rst goal. The fth goal for RU came off the head of sophomore midelder Vitto Lauretano. In the end, The Highs knocked off the now 2-3-0 Bona Wolves with a score of 5-1. RU couldnt revel in victory for long, though, as Stony Brook University was waiting. Against the Stony Brook Seawolves, Gwanzura followed up his performance against the Bona Wolves with another great game. He put away the rst goal in the 17th minute with a header set up by Kim Park. Kim Park recorded his fourth assist of the season with the goal, which leads the team. Less than four minutes later, Gwanzura nailed another goal into the net off the assist from sophomore midelder Luis Grande. Gwanzura would later go on to knock in his third goal of the game in the 83rd minute, putting the game away. This goal topped off his rst career hat trick, leading the Highs to a 3-0 victory over the Sea Wolves. Gwanzure knocked in 3 of his 5 shots, with 4 of his shots on target. The Highs keeper, junior Ryan Taylor, recorded three saves in his third career clean sheet. The Highs nished the game with 17 shots with 6 shots on goal to the Seawolves 18 shots and 3 shots on target. The Highs clearly had a terric performance in the Motors Invitational with a 2-0 record and a combined score of 8 to 1. The two wins in the tournament raise the Highs record to 3-2-0 on the season. The team hopes to ride the streak into their next match against the University of Virginia on Tuesday, 9/20 in Charlottesville at 7 p.m.

TENNIS: Anderson confident in 2011 squad

From page 7
same that Radford is one of the smaller schools that are competing. You will not see Liberty, George Mason, George Washington, Richmond, James Madison University or Longwood, but you will denitely see Radford, Anderson said. This is the level that we are at, but not everyone seems to understand that concept, even our own athletic department, Following the teams tournament action, they will start play against conference and non-conference opponents with the biggest threat they face being Winthrop. In the past 10-12 years, the Highs have not captured the regular season and/or conference tournament title, the Eagles seem to stump RU. Anderson constantly stresses his players to aim for the conference title. Our goal as a team is to win the conference championship. Winning the regular season is ne with us, but that is not our main goal, Anderson said. Last season we nished second to Winthrop in the regular season but we beat them in the conference championship match. Along with Winthrop, the Big South added Campbell University as the newest member to the conference, but Anderson said the team would not use the new member as an excuse to falter. Based on their record last year, I how he steps up in terms of leadership suspect they will not be the same prob- and playmaking ability on the court and lem Winthrop poses to us, but all of the in matches. I look forward to being back with the schools have gotten stronger because of us, Anderson said. Liberty, Coastal guys and trying to win another Big South Carolina, and Presbyterian are good, Championship. We should be solid conbut their problem is that we have always sidering that we have all but one starter had the upper hand and this year might returning this season, Carter said. With the top academic team of all be the year we have our best team ever. sports at Radford They try to catch up (average 3.6 grade with us but, so far we point average) inhave managed to stay coming freshman, ahead of them. Patrick OKeefe, who Anderson will try to recently became the bring back the same rst person in the success from last year state of Virginia to in which the team win the state singles nished the season - Mike Anderson | Mens title all four years of at 22-4 and had the his high school calongest win streak in Tennis Head Coach reer, and two playtheir program with ers who won a Davis 18 consecutive wins, and made it to the second round of the Cup match and an ATP point over the NCAA tourney where they lost to the summer, Anderson has something to be third-ranked Volunteers of Tennessee. proud about this season. You never see our players wearing RU brings back ve returning players including sophomore Randall Carter, their hats backwards, you never see who was voted the Big South Freshman them out of uniforms, quitting matches, of the Year from the previous season. or arguing or screaming. We are a quiet Sophomore Joe Mills, who was the top team, Anderson said. At one match, I player in England but now plays as the had an NCAA representative hear that #6 player. Sophomore Nick Sayer, who our program is a very tough and qualwill be tabbed the #1 player for the sea- ity team and he told me, Your team is son, but the team will have to wait to see a class act.

Our goal as a team is to win the conference championship.

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