Exceeding great expectations; that’s what the 2007 edition of the Blue Knight women’s soccer team did this season. Urbana won a school-record 14 games and advanced to the American Mideast Conference playoffs for the first time since 2001.

“Our No. 1 goal was to make the conference playoffs and we reached that goal,” said Urbana University head women’s soccer coach Jim Wendling. “We also wanted to improve on our record and we achieved more than I expected with the 14 wins.”

The Blue Knights started the season on fire, winning their first four games, before falling, 1-0 to Marian. Urbana went on another run, winning five consecutive games, including a 3-2 win over No. 34 Mount Vernon Nazarene (Sept. 22). After a loss to the AMC South leading Ohio Dominican, Urbana won four straight, including back-to-back 6-0 shutouts. Their 14 wins were first in Region IX for regular season victories. The four regular season setbacks also tied a school record for fewest losses. Two of the five losses in 2007 came against nationally ranked opponents.

“We got off to a really good start which gave us a lot of confidence,” said Wendling. “We continued winning and that winning just breeds confidence.”

This year’s team was a good mix of senior leaders and freshmen enthusiasm. Seven different freshmen scored goals, while senior Darby McCullough scored a career-high nine goals and junior Abi Nelson dished out a school record 11 assists. Both finished the season with 25 points. The Blue Knight defense was one of the best in the AMC as well. The back line of senior Dee Clemons, and sophomores Kelsey Riviello and Kristen Shope, along with sophomore goalkeeper Mel Johansing, led Urbana to eight shutouts, tying another school record.

“The girls on the team had a great combination of having fun and knowing when to work hard,” said Wendling. “Their personalities are great.

“This is the most talented team I have ever had here,” added Wendling. “There was great chemistry between the upperclassmen and freshmen. They played to win for each other.”

That chemistry resulted in a final ranking of 40 th in the country and 5 th in Region IX. The Blue Knights were first in the region in assists per game (2.5) and total assists (50); fifth in the region in goals scored per game (2.33) and fourth in goals scored (42). Defensively, Urbana was third in the region in shutouts (8) and fourth in goals allowed (18).

Seniors Julie Glaser and McCullough, as well as Shope, were named second team all-AMC. Glaser closed out her senior season with four goals and four assists. McCullough had nine goals, including four game winners, and seven assists in 2007. Shope was a part of the Blue Knight wall of a defense. Nelson and Johansing were both named honorable mention all-AMC.

Next season, the Blue Knight women will be asked to step it up one more notch. They lose four seniors in McCullough, Glaser, Clemons and Brittany Webb, but return a solid core of freshmen and sophomores. Wendling returns 12 players who will be sophomores and eight who will be juniors, along with two seniors. The 2008 schedule includes 17 NCAA opponents and will be a challenge.

“The girls will have to step up their play to a higher level next year,” said Wendling. “We are going to have to play every game like we played against Mount Vernon when we take on NCAA schools next year. We will need to add four or five fast freshmen to replace our departing seniors.”

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