SU soccer gears up for opener

Head coach John Knighten of the Southern University women’s soccer team counseled two of his goalies early Wednesday morning, as preparation for the home opener Friday evening inside A.W. Mumford Stadium against Nicholls State. His lessons seemed like more than a routine practice, transforming a dreary school morning into a condition of readiness.
The training session consisted of routine pre-game warm-ups so that they are physically and mentally ready for the game.
Budget cuts forfeited SU the chance to kick-off the new season last week against at Louisiana-Monroe.
As for the team, it doesn’t yet have the fitness required to compete ninety-minute of a game consisting of forty-five minute half’s and no timeouts.
” We feel like the players came in and not as fit as we wanted them to be,” Knighten said. “But they responded well, everybody had positive attitudes, looking forward to a great season.”
Pre-season polls selected SU to finish fourth in the Southwestern Athletic Conference Western Division behind Texas Southern, Prairie View, and 2009 reigning SWAC soccer champions Arkansas Pine-Bluff.
Knighten disagrees and believes that his team should be positioned higher.
“We’re not a fourth place team and we’re going to prove that this season.”
Junior goalie D’nae Capron was named to the 2009 All-Louisiana Sports Writers Association honorable mention list. The state’s sports information directors and media members voted the All-Louisiana Women’s Soccer Collegiate Team.
 
Knighten appointed three seniors the role of team captain that he felt stepped up and showed the necessary leadership to lead a team-midfielder Nakesha Rolle, forward Elsa Valencia, and defender Carling Jackson.
 
Knighten improved upon his staff with the addition of assistant coach Courtnie Prather. A point of emphasis he felt that could better the program for years to come.
“She’s done a great job in developing and training these players to the point where they can compete.”
Prather was assistant coach for six seasons with the William Carey University soccer program, three of which were with the men’s program.
Prather also help guide the program to four winning seasons, three Regional Tournament appearances, including an undefeated season in 2007, a national tournament Elite 8 appearance in 2008, a national tournament Sweet 16 appearance in 2009, while capturing their third consecutive regular season and tournament conference championship, posting a No. 3 NAIA National Ranking.
The Colonels (1-0-1) of Nicholls State struggled in their season opening match against Prairie View A&M Panthers (0-1-1) at the Holiday Inn-Waller College Invitational. Both teams battled to a 0-0 double overtime final on Aug. 20.
The Colonels picked up its first win of the 2010 season with an 8-0 victory over Alcorn State at the Holiday Inn-Waller Invitational hosted by PVAM.