Soccer Notebook (posted Dec. 8)

More Kudos For the Kids
Southern Oregon University women's soccer sophomores Katie Emerson and Stacy Ermini have earned second-team NAIA Region I all-star status after lading the Raiders to a record-setting 2003 season.

Emerson, a forward from Bend, shattered every school offensive record and led the league with 22 goals and finished second in the nine-team loop for points (53, including a team-best nine assists).

Ermini, a Eugene native, is the team's top defender and is already a two-time Cascade Conference all-star selection.

The duo helped the 2003 Raiders post the school's first winning season (11-7 overall), tie Western Baptist for the conference south division championship with a 10-2 mark, and establish program records for wins, consecutive victories (seven), goals (67), assists (44) and shots (375).

Closing the Book on the Best Season Yet
Southern Oregon's best season in four years as an intercollegiate program ended Oct. 29 with a 7-0 setback to NAIA third-ranked Concordia University in the Cascade Conference tournament semifinals.

Although the squad exited in the league tournament semis for the fourth straight year, the 2003 Raiders posted the school's first winning season (11-7 overall), tied Western Baptist for the conference south division championship with a 10-2 mark, and established program records for wins, consecutive victories (seven), goals (67), assists (44) and shots (375).

Sixteen of the team's 17 players are eligible to return for 2004, and three Raider sophomores (forward Katie Emerson, defender Stacy Ermini, sophomore forward Lisa Howard) and a junior (midfielder Marissa Gillingham) received all-conference kudos.

Emerson, a first-team selection, shattered every school offensive record and led the league with 22 goals and finished second in the nine-team loop for points (53, including a team-best nine assists).

Ermini, the team's top defender, earned first-team status after garnering second-team honors as a freshman.

Gillingham, who scored seven goals and added six assists and was a central figure in the Raider attack that averaged 3.7 goals per contest, is a repeat second-team conference all-star.

Howard, an honorable mention all-star, finished as the squad's No. 2 scorer with 10 goals and seven assists.

Emerson and Ermini are NAIA Region I all-star candidates, and the regional list will be announced in two weeks.