Lady Razorbacks' makeover taking shape under Kirkup

ROB KEYS
ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE

FAYETTEVILLE -- A piece of advice for those planning to attend Arkansas soccer games this season: Buy a game program.
When Coach Alan Kirkup came to Arkansas before last season, he vowed to change the face of Lady Razorbacks soccer. Kirkup certainly has done so, literally and figuratively.
Eight newcomers have joined Kirkup and 13 returners from last year's 7-12 team.
"There's a lot of new faces, and I think there's going to be a lot of new faces getting considerable playing time," Kirkup said. "All eight [newcomers] can play, and they make us a much more solid unit."
If Arkansas needs to improve in any one area from last season, it's scoring. The Lady Razorbacks scored only 35 goals last year, a meager average of 1.8 a game, and 14 of those came in two games.
Freshmen Crystal Test, Julie Williford, Courtney Shaub and Mandy Komar will get chances to spark the Lady Razorbacks' offense.
"We always seem to create lots of chances," Kirkup said. "It's the, 'Can we stick it [in the net]?' I think we've managed to find some people that can do that."
That is not to say there is no returning offensive firepower. Sophomore Mary Langston and senior Michal-Lynn O'Kelley were Arkansas' second-leading scorers last season with five goals each, and junior Holly Collins had a team-best nine assists. Kirkup also likes senior Debbie McGoldrick's offensive tools.
"Mary Langston finds the back of the net all the time, and we just need to get Debbie McGoldrick to score in games," Kirkup said. "She scores in practice all the time."
Blending the newcomers with the veterans will be critical to Arkansas' chances of making a run at the program's first berth in the NCAA Tournament, but O'Kelley said a shared desire to win already has bonded the new players with the returning ones.
"When you have so many new faces come in, and they mean business as well, everybody's fighting for a position and a spot on this team," O'Kelley said. "Yeah, there's a lot of new faces, but we all work with it and the chemistry is working out well."
Kirkup agreed.
"They feed off of each other," he said. "It's been fun to watch."
Likewise, O'Kelley believes this year's team, with a year of Kirkup's tutelage under its belt, will be more fun to watch.
"It's going to be a lot different than the years past," O'Kelley said. "It's going to be a lot more exciting."
Kirkup prefers a possession game played at a quick pace and is stressing the importance of his defense "winning back balls quickly."
"Maybe that will help us steer clear of those 1-nil defeats or 2-1 defeats," said Kirkup, who watched the Lady Razorbacks lose five such games last season.
The influx of new talent and the increasing adaptation to Kirkup's style of play have everyone in the program believing the Lady Razorbacks can reach the NCAA Tournament this season, even if that seems like a lofty goal for a team that didn't win more than three consecutive games last season.
"I think we have a squad that deserves to be in contention for that," Kirkup said of reaching the NCAA Tournament. "I think we have a team this year that can compete with everybody we play. We're not going to go undefeated ... but we'll be competitive in every game."
And while the freshmen will definitely help Arkansas' ability to compete, Kirkup said he needs his three seniors to pave the way with their leadership.
O'Kelley is more than willing to oblige Kirkup's request.
"I bring a lot of intensity to this team ... and I just hope to bust some heads this year," O'Kelley said.
It seems Kirkup has given Lady Razorbacks soccer the face-lift he promised.

This article was published on Sunday, August 20, 2000

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