No. 5 Columbus State opens soccer season Friday with high expectations
The Columbus State soccer program enjoyed its best season last year with a 22-1-1 record and a trip to the NCAA Division II quarterfinals. But the Lady Cougars were far from satisfied with that result.
Prior to the start of this season, the school produced a 90-second hype video in which the players promise "This year, we will cross the line."
The 2015 journey toward that line begins Friday with the CSU Collegiate Invitational at Walden Soccer Complex.
CSU's games include a match against Lynn at 7:30 p.m. Friday and against Lee at 4:30 p.m. Sunday.
The Lady Cougars won 18 straight last season after a tie in the fourth game of the season. The lone loss came at Rollins in the quarterfinals.
The expectations are high again this year as CSU was chosen to win the Peach Belt Conference by the league's coaches and are ranked No. 5 in the preseason national poll. It is a pressure that CSU coach Jay Entlich welcomes.
"We want to see improvement from game to game," CSU coach Jay Entlich said. "But ultimately, we are here to win ballgames. I know people say it's not about winning. But without program, that is what it is all about."
CSU will be led by forwards Nicole Corcione and Chelsea Person and defender Shelby Rolling. Corcione earned all-America honors last season and hasd made the All-PBC team for two straight seasons, including Freshman of the Year in 2013.
She led CSU with nine goals and 25 points last year. She finished in the top-10 in the PBC in goals, assists and points in 2014.
Person scored six goals a year ago, including the winner three times. She has 19 career goals, ninth best in the program's history.
Rolling has earned PBC honors three straight years. She helped lead a CSU defrense that allowed just 0.59 goals per match in 2014. CSU has posted 36 shutouts in her career.
The other teams in the CSU Collegiate Invitational include Newberry, Tampa, West Florida, Tusculum and Rollins.
"We are ecstatic for the start of the season and to host another great tournament for the other clubs," said head coach Jay Entlich. "All eight teams that are playing are very talented and could easily make a run for a NCAA tournament berth.
"I know the girls are excited to play a match that counts and to get out of preseason mode. It is going to be very interesting to see how well we mix, but it is an exciting challenge."
After the two games at home this weekend, CSU heads south to face perennial power Tampa on Sept. 11 and then a rematch against Rollins on Sept. 13.
Notes: Entlich, who is the only coach in the program's 11-year history, has an 182-45-21 record, so a milestone win of No. 200 is possible this season. CSU has made the NCAA tournament nine straight years. It has made three trips to the quarterfinals. In addition to last year, the Lady Cougars made it in 2007 and 2008.
This story was originally published September 3, 2015 at 9:54 PM with the headline "No. 5 Columbus State opens soccer season Friday with high expectations ."