University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Smith, Preseault and Vienberg Key Ingredients to Cajuns Success
10/16/2002 12:00:00 AM | Soccer
Smith, Preseault and Vienberg Key Ingredients to Cajuns Success
Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2002
Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns women's soccer head coach Dave Poggi is not a self-proclaimed chef, but he has whipped up a recipe of his own to bring continued success to his up-and-coming program and attract folks out to Cajun Field to watch his team compete.
It comes in the form of one prolific goal scorer, one hard-nosed and determined-to-win midfielder and one goalkeeper with cat-like reflexes.
By name they are freshman forward Stacy Smith, junior midfielder Sara Vienberg and freshman goalkeeper Liza Preseault. Together, they have combined to be the leaders of their team and guided them to accomplishments not yet seen from the third-year Cajuns program.
Smith was recruited out of Pinehurst, Texas, with the hopes of providing the Cajuns with the much-needed pure striker they'd been missing from day one. Her credentials indicated she wouldn't disappoint: one of the best pure strikers in the Greater Houston area who had notched 68 goals in her final three high school seasons.
Looking at this season's stats, Smith has lived up to her potential.
"During the recruiting period, Stacy (Smith) was at the top of my list and we were fortunate to get a player of her caliber," Poggi said. "She has done exactly what I expected of her this year. I think she has an enormous up-side to her in terms of potential and she has just begun to scratch the surface of how good a player she can become."
Smith leads the Cajuns in goals to the tune of eight and points with 17. Both marks have allowed her to establish new program single-season marks in just 12 matches. She ranks second in the conference in points per game (1.42) and goals per game (0.67) despite team constantly double-and-triple teaming her.
Three times this season Smith has scored twice in a match, with the most recent occurrence coming Sunday at Arkansas-Little Rock. It was her two-goal outburst at Oral Roberts Sept. 8 that gave UL Lafayette its first win of the season.
Great goal scorers most times don't create their own opportunities, it takes an "assisting" hand from a teammate that allows them the chance to record soccer's most rewarding prize.
For Smith and her Cajuns teammates Vienberg has been quick to lend a helping hand. None was more evident than Sunday's performance at Arkansas-Little Rock when she chipped in with three assists.
"That was typical of how she's performed all year long," Poggi noted. "Without her putting the ball within Stacy Smith's reach, we don't score."
Though she is sometimes lost in the shuffle of the goal scorers and often times unnoticed due to her various positions and roles she fills, Poggi feels she ranks with the best in the nation.
"I don't think Sara's gotten her due with regards to how important she is to this team," Poggi said. "In the two short year's she's been here she's played just about every place that I have asked her to.
"Because of her willingness to take on whatever role we've needed her to fill, as well as her ability to play in those positions which we ask her I think she hasn't been given her just recognition."
Preseault is the prime example of a "diamond in the rough." Not signed by the Cajuns until July 30, only one month before the season started, she has performed well above the expectations set by herself and Poggi.
"Liza came in not having played for about four or five months," Poggi said. "She had the intentions of just going to school near home and then figuring out where she was going to play college soccer.
"I was fortunate enough to find her and she has played up to level I expected of her and continues to get better every match."
Preseault became the first goalkeeper in the history of the program to pitch three consecutive shutouts, including a key one against South Alabama Sept. 27. For her efforts she was named the Sun Belt Conference Player of the Week Oct. 1, becoming the first player in program history ever to be bestowed with the honor.
She ranks third in the SBC for goals against average with a 1.64 clip and has been a key to the Cajuns defensive front.
This weekend will be area fans' last opportunity to see all three in action. It will also be a chance to see two of the Sun Belt's premier teams: North Texas and Denver. UL Lafayette hosts NT Friday at 7 p.m. in Cajun Field.
-- Ragin' Cajuns --
