Aug. 23, 2001

After setting a school record for most wins in a season in 2000, the Florida Atlantic University women's soccer team is looking to increase their strength of schedule and capture the Atlantic Sun Conference Championship. After falling last year in the championship game by one goal, the team is looking to the returners to lead them through the season and improve on their 14-6 record.

Although there are only two upper classmen on the roster, head coach Brian Dooley is not expecting this to be a rebuilding year. Many of the girls on the team have played on elite club teams or Olympic Development Program teams (ODP). This experience will allow them to step in and make an immediate impact. Since most of the players are either in their first or second season, Dooley feels that this has led to a very tight group.

Lisanne Peart, two-time A-Sun Player-of-the-Week and a member of the All-Tournament team, is expected to be the leader on the team after scoring 17 goals and adding six assists last season. Dooley feels that Peart will be even better this year after having a year to grow and believes she is "leaps and bounds ahead of where she was last season." Now that Peart is known throughout the conference, teams will be keying on her, but Dooley feels that she will be prepared.

Also returning is goalkeeper Molly Keating from Inverness, FL. Keating was a two-time A-Sun Player-of-the-Week and was named to the A-Sun All-Freshman Team after playing 1818 minutes and earning a 1.09 Goals Against Average.

The team is young but Dooley doesn't expect experience to be an issue. "It will all come down to heart and desire and that is where it is important to blend your team. If you are working for each other, then the heart and desire is not an issue. Some of the kids this year are sharing the load already and aren't looking to do it themselves."

The Lady Owls open the season with the FAU Kick-Off Classic on August 31 and host Georgia Southern, Wofford and Lehigh before traveling to the University of Miami on September 4.