UNCG Begins 2012 Season with SEC Foe Georgia
Game Notes
GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNCG women's soccer team kicks off the 2012 season with a non-conference match against Georgia on Friday, August 17 at the UGA Soccer Stadium at 7 p.m.
UGA will offer free live video coverage for the contest against the Spartans on Georgiadogs.com with commentary from Kevin Copp - beginning just prior to kickoff. Live scoring can also be found on Georgiadogs.com.
"We are very excited to start the season," said head coach Steve Nugent. "We have been working on our patterns of play and that our set pieces are in check."
Second-year head coach Steve Nugent returns to Athens, Ga. where he coached the Bulldogs as an assistant coach for four seasons (2007-10).
UNCG is 1-1 all-time against Georgia, including a 4-1 setback last year at the UNCG Soccer Stadium. The Spartans are 9-13 in regular season openers.
UNCG was predicted to finish fourth in the annual preseason Southern Conference poll as the Spartans are coming off a 7-3-1 record in the SoCon last season. UNCG was 6-1 in road contests in 2011, including 5-0 on the road in the SoCon. Redshirt senior Cat Barnekow was selected to the preseason all-conference team as a defender after leading the team with 14 assists in 2010.
The Blue and Gold return three all-conference players in senior Stephanie Partenheimer, senior Karin Sendel and sophomore Ashley Stokes. Sendel was second on the team in points with nine on two goals and five assists last season, while Stokes was tied for second in goals with three. Partenheimer started all 19 games at defender and led the team in minutes played with 1646. The Spartans return six starters and welcome 17 newcomers to the fold this season.
The 2012 Bulldogs return nine starters and 16 letterwinners from last season's NCAA second round campaign, including All SEC midfielder Alexa Newfield and goalkeeper Ashley Baker. The squad also welcomes in eight freshmen. In 2011 Georgia made the field of 64 and reached the second round for just the sixth time in school history, putting together a record of 13-7-2 (6-3-2 SEC). UGA defeated Kansas in the first round before falling to the eventual national runner-up Duke, 3-1.
Be sure to follow all updates about the 2012 UNCG women's soccer team on www.uncgspartans.com or on twitter @UNCGsports.
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