4th Ranked CSU Women’s Soccer Team Begins Season Today
By CSU Sports Information
The Columbus State University women's soccer team is coming into the upcoming season ranked fourth in the nation. Seniors Riley Clark, Flo Spano, Tehgan Anguilm, and Amanda Murphy are returning, looking to clinch back-to-back Peach Belt Conference Tournament championships and their seventh straight regular-season title.
Last season, the Lady Cougars had another banner year going 18-1-2 to reach the NCAA Tournament Quarterfinals. CSU finished ranked sixth in the nation, but they will have to find replacements for Olivia Jarrell and Brooke Nail, who combined for a total of 24 goals in 2018.
Turning the attention to 2019, Columbus State will open the year against Embry-Riddle at Varsity Field in Daytona Beach, Fla. Today. Two days later, CSU will have a ranked showdown against 20th-ranked Barry in Daytona Beach. The opening season tournament was pushed back two days due to Hurricane Dorian.
The Lady Cougars will host their first home match of the season facing Tampa for the annual Sea of Red Night at the Walden Soccer Complex on Sept. 13 at 7:30 p.m.
Already the winningest coach in Peach Belt Conference history, Jay Entlich is entering his 16th season in 2019. Since starting the program in 2004, Entlich has posted a 259-56-24 record while capturing at least a share of the PBC regular-season championship 12 times with eight PBC Tournament titles on his resume. Entlich will have a new assistant for the 2019 season as Jordan Davis joined the staff in March after serving as the college recruiting coordinator for the Southern Soccer Academy in Atlanta. Davis also worked with the U.S. Soccer Olympic Development Program Region Staff. Graduate assistant coach Thomas Osborne and student assistant coach Alexis Harpel are back for their second seasons. Osborne was a standout goalkeeper at Limestone and also worked with the Orlando Pride of the NWSL. Harpel played a season in 2017 for the Lady Cougars before transitioning to the sidelines to begin her coaching career.
Heading into the season, the coaches and players are turning the page from the past and focusing on what lies ahead. "We are proud of the group last year, but this is a different team with seven new players," said Entlich. "Our theme this year is "Rise Together" and that is what needs to happen for the girls to carve out their own identity as a team."