Volleyball, soccer teams win home-openers

Both the ACU volleyball and women's soccer teams won their home-openers on Tuesday with the volleyball team beating Texas-Permian Basin, 3-0, and the soccer team beating Hardin-Simmons, 3-1.

Both teams played in front of nice home crowds as the volleyball team improved to 10-1 on the season, while the soccer team moved its record to 4-2-1. The volleyball team won't be back at home until it hosts Eastern New Mexico at 7 p.m. on Sept. 25. The soccer team isn't playing at home Monday, but it is playing in Abilene as the Wildcats play at McMurry at 5 p.m.

If you didn't take the chance to see either team Tuesday, don't miss the chance to see them in Abilene at some point this season.

ACU's third-year volleyball coach, Kellen Mock, has the Wildcats playing well in the early going, although the competition will get a little bit tougher starting Thursday when the Wildcats open Lone Star Conference play in Stephenville against Tarleton State. ACU then goes to Kingsville on Saturday to take on Texas A&M-Kingsville.

The Wildcats have a solid young nucleus in Jordan Schilling, Shawna Hines, Michelle Bacon, Ijeoma Moronu, Jennie Hutt and Britni Golden, one that could push the Wildcats back to the elite level in the region. Don't forget, it was just three seasons ago (2005) that the Wildcats were one win away from going to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight, but lost to No. 1-ranked Nebraska-Kearney on its home floor in the regional tournament championship match.

With another solid recruiting year, another year of experience -- and the expected 2009 return of middle blocker Lauren Leone, who is out this season with a knee injury -- don't think the Wildcats aren't thinking that next year could be the year they make a serious run at that berth in the national tournament. Not that they don't have post-season goals this year. This year's team could put the Wildcats back in the regional tournament after missing last year, but defending regional champion West Texas A&M will be a tough out in any tournament.

Should be a lot of fun to watch this team over the next two or three seasons.

On the soccer pitch, head coach Casey Wilson and assistant coach Thomas Pertuit went out during the off-season and brought in several transfers who have paid immediate dividends. One of their goals in recruiting was to find players who would make the Wildcats tougher on defense.

Consider that done as the Wildcats have allowed just four goals in seven matches, and two of those came in the first match of the season, a 2-1 loss at Missouri Southern. In their last six matches, ACU has allowed two goals and pitched four shutouts.

Like the volleyball team, the soccer team is full of players who will be around for at least two more seasons, including goalkeeper Crissy Lawson, defender Anastasia Nelson and midfielder Alyse Ritchie, along with Courtney Wilson, Jordan Reese and Lyndsey Womack.

After Monday's match at McMurry, the Wildcats will return to the ACU Soccer Field next Friday (Sept. 26) to open LSC play against Angelo State at 4 p.m. Make sure you get by to see the Wildcats; you won't be sorry you spent your afternoon watching the Wildcats.