SIUE Women’s Soccer Breaks Into NCAA Tournament Field
         EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. - The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville women’s soccer program earned a bid to the NCAA Great Lakes Regional Tournament to be held in Wilder, Ky.
         Third-seeded SIUE (17-5) will face second-seeded Grand Valley State (17-2) in the first round of the tournament Friday at 7:30 p.m. EST. Top seed and tournament host Northern Kentucky (18-2) will play Wheeling Jesuit (20-3) at 5 p.m. EST.
         This is SIUE’s fourth appearance in the NCAA Tournament and the first since 1998.
         “It was a goal of mine since taking the team over,” said Coach Lynda Bowers of making the NCAA Tournament field. “I wanted to accomplish that goal within four years and now we have done it in three years.”
         The 2005 Cougars already have broken or tied several school records. SIUE broke the record for wins (17), consecutive victories (10), and shutouts (12).
         “This team is a special team,” said Bowers. “One of our goals was to get a national bid. It is very nice to accomplish that.”
         The Cougars are led by first team All-GLVC selections Kristine Armstrong (St. Peters, Mo.) and Kelly Dill (St. Louis).
         Armstrong, a junior, has scored 12 goals this season, the most by a Cougar since Colleen Creamer scored 13 during the 1999 season. Dill, a senior, has been the heart of the midfield, scoring once and adding three assists.
         Freshman Amy Million (Granite City) also has stepped up on offense with eight goals and a team-leading five assists.
         SIUE has outscored its opponents 41-20 this season and outshot the opposition 318-149 in 22 games. Still, Bowers often has had to juggle the lineup this season with injuries to Jenny Kates (Florissant, Mo.), Jennifer Kratzer (O’Fallon, Mo.), Elizabeth Valenti (Overland Park, Kan.), and goalkeeper Kim Roady (Granite City).
         The Cougars lost in their previous meeting this season against Grand Valley State 4-0 in Allendale, Mich., despite both teams having 10 shots apiece. The game was played on Sept. 2.
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