UA soccer starts season with high hopes

Wildcat File Photo Arizona Summer Wildcat Senior forward Nikki Jones (4) runs for the ball during a game last season. Jones is expected to be a leader for the team in its first year as a full recruit team.

"I think the quality of depth on our team will be one of our strongest contributing factors to helping us reach our goals this season," said UA assistant soccer coach Bruce Caris.

Caris joined the Wildcat coaching team last March after completing his masters degree at the UA. He joins assistant coach Jen Netherwood and head coach Lisa Fraser.

"This is my first season with UA, and it's an exciting year because it is the team's first year with four recruiting classes under our belt," Caris said.

The Wildcats enter their fifth season in Division I play with six returning starters and eight incoming freshmen.

"We are dealing with a very young team this year, with only two seniors on the roster. So, we can be confident with these girls that we have a good couple of -­years coming our way," Caris said.

Senior defender Veronica Ramirez and senior forward Nikki Jones (14 points) are expected to be the leaders in the team's drive for success this season, Caris said.

He said that the three major goals include ranking among the top four teams in the Pacific 10 Conference, finishing in the top 10 of the Western Region and, most importantly, qualifying for the NCAA Tournament.

To reach these goals, the Wildcats will have to face the tough opposition of the 48 teams included in the NCAA Tournament, as well as Pac-10 powers UCLA, Southern Cal and Stanford, Caris said.

"I think we are definitely focused on reaching our goals this year," Caris said. "Our players are excited and we have the experience and knowledge of the older girls to carry on our system and the talent of the new girls to see it through."

Jones said she is confident in the new players, as well as the returning sophomores and their abilities to step up to the leadership the team needs.

"Our playing style remains at a consistent level as we substitute players in our games. We have talent on the bench and field, from our first forward through our last defender," Caris said.

Freshman Shannon Monti said she feels the team is really getting better but that they are still taking it one step at a time to meet their expectations for the year.

"We're ready to make a name of UA soccer this year," she said.

The Wildcats will get their first chance to do just that when their season begins Sept. 2 at Murphey Stadium at 7 p.m. against Grand Canyon University.

"This is my last year and my last chance to achieve the goal I set out to reach four years ago when I got here, to make it to the NCAA tournament," Jones said.