Soccer team begins season with first-time adversary

Wildcat File Photo Arizona Daily Wildcat Junior forward Megan Canaday (12) prepares to head the ball in practice at Murphey Stadium Saturday morning. Canaday and the rest of the women's soccer team were preparing for tonight's game at 7 against Glendale Community College.

"I'm disappointed that we're not playing Grand Canyon University, but it doesn't matter who we're playing," senior defender Veronica Ramirez said. "What matters is that we're excited for the game and the season. We're ready to set our name for ourselves. And I'm going to try my hardest to meet that goal."

The Wildcats open their season tonight at 7 against Glendale Community College of Phoenix at Murphey Stadium.

The game was originally scheduled as a scrimmage against Grand Canyon, but that was canceled due to scheduling conflicts with GCU, assistant coach Jen Netherwood said.

"We've never faced Glendale before, so we don't know much about their team. But this will be a good level of play for us to start with. We're going into this game with a lot of confidence and with the way the girls have prepared this summer, they've earned that confidence," Netherwood said.

Glendale is a Region I team in the NJCAA that went 9-6 last season.

"I'm really excited about this season and I think we're ready to get on the field and play with quality, and beat Glendale very badly. We have a rough schedule ahead of us, so hopefully we'll start with some big wins to get our momentum going," junior forward Megan Canaday said.

The Wildcats begin a three-week road trip this weekend in Laramie, Wyo.

Netherwood and fellow assistant Bruce Caris will travel with the team on their first trip, while head coach Lisa Fraser recovers from the recent delivery of her son last weekend.

"Lisa will begin practice with the girls when they return from Wyoming, and then pick up from there with the remaining road games. And in the meantime, Jen and I will work with the team ourselves to take some of the weight of Lisa's shoulders while she recovers," Caris said.

The team has set a goal to come back with at least seven wins out of the nine road games, Netherwood said.

"The team is ready for the road. The girls like to travel and are confident going into these next games. It'll be a long trip, but we hope to come back with our goal of seven wins," Netherwood said.

Kate Longworth can be reached via e-mail at Kate.Longworth@

wildcat.arizona.edu.