Saturday, December 25, 2010

MERRY CHRISTMAS from LVS; Video Christmas Card

From all of us at LVS, we would like to wish everyone a Safe and Happy Holiday. Please check back on Christmas Day for a Video Christmas Card from LVS.

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Goals Come at Right Time

The Lady Vikings enter the Christmas Break with 3 straight wins and 15 goals.

Are the Lady Vikings back on track?

After a slow start to the season the Lady Vikings have averaged 3 goals a game and only given up goals to Ursuline over the past 5 games. Megan Billingsley and Kayleen Negron have scored 3 goals each in those 5 games, Haley Spotts gets her first, and defender, Sarah Chandlee scores 2 goals on her first 2 shots of the season.

Goalkeeper, Paige Harris and sophomore, Ashley Fischer are finally back healthy and Nolan still awaits the return of senior forward, Annie Smithey who has been out the entire season.

With two matches left in district play, the Lady Vikings are more concerned with peaking at the right time. The Lady Vikings have clinched a playoff berth and look forward to public school competition in January and February to prepare them for the post-season which begins in February.

Lady Vikings head coach, Jay Fitzgerald, has enjoyed the journey to this point which is surprising due to a program high 5 district losses. "I love this group, we have taken our knocks but we keep getting back up, " Fitzgerald commented, "Our players know what is expected of them and they will respond....there is a lot of soccer to be played and I trust each and every one of these young ladies to get the job done."

The Lady Vikings will be back in action on January 4th as they travel to John Paul.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Lady Vikes Turn Corner

The Lady Vikings start to turn the corner after a dismal 3-4-0 start during the first half of the season.

After the Thanksgiving Break, Nolan is 1-1-1, with a victory coming on Monday night after a very impressive performance. The Lady Vikings travelled to Bishop Lynch and outshot the Lady Friars 22-4 but it wasn't until the 80th minute that junior, Gaby Larson scored the game-winner for Nolan Catholic, her second of the season.

It was a much deserved result for the Vikings as they put together a very consistent performance putting constant pressure on Lynch the entire match. Haley Spotts led the way with 5 shots on goal. Paige Harris picked up her 3rd shut-out of the season.

"Our group deserved this win tonight - a clean slate on the road is always a positive and it doesn't matter who it is against," comments Lady Vikings head coach Jay Fitzgerald.

Perseverance helped Nolan Catholic get this win.

They kept the ball well and finally broke down a Lady Friar team that sat all 11 players behind the ball in the final 15 minutes of play.

The Lady Vikings go on the road again on Thursday to take on Plano Prestonwood before the return home on Friday taking on Bishop Dunne at Doskocil Stadium in their final match of 2010.

Thursday, November 25, 2010

TOP 10 NOLAN LVS ALL-TIME PLAYERS

Top 10 Nolan Lady Vikings Players...
*These players have helped build this program into one of the top high school women's soccer programs in the country and have made a difference on and off the field through their hard work, dedication, respect, leadership, and attitude.

#10 Margaret Taraba ('03) Texas A&M
Margaret stormed onto the scene her freshman year as the teams leading scorer with 24 goals and 4 assists for 52 points. She was a very intelligent player with a nose for the goal. She was in the right place at the right time. She had extreme presence in the box and was not afraid to mix it up. Margaret had an incredible work ethic and helped lead this program to many highs during her successful high school career. Even though Margaret missed about 70% of the season her junior year due to a knee injury she still played over 80 matches for the Lady Vikings scoring 54 goals and 15 assists for 123 points. Margaret played club soccer for D’Feeters ’85, Texas Image ’85 and ’82, and JATO Image ‘84.


1999-2000 25-24 mp-ms 24 g 4 a 52 pts
2000-2001 22-14 mp-ms 14 g 5 a 33 pts
2001-2002 16-4 mp-ms 6 g 1 a 13 pts
2002-2003 18-16 mp-ms 10 g 5 a 25 pts
Totals 81-58 mp-ms 54 g 15 a 123 pts

Monday, November 22, 2010

New Season ahead for the Lady Vikings

The Lady Vikings are in unfamiliar territory at 3-4-0 after the first half of the district season but all and all have plenty of positives to build on as they move into Season 2.

Nolan Catholic has battled injuries and a lopsided 5-0 loss to the nations #4 team, Ursuline. The Lady Vikings received a pre-season ranking of #35 in the country by ESPNRise and beleive that that is where they belong outshooting opponents 108 to 34 through 7 games. In 3 of their 4 losses, they put 36 on target while conceding only 7. In losses to Liberty, John Paul, and TCA they also had a 21-7 corner kick advantage.

There is another 7 games to play in district and 6 teams will make the playoffs with the Lady Vikings never finishing less than 2nd. That is still in their sights as they start Season 2 with Liberty Christian at home on November 29th.

"I am proud of the way our team has responded in training and the way we compete but there is a lot more we have to offer," said Lady Vikings Jay Fitzgerald, "No one has seen our true team."

Sunday, November 14, 2010

LVS TOP 10 Moments; #10



Please join us each week for the TOP 10 LVS Moments over the last decade. The Nolan Catholic Women's Soccer Team continues to gain the local, regional, and national respect each and every year. Here are some of the memorable moments that have defined this impressive, consistent program over the years...

#10 Defeated 5A Powerhouse Plano Senior High School in a Shoot-Out in the Lewisville Cup

The Lady Vikings pride themselves on playing the best competition in the country. They always have one of the toughest schedules year in and year out from tournaments, to showcases, to the best public and private schools from the West Coast to the East Coast.

The Nolan Catholic Women's Soccer team defeated Plano Senior High School in a shoot-out on January 24th, 2004 in the Lewisville Cup. In route to the championship, the Lady Vikings defeated Frisco 5-0 and tied Plano East 1-1 and Flower Mound 0-0 to earn their spot in the final against defending champion, Plano. In the championship, the Lady Vikings and the Lady Wildcats were scoreless at the end of regulation and the 2 OT periods and the match was to be decided in a 35-yard dribble-up shoot-out. Heather Ulliman and Laurel Faulhaber scored their attempts for the Lady Vikings and Lady Viking, Goalkeeper Brittant O'Brien saved all but 1 attempt by Plano in what would be a 2-1 victory for the Lady Vikings.

Hats Off to Murray: Firsts

Junior, Lindsay Murray scored a hat trick on Saturday against Bishop Dunne in route to a 7-0 win for the Lady Vikings. Megan Billingsley, Kayleen Negron, Sara Chandlee, and Gaby Larson each scored their first goals of the season. Negron and Larson each inked their first career high school goals.

The Lady Vikings move to 3-2-0 on the year and in Saturday's win they earned 13 corner kicks. "We were able to establish a good rythme today on a very narrow field and our players handled it well," said head coach Jay Fitzgerald. This was the first time all year the Lady Vikings have played on natural grass.

The Lady Vikings return home on Monday to take on John Paul II and again on Wednesday as TCA comes to Fort Worth. Both matches will kick-off at 8pm.

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Lady Vikings Roll Past Lions


The Lady Vikings even their record at 2 with a 3-0 shutout win over the Presontonwood Lady Lions on Thursday night. Nolan Catholic gets the game winner from Senior, Mexican International, Alex Rios on a free kick from about 30 yards out in the 15th minute.

The Vikings didn't stop there, as they put 2 more goals away in the first half of play. Both goals coming from freshman, Elizabeth Havenhill, the first ans second of her high school career.

"It is nice to get goals from our young players," head coach Jay Fitzgerald commented. Havenhill has played several roles throughout the young season. Fitzgerald added, "It was nice to see the excitiment from Liz after scoring her first high school goal, we expect more out of her as the season go on."

Junior, goalkeeper, Mary Heidt only had to make 2 saves in route to her first high school shutout.

The Lady Vikings will travel to Bishop Dunne on Saturday for a 1pm kick-off. That game was moved from Friday night.

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Prestonwood on Thursday; Dunne Moved to Saturday

The Lady Vikings play host to Prestonwood Christian on Thursday night at Doskocil Stadium, kick-off is at 6pm. Friday's match at Bishop Dunne has been moved to Saturday at 1pm.

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

LVS Get First District Win

The Lady Vikings (1-2-0) avoid dropping its first 3 matches with a 2-1 win over Bishop Lynch on Monday night. Nolan has never lost 3 consecutive games in the history of the program and Lindsay Murray's 2 goals keep that impressive mark alive.

Bishop Lynch get an early goal but Murray answers in the 10th minutes to equalize.

The Lady Vikings continued to attack the entire match outshooting the Lady Friars 12-2. It wasnt until the 72nd minute when Murray struck again - that was all Nolan Catholic needed to get their first victory of the year.

Prestonwood comes to Doskocil Stadium on Thursday. Kick-off is set for 6:00pm.

On Friday, the Lady Vikings travel to Bishop Dunne for a 5:30pm kick-off.

Nolan looks to make-up much needed points after they dropped a late week match to Ursuline 5-0 last Thursday night.

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Edged in District Opener; Ursuline Next


A game that turned into a track meet saw the Lady Warriors take a corner in the 2nd OT period to defeat the women of Nolan Catholic by a score of 1-0. "Set pieces can be the bread and butter of any team and Liberty was opportunistic," commented Lady Vikings head coach Jay Fitzgerald, "we created a lot of good chances and have to be sharper in front of goal." Haley Spotts and Lindsay Murray combined for 9 shots.

With 13 games remaining in district play, Fitzgerald is going to take it game by game. Ursuline is next, 20-time State Champion Ursuline. The Lady Vikings play host to the Lady Bears this Thursday night at 8pm at Doskocil Stadium. The JV will play at 6:30pm.

Monday, November 1, 2010

LVS11 OPENS ON THE ROAD, MONDAY



LVS NEXT MATCH...
WHEN: TONIGHT (Monday, Nov. 1st)
WHERE: Liberty Christian
WHO: Nolan Catholic vs Liberty Christian
TIME: 7:30pm Varsity (6:00pm JV)

LVS OUTLOOK...
With nine of 11 starters returning this winter, the Lady Vikings return plenty of experience in 2010. Of the 22 players that dot the Nolan Catholic roster, 14 earned letters the previous year. The Lady Vikings are young but have plenty of experience featuring senior, defender Alex Rios would helped the U17 Mexican Women's National Team qualify for the 2010 U17 FIFA Women's World Cup. Rios plays club soccer for FC Dallas.

The Lady Vikings return firepower, creativity/flare, and goalkeeping which are all characteristics which have helped the Nolan Catholic Women's Soccer Program gain local, regional, and national respect each year. The program will host one of the nations most prestigious college showcase events again in January, the Red Bull Nolan College Showcase which will take place January 13-15, 2011. Teams from California, Florida, Louisiana, and Texas will be represented in the event. ESPN Rise will once again cover the event and the nation's #1 team will be determined based on results of the event.

The Lady Vikings pride themselves in playing one of the most competitive schedules in the country. Some of the top LVS 2010-2011 opponents are Ursuline, San Clemente (CA), Marcus, Southlake Carroll, and Grapevine.

HOME OPENER...
WHEN: Thursday, November 4th
WHERE: Doskocil Stadium @ Nolan Catholic
WHO: Nolan Catholic vs Ursuline
TIME: 8:00pm Varsity (6:30pm JV)

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

DISTRICT UP NEXT FOR LADY VIKINGS

The Lady Vikings feel good about where they are after 2 weeks of pre-season with the seasons first district game right around the corner. Everyone has contributed in their own special way, on and off the field. There is something about this group that feels different.

Lady Vikings Head Coach, Jay Fitzgerald commented, "I feel a different type of energy with this group of young ladies."

In the 2 scrimmages against the Nolan JV Boys and the inter-squad match, the chances that have been created are through individual flare and the interchange of small numbers around the ball, creating problems for opposing teams. Fitzgerald went on to say, " I don't even know where the attack is coming from; they seem to be on the same page."

The Lady Vikings go on the road on Monday night to welcome Liberty Christian to the district. This will be the first match for the Liberty Warriors since they moved up to 5A this season. That match will kick-off at 7:30pm. The JV will play before at 6:00pm.

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

LVS TAKES THE FIELD

The Lady Vikings took the field for their first scrimmage against the Nolan Catholic JV Boys. The boys took a 2-0 lead in the first half which held for the entire match.

"I was very encouraged in the way we managed the game," said LVS head coach Jay Fitzgerald, "we handled the pressure and passed the ball very well, establishing a pretty good rythme the entire match."

The JV boys were very athletic and had good speed up top. The back line for the Lady Vikings sustained that speed for the majority of the match.

Fitzgerald went on to say, "we made good decisions in the midfield and did a nice job winning the ball back and creating good chances getting into the front third of the field."

The Lady Vikings will play the JV Boys again during a Homecoming Week match-up on Wednesday night at 7:30pm.

Saturday, October 23, 2010

LVS11 Underway


Week 1 in the books. The Lady Vikings are looking for another return to the State Championship to avenge a 3-2 loss to 20-time State Champion, Ursuline.

The outlook for 2010-2011 is extremely bright for Nolan Catholic. They return the majority of their offense and 8 of 11 starters from last year and only lose 6 of 23 letterwinners. It will be much of the same for this years team, but with a new sense of urgency, as they continue to have something to prove. "We had a fresh start last season but I think this year we know our identity and we are only a week into the season," said Nolan Catholic Women's Soccer head coach, Jay Fitzgerald.

The Lady Vikings are coming off one of the best seasons in history finishing with a 21-5-1 overall record and a National ranking as high as #15 by ESPN Rise.

Coming up this week, the Lady Vikings will play a couple inter-squad scrimmages, kicking off the season at Liberty Christian a week from Monday and then host Ursuline two days later, at Doskocil Stadium.

Monday, October 18, 2010

TEAMS ANNOUNCED TUESDAY

The first round of selections will be announced on Tuesday. Teams will meet after school at 3:30pm. The JV (3:30pm-4:30pm) will meet in Room B4 and the Varsity (3:30pm-4:45pm) will meet in the Auditorium.

The 2nd Round of selections will be October 29th. The rosters can change throughout the year.

LVS TRY-OUTS TONIGHT

Try-outs are set for tonight from 7pm-9pm at Doskocil Stadium at Nolan Catholic. All athletes that are interested in playing soccer for the 2010-2011 season must attend try-outs tonight.

Week Schedule...
Monday, Oct. 18
Try-Outs 7pm-9pm

Tuesday, Oct. 19
Varsity Meeting 3:30pm-4:45pm in Auditorium
JV Meeting 3:30pm-4:30pm in Room B4

Wednesday, Oct. 20
Training @ Gateway 3:30pm-5:00pm
Bus leaves at 3:25pm

Thursday, Oct. 21
Training @ Gateway 3:30pm-5:00pm
Bus leaves at 3:25pm

Friday, Oct. 22
Training 10:00am-12:00pm
Intersquad with JV Boys
*Varsity Only - wear white socks and white shorts

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Thursday Morning Cancelled; Try-Outs on Monday

There will be no training this Thursday morning, October 14th.

The final off-season session will be Friday, October 15th from 3:30pm-4:30pm at the stadium.

Try-Outs will be Monday, October 18th at the Stadium from 7pm-9pm. Need all players that are interested in playing soccer this season to be present.

Monday, August 23, 2010

OFF-SEASON BEGINS SEPTEMBER 20th

IMPORTANT - No one can participate in off-season without medical consents and athletic paperwork completed and turned into Kelli Bay in the Athletic Department. See forms in righthand column.

Off-Season Schedule:
*All OFF-SEASON SESSIONS ARE AT THE STADIUM
Monday, September 20 at 6:00am-7:00am
Thursday, September 23 at 6:30am-7:30am
Friday, September 24 at 3:30pm-4:30pm
Monday, September 27 at 6:00am-7:00am
Thursday, September 30 at 6:30am-7:30am
Friday, October 1 at 3:30pm-4:30pm
Monday, October 4 at 3:30pm-4:30pm
Thursday, October 7 at 6:30am-7:30am
Thursday, October 14 at 6:00am-7:00am
Friday, October 15 at 3:30pm-4:30pm

TRY-OUTS:
Monday, October 18th at 7:00pm-9:00pm @ Stadium

TEAM'S ANNOUNCED:
Tuesday, October 19th
*Final Team Rosters determined by October 29th

Monday, August 16, 2010

MANDATORY ALL-SPORT MEETING - Wednesday, August 18th at 6:00pm

The mandatory ALL SPORT meeting on Wednesday, August 18 at 6pm is in the arena. All coaches and student-athletes with at least one legal guardian are required to attend. All students that are even considering going out for a Nolan Catholic sport must attend. This is required for Fall, Winter and Spring sports. There will be NO make-up session. This date has been on the calendar and announcements sent to families. See everyone on Wednesday.

Friday, August 13, 2010

Rios Prepares for World Cup; Road to Trinidad


Join us for the first installment of the Road to Trinidad by Lady Viking Senior Defender, Alex Rios. The FIFA U17 Women's World Cup kicks in September as Rios' Mexican National Team takes on Germany on September 5th.

I have come to realize that there are many things I could share about my World Cup training experience. First, the training itself is challenging. There is two practices a day every day. The first is a running practice and touches on the ball. The running consists of some very hard runs, some that the main team can't even complete. We run up a steep mountain, up steep hills, sprint around the field for time, sand, or other things like that. We were always tired after the first practice. Recovery is very important in Mexico. we all need to be in top shape for the Cup. The running gets easier as the days go by. The second practice consists of shape and game play. Every scenario that can be played on the field, we practice the defensive side and the offensive side.

There are always ups and downs.

The ups are the feeling you have after a hard running drill. We were so excited to finish the running drills, not because we didn't have to run anymore, but because we finished as a team and it is a good feeling. Or in the afternoons, playing the right ball to the right place is always the best feeling.

The downs were injuries. Having suffered a swollen tendon in my left knee, I was taken out of practice for almost 5 days. It's hard because you're there to play soccer and only play soccer, and you can't do that. It was very frustrating for me. I got better with the help of therapy and care from our doctors. The experience is very overwhelming, but we will be ready for the World Cup.

This training has been some of the hardest and most competitive training I've ever done. But I know in my heart that we will put up a good fight in Trinidad and Tobago this September.

Go Mexico and of course LVS11!!
Alex

Sunday, May 16, 2010

LVS Recognized at All-Sports Banquet

The Nolan Catholic Women's Soccer team will be recognized at the All-Sports Banquet on Sunday. Goalkeepers, McKenzie Sauerwein and Paige Harris stole the show. Sauerwein has been the most consistent player over the past 3 years winning 1st Team All-District and 1st Team All-State honors each year and she was recognized on Sunday at the Most Valuable Player and Defensive Player of the Year. Paige Harris took home the "T" Award and is only a junior so we look forward to her picking right up where Sauerwein left off.

Congrats to all the girls on another fine season!!

Friday, April 23, 2010

ONE GAME

Soccer brings us all together: LVS10 looks forward to the 2010 FIFA World Cup

Sunday, April 11, 2010

PURCHASE LVS10 VIDEO HERE

The 2009-2010 Nolan Catholic LVS Video will be on sale next week. The DVD will be made available for $20 each. Please email jato@jatoathletics.com if you would like to purchase a video.

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

LVS Coach in Hollywood

Nolan Catholic Lady Vikings Head Coach, Jay Fitzgerald, will be in Los Angeles on Wednesday to shoot a commercial for adidas. The shoot is at Raleigh Studios in Manhattan Beach, CA.

Fitzgerald has aspirations to be on camera; he is the voice of TCU Women's Soccer as he broadcasts all the home games and some road games on the radio and live webcast. He is the media director for JATO Media and also starred in a Sports Illustrated commercial in 1998 and an extra on the NBC series Friday Night Light's in 2008.

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

ESPNRISE: American High School Players Help Mexico U17s to World Cup


Sheldon Shealer
ESPN RISE

Alex Rios, shown at Nolan Catholic (Fort Worth, Texas), helped Mexico earn a place in the Women's Under-17 World Cup. Photo By: Nolan Catholic soccer

03/22/10 - Although the U.S. under-17 women's national team failed to qualify for the 2010 Women's Under-17 World Cup, there a few American high school students who will be competing in the games.

Alex Rios, a junior defender at Nolan Catholic (Fort Worth, Texas), and Christina Murillo, of Ojai, Calif., played for the Mexican under-17 squad that finished the CONCACAF Championships as a runner-up to Canada.

Rios' e-mail to her high school coach Jay Fitzgerald read, "I'm so excited to qualify for World Cup. Being part of this is something that I've been dreaming about since I started soccer. To be doing this at such a young age is my dream and I'm making it happen. It's the most amazing feeling in the world."

Mexico advanced to the final with a 3-1 overtime victory over Costa Rica in the semifinals, a match that featured a dramatic overtime goal by Murillo that sparked the victory. That result secured Mexico of one of the two CONCACAF bids to the World Cup.

"That feeling at the end of the game was unforgettable," Rios wrote. "Being able to qualify after that kind of fight through our bracket then the semifinals, it was just the best feeling in the world. It felt like the game was never going to end, but when it did I didn't want to get off that field. After the game ended and we were celebrating, I didn't want that feeling to go away once I left the field."

Monday, March 22, 2010

Soccer Banquet Friday, March 26th 6pm

The soccer banquet this Friday night will be at Woodhaven Country Club from 6:00pm-9:00pm. We will come together one last time to celebrate another exciting year for Lady Vikings Soccer. The event will include a dinner buffet, awards presentation, senior presentation, special presentation, and the end of the year video.

Who: Players, Parents, Siblings, Boyfriends, etc.
How Much: $15 each
Dressy Casual Attire

6:00pm - Welcome
6:30pm - Dinner
7:15pm - Program
7:40pm - Out of the Blue: LVS10
8:45pm - Closing

Saturday, March 20, 2010

Rios Heads to World Cup; Women's U17 Final Mexico v Canada Highlights

Lady Vikings Defender, Alex Rios and the Mexican U17 Women's National Team came up short against Canada 1-0. The games only goal was scored in the 8th minute and Mexico was unlucky dispite playing with a man advantage due to a Canadian player being sent off. Late in the game Mexico hit the crossbar twice. None the less they have earned a berth in the FIFA Under-17 Women's World Cup in September.

"It was an amazing experience. This tournament was just a little taste of what we'll see at the World Cup," Rios commented, "Losing this game didn't really matter to us. Yeah, it would have been nice to win, but both of these amazing teams are going to something bigger than this tournament. I'm so proud to be part of this team, and I can't wait for World Cup this September!"

See the match tape delayed on FOX SPORTS ESPANOL on Sunday, March 21st at 6pm. Click on link below for highlights of the final.
Concacaf Main CONCACAF Home Competitions Women's Under 17s Videos Women's Under 17s Video Women's U17 Final Mexico v Canada Highlights

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Nolan Catholic's Alex Rios to Play in U-17 Women's World Cup


ALAJUELA, Costa Rica - Congrats to Alex Rios, Lady Vikings Junior Defender, has qualified for the 2010 Women's Under-17 World Cup. She is a member of the U-17 FIFA Women's National Team of Mexico and has 4 caps thus far in the tournament. Mexico defeated Costa Rica 3-1 in route to the championship against Canada on Saturday, March 20th. Watch LIVE on http://www.concacaf.com/. Rios' dreams come true, "I'm so excited to qualify for World Cup. Being part of this is something that I've been dreaming about since I started soccer. To be doing this at such a young age is my dream and I'm making it happen. It's the most amazing feeling in the world."

Christina Murillo scored from the kickoff that started the second extra time period and Mexico beat Costa Rica 3-1 Thursday night to reach final of the CONCACAF Under-17 Women's Championship.

Murillo dribbled just beyond the midfield circle before launching a right-footed blast that arced over Costa Rican keeper Fabiola Murillo and just under the bar.

Tanya Samarzich added an insurance goal in the 110th minute to assure Mexico of facing Canada in Saturday's final. The two will join host Trinidad and Tobago at the World Cup in September.

Rios after the game, "That feeling at the end of the game was unforgettable. Being able to qualify after that kind of fight through our bracket then the semi-finals, it was just the best feeling in the world. It felt like the game was never going to end, but when it did I didn't want to get off that field. After the game ended and we were celebrating, I didn't want that feeling to go away once I left the field."

March 11 W Panama U17 0 - 6 Mexico U17
March 13 W Mexico U17 3 - 0 Jamaica U17
March 15 W Canada U17 0 - 1 Mexico U17
March 18 W Mexcio U17 3 - 1 Costa Rica U17
March 20 Championship vs Canada U17

Since CONCACAF member Trinidad & Tobago will host the U-17 FIFA Women’s World Cup in September, just two World Cup berths instead of the usual three were available at this tournament, both going to the winners of the semifinals. This means the US doesn't qualify for the first time ever.

This is such a special moment for Rios as she looks forward to the championship against Canada on Saturday, "Going into the final of this tournament makes me so excited.I know that this is going to be one of the hardest games ever even though we've beaten Canada twice. They have always put up a good fight and I don't doubt that they will put up a good fight on Saturday."

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Soccer Helps Overcome Adversity


After the catastrophic earthquake that struck Haiti in early January, no one thought Haiti’s U-17 Women’s National Team would be able to compete at the CONCACAF U-17 Women’s Championships in mid-March in Costa Rica. But despite all odds, they are here, and the players from their first opponent – the United States -- are filled with both empathy and admiration.

Before Jan. 12, the opening match for the USA at the CONCACAF Under-17 Women’s Championship was just a game. A vitally important game for sure, but it was just another step in a quest for a berth to the 2010 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.

That all changed when the ground started shaking in Port-au-Prince.

The 7.0 magnitude earthquake that struck Haiti produced tragic images streamed across TV sets in America and the world. Even before the quake, Haiti was one of poorest countries in Western Hemisphere, but the pictures were almost unimaginable. An estimated three million people were affected, at least 230,000 people were killed (although the figure continues to grow), 300,000 more were injured and more than 1,000,000 were left homeless. An estimated 250,000 homes and 30,000 businesses collapsed or were severely damaged, among them the headquarters of the Haiti Soccer Federation.

The head coach for Haiti’s U-17 Women’s National Team died when that building fell, along with more than 30 officials of Haiti’s soccer federation.

Amazingly, Haiti was able to gather their U-17s and travel together to the neighboring Dominican Republic to train and prepare for the tournament. The match against the United States on March 10 at Alejandro Morera Soto Stadium in Alajuela, Costa Rica, will be the first international sporting event for Haiti since the disaster.

“Sports have the power to unite people and the fact that Haiti was still able to assemble their team and come to the CONCACAF championships is a testament to the great spirit of their players and administrators,” said U.S. U-17 Women’s National Team head coach Kazbek Tambi. “So many people lost their lives and it’s likely that every player on their team had relatives or friends that passed away. It’s a traumatic situation and the fact that they have mustered the character to come here is pretty amazing.”

The tragedy produced an outpouring of support and aid from around the world. The U.S. U-17s will also do their small part to try to brighten the spirits of the Haitian players. Each U.S. player brought to Costa Rica a small bag or backpack filled with things they thought another 16 or 17-year-old might enjoy as well as some basic items that often might be taken for granted. The U.S. Women’s National Team also donated a few large duffel bags full of used cleats and new Nike casual gear for the U-17s to give to the Haiti players while Nike sent a bushel of new soccer shoes to be passed on to the USA’s Haitian counterparts. Each U.S. player wrote a note of support for the Haitian players and put it inside the bag she brought.

The U.S. is making arrangements to give the gifts to Haiti following the completion of the first round. First, though, there is a soccer game to be played. And while the U.S. players will have the plight of the Haitians on their minds before and after the match, they know that during the 90 minutes on the field, they must focus the task at hand, for their team, for their country and for themselves.

“For them to be here, I think just shows a lot of perseverance, their drive to succeed and their desire to do something positive for their country,” said U.S. captain Morgan Brian. “We have a lot of respect for them and I know I speak for our entire team when I say that I don’t know if we, as individuals, would be able to play if we had to face the tragic circumstances they have in their lives right now.”

For the most part, all of the U.S. players come from comfortable homes in quiet neighborhoods not far from great soccer fields in beautiful sports complexes. For them, it is difficult to imagine what the Haitian players must be going through. But as part of the process of growing into positive young women with an awareness of the world and empathy for those less fortunate, they are trying to.

“I think it’s incredible that they’ve come to play this tournament,” said U.S. midfielder Alex Doll.
“They’ve lost their homes, family members and their friends. It’s just really cool that these girls are able to represent their country and hopefully they can inspire the people of Haiti just a little bit. I know we are inspired by them.”

“We know they will be fighters on the field and that will be a challenge in itself,” added Brian. “After what they’ve been through, a ninety-minute soccer game might not be that tough.”

Haiti’s participation in the tournament is an example of how sports can help overcome adversity. No matter what the result of the USA-Haiti game, it is clear that just by being at the qualifying tournament, Haiti has already won.

“We just think it’s cool that it’s not the full men’s national team that is representing Haiti for the first time since the earthquake, it’s a group of 17-year-old girls,” said Doll. “They are playing for something bigger. We have to believe that when you’ve had so much taken away, to still have one thing you love, and that’s soccer, well, that’s a great thing.”

Monday, March 8, 2010

Nolan Catholic and Ursuline Represented at ODP National Championships

US Youth Soccer announced the rosters and schedule for the US Youth Soccer Olympic Development Program (US Youth Soccer ODP) Championships on March 12 and 14 at Reach 11 Sports Complex in Phoenix, Ariz.

Nolan Catholic's, Makenzie Koch and Ursuline's Jana Jeffrey have been selected to the 1994 Girls ODP Championshis Region III Roster.

State-level US Youth Soccer ODP Boys and Girls teams in the 1993 and 1994 age groups will play semifinal matches on Friday, March 12, beginning at 1 p.m., with championship and consolation matches to be played Sunday, March 14 beginning at 8 a.m. The teams competing have qualified by winning their respective age group at their US Youth Soccer ODP Regional Championships.

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

TAPPS All-District and All-State Team Announced

The Lady Vikings have more players represented on the All-District and All-State Teams in the history of the program. Congratulations to the Lady Vikings!!

TAPPS 1-5A All-District Teams
1st Team - Emily Grider, Annie Smithey, Maygan Ditucci, Emily Baker, and McKenzie Sauerwein.
2nd Team - Katlynn Koch, Makenzie Koch, Sara Chandlee, and Alex Rios

TAPPS All-State Team
1st Team - Emily Grider, Maygan Ditucci, Emily Baker, and McKenzie Sauerwein
Honorable Mention - Annie Smithey

TAPPS Final Four All-Tournament Team
Emily Grider
Emily Baker
Maygan Ditucci
McKenzie Sauerwein

Saturday, February 20, 2010

CHAMPIONSHIP LIVE ON TAPPSTV

A 4-0 win over Antonian inks a spot into the State Championship match against Dallas Ursuline on Saturday at 12pm at Durbon South San Stadium. Emily Grider scored 2 goals and had 2 assists while Emily Baker and Haley Spotts each added 1. It was a hard fought game for the Lady Vikings as Antonian continued to put pressure on Nolan - they were physical and good on the ball but the Lady Vikings opened them up in the 2nd half for a chance to play in the final on Saturday.

The State Championship match will be broadcast LIVE on TAPPSTV. Click Here to View

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Lady Vikings in 10th Straight Final Four

The members of the Nolan Catholic Women's Soccer Team head down to San Antonio at 1pm today as they have earned their 10th straight Final Four appearance, 23rd overall. They seek their 5th State Championship.

How they got there...
District 1-5A Runner-Up with a 12-2-0 record
Won 6-1 and 1-0 over Faith
Lost 0-1 and 0-3 to Ursuline
Won 1-0 and 3-0 over Lynch
Won 2-0 and 5-1 over TCA
Won 4-0 and 1-0 over John Paul II
Won 6-0 and 2-0 over Dunne
Won 2-0 and 4-0 over Prestonwood
Bi-District
Won 3-0 over Houston Christian
Regionals
Won 5-0 over St. Michael's

The Lady Vikings take on Antonian on Friday at 11am at Durbon South San Stadium for the 2nd consecutive year in the State Semi-Final, a team they defeated 4-0 last year. Antonian was District 2-5A champion. If the Lady Vikings win that game they would play the winner of 19-time State Champion, Ursuline and TCA.

The State Championship match will be played at 12pm on Saturday at Durbon South San Stadium.

Monday, February 15, 2010

Things Come in Pairs for Lady Vikings; First for Chandlee

The Lady Vikings head to San Antonio on Thursday for their 10th straight appearance in the TAPPS Final Four with a 5-0 victory over Austin St. Michael's on Monday morning. The teams leading scorer, Emily Grider adds goal #26 to her season and her 6th game-winner. She also had an assist. Maygan Ditucci had 2 goals and added an assist as well. Haley Spotts scored a goal and an assist and Katlynn Koch had a pair of assists. Sara Chandlee scored her first goal of her career.

Nolan Catholic gets their 20th win improving to 20-4-1 and another Final Four appearance which begins Friday in San Antonio. The Lady Vikings will take on Antonian College Prep at Durbon South San Stadium at 11:00am. The winner advances to the State Championship the following day on Saturday at 12:00pm.

Sunday, February 14, 2010

REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP SET FOR MONDAY

The Lady Vikings will play host to Austin St. Michael's on Monday, February 15th. Kick-off is set for 11:30am at Nolan Catholic's Doskocil Stadium. The teams were originally set to play on Saturday at 1:30pm but do the heavy snow, the field was unable to be cleared.

The other regional match-up that was moved to Monday was Dallas Ursuline and John Paul II - that game will be played at Parish Episcopal at 7:30pm on Monday.

TCA and Antonian both punched their ticket to the Final Four with victories on Saturday. TCA traveled to Houston to play St. Agnes and won in golden goal fashion by a score of 1-0. Bishop Lynch wasn't as fortunate, as Antonian defeated them 4-1 in San Antonio.

The Nolan Catholic/St. Michael's winner will advance to take on Antonian and the Ursuline/John Paul II winner will advance to take on TCA. The Final Four will be played in San Antonio next Friday and Saturday at Durbon South and Mata Stadiums.

Friday, February 12, 2010

SNOWED IN; Regionals Moved to Monday

Fort Worth expected 1 to 3 inches but got 12 to 14 inches, the largest single day snowfall in history. The Dallas/Fort Worth area has been blanketed with snow for that past 20 hours and as you look over the area there is nothing but white.

The Saturday Regional Championship between the Lady Vikings and Lady Crusaders has been moved to Monday, Feb. 15th at 11:30am at Doskocil Stadium on the campus of Nolan Catholic High School.

Thursday, February 11, 2010

NO OFF DAYS FOR LVS10

One to 3 inches of snow forecasted turned into 4 to 6 inches of snow at Nolan Catholic. The Lady Vikings took to the field for training. It turned into a snowball ambush of the men's soccer team, a snowman buidling contest, and for those dedicated soccer players - a PK contest.

Snow Blankets Nolan Catholic

Winter weather continues here in Fort Worth, Texas. The Lady Vikings are anxiously awaiting school to finish for the day so they can slide around at Doskocil Stadium (right) for this afternoons training session. The weather channel predicted 1 to 3 inches of snow today and Nolan Catholic has already received 4 inches and more is falling.
The Lady Vikings are definitely use to playing in the snow. In 2005, the Lady Vikings took on St. Agnes in 2 inches of snow at Baylor University in the TAPPS Semi-Final. The Lady Vikings went on to win that match 3-0 and the following year was much of the same. The semi-final match was moved to the turf at Waco ISD but still played in the snow as they defeated St. Agnes again by the same score.

The snow should be out of the area by tomorrow in time for the Regional Championship match on Saturday against Austin St. Michael's at 1:30pm at Doskocil Stadium.

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Regionals Come to Nolan Catholic

For the 2nd year in a row the Nolan Catholic Lady Vikings will host the Regional Championship match at Doskocil Stadium. Their opponent, Austin St. Michael's, has not played a playoff game as of yet. Their Bi-District opponent was suppose to be El Paso Loretta who decided not to travel down to play the first playoff round.

The Lady Crusaders are currently 15-5-1 and finished in 3rd place in District 2-5A. San Antonio Antonian finished 1st and Incarnate Word came in 2nd but were eliminated by TCA 1-0 in the first round of the playoffs.

The Regional Championship will be this Saturday, Feb. 13th at 1:30pm at Doskocil Stadium. The Final Four will be set this weekend as all 3 other Regional match-ups will be played as well.

Top seeded Ursuline plays host to John Paul II, Bishop Lynch travels to Antonian, and TCA heads down to Houston to take on St. Agnes.

The Final Four will once again be held at San Antonio's Mata Stadium. Durbon South Stadium has also been added to the facilities. For more information on the TAPPS brackets CLICK HERE.

Friday, February 5, 2010

Lady Vikings Earn Berth in the Regional Championship

This being the first year in the history of the Lady Vikings Soccer Program that they have played in a Bi-District match didn't effect the 2010 Lady Vikings as they shutout Houston Christian 3-0 on Thursday night.

Emily Grider doesn't stop scoring goals as she scored #24 and #25, one per half, and also added an assist on the game-winner off a corner in the 24th minute to Megan Billingsley. Billingsley, who plays left back for the Lady Vikings, scored the first goal of her high school career.

Thursday night also celebrated the play of 7 seniors that have spent much of their high school career around soccer, both at Nolan Catholic and in club. They have a total of 407 games between all of them and in those games they have outscored opponents 344 to 94 and had 51 shutouts. They also have 1 district title, 4 Regional Championships, and 4 Final Four appearances. Also during the last 4 years these players have helped the Lady Vikings gain local, regional, and national respect. Every year they have been ranked by ESPN at least 1 time in the Top 25. We would like to thank each and every one of these players for their commitment and dedication to Lady Vikings Soccer.

Nolan Catholic has earned a spot in the Regional Championship which they will host on Saturday, February 13th. Austin St. Michael's who was District 2-5A 3rd place will travel to Fort Worth to play the Lady Vikings next week.

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Lady Vikings Host Bi-District on Thursday

Nolan Catholic will host the Houston Christian Lady Mustangs this Thursday night at 5:00pm at Doskocil Stadium. The Lady Mustangs finished tied for 3rd Place in District 3 but ended up in the 4th position due to losing out on a tie-breaker to Duchense.

NATIONAL SIGNING DAY: Women's Soccer Signs Three

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Nolan; Marcus Draw

The Lady Vikings claw back into a game that saw Marcus up a goal in the first 40 minutes of play. It was Maygan Ditucci that evened then match in the 62nd minute of play on a shot from 30 yards out into the top corner.

The Lady Vikings switched some things up in the 2nd half and established a much needed rhythm. At one time they had 4 corners in 1 minute for a total of 12 the entire match. It was an end to end game with both teams creating quality chances - Marcus more on the direct side of things.

This served as the final preparation match before the playoffs begin on Thursday night at 5pm as Houston Christian comes to town for the first round of the TAPPS Playoffs.

Sunday, January 31, 2010

Shutout by #23 Coppell: Marcus on Tuesday

The #31 Lady Vikings drop to 18-4-0, giving up 2 to Coppell early and 3 late for a 5-0 drumming by #23 Coppell. The nations former #1 team and UIL 5A Defending State Champion, Coppell, had no problems with Nolan Catholic on Saturday morning. Gametime temperatures around 19 degrees didn't stop the dangerous attack of the Cowgirls who improve to 6-3-1.

The Lady Vikings host Marcus on Tuesday night at Doskocil Stadium, kick-off is at 7:15pm (JV at 5:30pm).

Saturday, January 30, 2010

District Play Concluded; #23 Coppell on Saturday

The Lady Vikings concluded TAPPS 1-5A play on Friday afternoon with a 2-0 shutout of Bishop Dunne. Lindsay Murray scored in the 2nd minute and Maggie Kleiser, in her first game on varsity, scored in the 2nd half. Paige Harris and Alissa Reed combined for the shutout. The Lady Vikings finished 12-2-0 in district play as runners-up to Ursuline.

Coppell will play host to the Lady Vikings on Saturday at Echols Stadium at 11am. Coppell is ranked #23 in the nation right in front of the #31 ranked Lady Vikings.

Formerly the nations #1 team, Coppell comes into Saturday's match at 5-3-1 with its only loses coming to Top 5 teams. The Lady Vikings are similar in the fact that their only loses have also come to top nationally ranked teams as well and come into the match at 18-3-0.

Friday, January 29, 2010

District Match Moved to Nolan Tonight and Saturday's Game moved to Coppell

The away match at Bishop Dunne scheduled for tonight at 5:30pm has been moved to Nolan today for a 4:30pm kick-off.

St. Stephen's will not be traveling from Austin so Saturdays game will be against Coppell at Coppell High School's Echols Stadium. The game will kick-off at 11:00am.

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Lady Vikes Close Out District Play

Nolan travels to Bishop Dunne on Friday night at 5:30pm to close out TAPPS 1-5A district play. The Lady Vikings defeated the Lady Falcons in round one in district play by a score of 6-0. Goals were scored by 6 different players Maygan Ditucci, Makenzie Koch, Elizabeth Cottrell, Emily Baker, Emily Grider, and Annie Smithey.

Up Next: St. Stephen's Academy travels from Austin to play the Lady Vikings on Saturday at 11:00am at Doskocil Stadium and then Nolan plays host to Flower Mound Marcus next Tuesday night at 7:15pm at Doskocil Stadium as well.

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Koch Sisters Combine for Game-Winner; Sauerwein Saves

Nolan Soccer play-by-play analyst Chris Blake called all the action tonight as the match was broadcast LIVE on JATOTV. Paschal scored first and held the lead for 72 minutes until the Lady Vikings answered and answered again. They finally made their 15 to 3 shot advantage count. Emily Baker scored her 3rd goal of the season which is a career high for the senior, center back. She scored off the Lady Vikings 12th corner kick of the night, which was a season high.

Baker evened the game at 1 in the 72nd minute and then just 4 minutes later the Koch sisters combined for the game winner.

Older sister, Makenzie, found a gap in the Paschal back line right where younger sister, Katlynn isolated herself. As the 2 Lady Panthers closed on her she spun bewteen both of them at the top of the 18 and was well on her way in behind and tucked the ball away to give the Lady Vikings a 2-1 win.

Missouri bound goalkeeper, McKenzie Sauerwein preserved the win in the final minute of play with a breakaway save to keep Nolan Catholic on top.

Clutch performances all around for nationally ranked #13 Lady Vikings as they improve to 16-3-0. "Consistency, belief, and several clutch performances got you the result tonight," Nolan Catholic head coach, Jay Fitzgerald told his team after the match.

Nolan Catholic has a chance to move into the Top 25 and avenge last weekend loss to nationally #25 Plano West as they take on the Lady Wolves again on Thursday at Clark Stadium East at 5:45pm.

The next LIVE broadcast will next Tuesday night as the Lady Vikings play host to Marcus High School.

Monday, January 25, 2010

ESPN State Rankings: Week #8

2010 ESPN National and State Rankings Week #8
Women's High School Soccer

National Rankings - Week #8
Team (City,St) Record, Prv RK
1 Melbourne (Melbourne, FL) 21-0 1
2 Boyd (McKinney, TX) 13-0 2
3 George Jenkins (Lakeland, FL) 21-0-1 3
4 Ursuline Academy (Dallas, TX) 14-1 4
5 Castro Valley (Castro Valley, CA) 18-0-1 5
6 Esperanza (Anaheim, CA) 13-0-3 6
7 Buchanan (Clovis, CA) 17-0-1 7
8 West Boca Raton (Boca Raton, FL) 20-0 8
9 American Heritage (Plantation, FL) 23-1-1 9
10 Palm Harbor University (Palm Harbor, FL) 18-0-1 10
11 Hamilton (Chandler, AZ) 16-0-3 12
12 The Bishop School (La Jolla, CA) 12-2-1 13
13 Coronado (Coronado, CA) 11-1-2 14
14 Harvard Westlake (North Hollywood, CA) 12-0-3 16
15 Carroll (Southlake, TX) 5-0-2 21
16 Hebron (Carrollton, TX) 7-0-1 24
17 American Heritage-Boca-Delray HS (Delray Beach, FL) 18-2-3 17
18 St. Johns Country Day (Orange Park, FL) 17-1-2 18
19 La Costa Canyon (Carlsbad, CA) 8-2-2 19
20 San Ramon Valley (Danville, CA) 12-2-2 20
21 Saint Thomas Aquinas School (Fort Lauderdale, FL) 16-1-3 23
22 Los Gatos (Los Gatos, CA) 11-0-1 26
23 Coppell (Coppell, TX ) 5-3-1 11
24 Santa Margarita Catholic HS (RanchoStMargarita, CA) 9-3-3 27
25 Plano West (Plano, TX) 5-1-2 48
26 Viera (Viera, FL) 14-2 44
27 Catalina Foothills (Tucson, AZ) 16-1 30
28 San Clemente (San Clemente, CA) 11-6-3 NR
29 Aliso Niguel (Aliso Viejo, CA) 8-1-9 15
30 Capistrano Valley (Mission Viejo, CA) 13-3-3 22
31 Nolan Catholic (Fort Worth, TX) 17-4-1 31
32 Fontainebleau (Mandeville, LA) 20-0-2 34
33 Mililani (Mililani, HI) 12-0 35
34 Santiago (Corona, CA) 18-1-1 NR
35 Stephen F. Austin (Sugar Land, TX) 6-1-1 36
36 El Toro (El Toro, CA) 11-3-2 37
37 Los Alamitos (Los Alamitos, CA) 10-4-5 39
38 Woodrow Wilson (Long Beach, CA) 10-4-3 40
39 Torrey Pines (Encinitas, CA) 7-3 41
40 Presentation (San Jose, CA) 11-1-2 43
41 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, CA) 8-3-6 45
42 Ronald Reagan (San Antonio, TX) 5-1-1 47
43 Highland Park (Amarillo, TX) 5-1-1 32
44 Flintridge Sacred Heart (La Canada, CA) 11-1-2 49
45 Dutchtown (Geismar, LA) 19-0-3 50
46 Tesoro (Las Flores, CA) 10-4-4 38
47 Madison Central (Madison, MS) 16-1 NR
48 M. Stoneman Douglas (Parkland, FL) 13-2-5 NR
49 Oak Grove (Hattiesburg, MS) 14-1-1 33
50 Horizon (Scottsdale, AZ) 16-2 NR

Texas Rankings - Week #8
1. McKinney Boyd (13-0-0)
2. Ursuline Academy (14-1-0)
3. Southlake Carroll (5-0-2)
4. Hebron (7-0-1)
5. Coppell (5-3-1)
6. Plano West (5-1-2)
7. Nolan Catholic (17-4-1)
8. Fort Bend Austin (6-0-1)
9. Reagan (5-1-1)
10. Highland Park (5-1-1)
11. Belton (6-2-1)
12. The Woodlands (6-2-0)
13. Cinco Ranch (5-2-1)
14. Clear Lake (5-1-2)
15. Seven Lakes (7-0-0)

Saturday, January 23, 2010

Nationally Ranked Teams Meet in Championship

Plano West scored in the 60th minute and held on for the 1-0 Allison Horn Memorial Showcase Championship. The Saturday night tilt between #31 Nolan Catholic and #42 Plano West at Mustang-Panther Stadium was an end to end battle. Both teams defended with tenacity and comp sure and Plano West bent but didn't break. The play of West goalkeeper, Abbie Smith keep the Lady Vikings off the board and secured the win for the Lady Wolves. The Lady Vikings will take on Plano West again on Thursday at 5:30pm at Plano West. Both teams should move up in the National Rankings based on their results over the 3 -day showcase. Nolan improves to 16-3-0 going 3-1-0 over the weekend outscoring opponents 12-3.

Champions - Plano West
Runner-Up - Nolan Catholic
3rd Place - Ursuline
4th Place - Flower Mound

Lady Vikings in the Championship

With a 6-1 win over Plano the Lady Vikings advanced to the championship match of the Allison Horn Memorial Showcase at 5pm at Mustang-Panther Stadium tonight. Emily Grider scored 22 and 23 with 2 goals in the match. Makenzie Koch, Maygan Ditucci, Haley Spotts, and Lindsay Murray all had goals in the match.

Ursuline finished 2nd in the bracket with 28 points but Nolan, 28 points as well, advanced by way of goal-differential with a +10 to Ursuline's +8.

The Lady Vikings will play the winner of the Plano West vs Colleyville Heritage match which is still in progress. Ursuline will play in the 3rd place game at Colleyville Heritage.

Friday, January 22, 2010

Vikings Advance in Allison Horn Memorial Showcase

The Lady Vikings get 2 early goals from Kathleen Keoughan and Maygan Ditucci. Keoughan's goal was the first of her career. Makenzie Koch added a late penalty which sealed the 3-0 victory for Nolan over Rockwall.

With the win, Nolan maxed out on points with 10 for the evening which adds to the 9 they got with their 3-1 win over Mansfield the night before for a total of 19. Ursuline leads the group with 20 with their 3-0 win over Plano and 4-0 win over Mansfield.

Ursuline takes on Rockwall at 9am in the morning which will give Nolan an idea of what they have to do against Plano at 1pm. Ursuline and Nolan are used to finishing 1st and 2nd; the results tomorrow will determine which one will go through to the championship of the Allison Horn Memorial Showcase.

Friday's Results...
Ursuline vs Mansfield 4-0
Coppell vs Plano West 0-0
Flower Mound Marcus vs Plano 0-0
Flower Mound vs Houston St. Agnes 1-0
Arlington Martin vs Colleyville Heritage 1-1
Rockwall vs Nolan 0-3

Saturday's Schedule...
Rockwall vs Ursuline 9:00am @ CH
Houston St. Agnes vs Coppell 9:00am @ MP
Flower Mound Marcus vs Mansfield 11:00am @ MP
Flower Mound vs Arlington Martin 11:00am @ CH
Nolan Catholic vs Plano 1:00pm @ MP
Plano West vs Colleyville Heritage 1:00pm @ CH
3rd Place Match 5:00pm @ CH
Championship 5:00pm @ MP

LVS Awakens in 2nd Half

The Lady Vikings go down a goal in the first half in the opener against Mansfield, in the Allison Horn Memorial Showcase. Mansfield's, Haley Maurice scored in the 22nd minute to put the Tigers on the board and it took a fierce 2nd half effort for the Lady Vikings to remain unbeaten in 7 games. Goals were scored by Haley Spotts, Makenzie Koch, and Emily Baker. The Lady Vikings improve to 14-2-0 and get 9 points out of the first game in the showcase. The Lady Vikings take on Rockwall on Friday night at 8pm at Colleyville Heritage.

Thursday Results...
4pm Plano v Ursuline 0-3
4pm Colleyville Heritage v St. Agnes 3-0
6pm Marcus v Rockwall 0-0
6pm Plano West v Flower Mound 2-1
8pm Nolan vs Mansfield 3-1
8pm Martin v Coppell 2-0

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Allison Horn Memorial Showcase Starts Today

The Allison Horn Memorial Showcase kicks off today at 4pm at Mustang-Panther Stadium and Colleyville Heritage. The showcase is hosted by Colleyville Heritage.

Pool A
Nolan Catholic High School
Plano High School
Marcus High School
Rockwall High School
Ursuline High School
Mansfield High School

Pool B
Plano West High School
Colleyville Heritage High School
Martin High School
Coppell High School
St Agnes High School
Flower Mound High School

Thursday Schedule
4pm Plano v Ursuline @ MP
4pm Colleyville Heritage v St. Agnes @ CH
6pm Marcus v Rockwall @ MP
6pm Plano West v Flower Mound @ CH
8pm Nolan vs Mansfield @ MP
8pm Martin v Coppell @ CH

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Grider and K. Koch Combine for Goals

Emily Grider leads the way with her 2nd hat trick of the year, plus 1. Katlynn Koch had 3 assists to 3 of Grider's 4 goals. The Lady Vikings defeat Plano Prestonwood 4-0 and move to 13-2-0. Bishop Dunne, who was defeated by TCA tonight 9-1, is the only team left to play the Lady Vikings in district play.

The Lady Vikings have clinched district runner-up and will host a first round playoof game Saturday, February 6th at Doskocil Stadium.

Up next for the Lady Vikings is the Allison Horn Memorial Showcase hosted by Colleyville Heritage. Matches begin on Thursday and the Lady Vikings will take on Mansfield at 8pm on Thursday at Mustang-Panther Stadium.

District Season Coming to a Close

The 12-2-0 Lady Vikings travel to Plano Prestonwood on Tuesday for their second to last district match. Back on November 16, Nolan defeated Prestonwood 2-0 on goals by Makenzie Koch and Emily Grider. The final district game of the season will be at Bishop Dunne on Friday, January 29th at Dunne.

The Lady Vikings will compete in the Allison Horn Memorial Showcase starting on Thursday against Mansfield at Mustang-Panther Stadium. Kick-Off is set for 8pm.

Sunday, January 17, 2010

Women's Soccer Spends Time Together Over Weekend

The Lady Vikings Women's Soccer Team competed in a Sporting Clays Tournament on Saturday and then spent the rest of the weekend together. For more information on the Clays Tournament visit www.twitter.com/nolansoccer.

The players gathered for dinner and a movie on Saturday night and then attended Mass in the morning at Good Shepard in Colleyville. They also spent time selling raffle tickets to the Nolan Catholic Mardi Gras after Mass and will do so again on January 31st.

Following mass the players went shopping to make lunch for each other while they watched the Dallas Cowboy's game at Emily Baker's house.

The Lady Vikings were scheduled to play in the St. Stephen's Invitational in Austin over the weekend but due to the weather in the South, the fields were unplayable.

Next up for Nolan is Tuesday night at Plano Prestonwood at 6:30pm. The team has clinched TAPPS 1-5A Runner-Up and a first round home playoff game on Saturday, February 6th.

Building Community the Nolan Catholic Way

29th Annual NCHS Mardi Gras: Western Style

WHEN: Saturday, February 13, 2010
5:30 p.m. Mass
6:00 p.m. Check-in Begins
7:00 p.m. Dinner is Served

WHERE: Sheraton Fort Worth Hotel and Spa
1700 Commerce Street
Fort Worth, Texas 76102

WHAT: Community. It’s a frequently used word. In Latin, it means fellowship. Say “community” and images of neighborhoods, church, and family come to mind. Say “community” at Nolan Catholic and speak to the very essence of the school.

For almost 50 years, Nolan Catholic High School has served as a key source for secondary education and faith formation in the Fort Worth Diocese. Underlying this mission of education and faith is building community. Whether through service, athletics, or fine arts and music, thousands of young adults and their families have built and continue to experience the Nolan Catholic community.

Our community is built around touchstone events, including homecoming, graduation, and as we celebrate every spring, Mardi Gras. This year marks the 29th anniversary of one of our most important fellowship events and it’s going to prove to be a special night. We have the honor of being your Chairs for the 2010 Mardi Gras Western Style Dinner, Dance and Auction on February 13, 2010. Here are five great reasons you’ll want to attend:

1. Great Place: The event will be held at the newly renovated Sheraton in Downtown Fort Worth 2. Great Fellowship: Join 400 friends and family of the NCHS community for a great seated dinner and live music.
3. Valentine’s Day: Celebrate with your spouse or special someone. Special packages are available.
4. Great Prizes: Have a chance to bid on sports packages, memorabilia, trips, special dinners, graduation seating, tuition raffle, and other prizes.
5. Vital Support: Be a part of NCHS’s largest fund raiser, which supports education,
extracurricular programs, and financial aid for our community.

Like all community efforts, events like these don’t happen without broad support. If you only have an hour to spare, we could use your help. Please consider volunteering your time to make this year’s event special. And regardless of the time or treasure you’re willing to contribute, please mark your calendars for February 13 and plan to attend.

We’ll see you there!

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

LVS Sets Tone Early Against TCA

The Lady Vikings continue an impressive streak of games with another 5 goal match but this time in district play. With the 5-1 win over TCA on Tuesday night, the Lady Vikings clinch district runner-up and secure a first round home playoff match on Feb. 6th and if they win that match, the Regional Championship will again go through Doskocil Stadium the following weekend.

Emily Grider scores number 17 on the campaign while Annie Smithey scores 2 on the night. Grider continues her impressive streak scoring in 10 of the 14 games, adding 4 game-winners so far this year. She scored 15 goals and 13 assists last year for 43 points.

Maygan Ditucci and Haley Spotts each add 1 a piece. Ditucci and Spotts combined to create numerous opportunities for the Lady Vikings and single handily controlled the game the entire match.

Sunday, January 10, 2010

9 Goals in 2 Showcase Games

The Lady Vikings only get 2 games in the prestigious Red Bull Nolan Showcase but make the best of them. With a 4 goal production against William Taft from Los Angeles on Friday, they added 1 more to that and put up 5 against Odessa. Emily Grider scored 2 more goals to add to her 2 the previous day. Elizabeth Cottrell scored another goal along with Maygan Ditucci. Goalkeeper, McKenzie Sauerwein scored her first goal of her high school career as she played in the field; Paige Harris and Alissa Reed combined for the shutout.

Friday, January 8, 2010

LVS Score Big in First Game of Showcase

Nolan had their first game of the showcase cancelled yesterday while most of the teams including todays opponent had 1 under their belt. Nolan's Emily Grider didn't waste any time scoring the first goal. Grider actually scored in the first 3 minutes and the last 3 minutes for her 2 goals on the day. Makenzie Koch and Elizabeth Cottrell also scored 1 a piece. Cotrell got her first game-winner of the year. With the win, the Lady Vikings moved to 10-2-0. Odessa is the Lady Vikings next opponent.

NBC FEATURE on NOLAN SHOWCASE

CLICK HERE TO VIEW

ESPN IN TOWN TO COVER NOLAN SHOWCASE

ESPN Coverage by ESPNRise

A New LookLast year's Nolan Showcase was played as scheduled. This year's event was forced indoors for two days. Find out the hot teams and story lines at this pivotal high school girls' soccer event. MORE

Red Bull Nolan Showcase Kicked-Off Today

The morning matches were cancelled and that meant the Lady Vikings from Nolan and the Lady Dragons from Southlake didnt get to kick-off the event like they have the past 2 years. The winter weather iced over streets in the morning forcing the showcase to begin at 10am.

Nolan will take on William Taft from Los Angeles, CA at 10:30am Friday, January 8th. William Taft lost their first match today to Plano East 2-1.

Thursday Scores...
10am - Martin vs Murrieta 2-2
11am - Coppell vs Tyler Lee 3-1
12pm - Boyd vs Grapevine 2-0
1pm - Murrieta vs Plano West 0-1
2pm - Lynch vs Martin 1-3
3pm - L. Highlands vs Aquinas 1-0
4pm - St. Stephen's vs Ursuline 1-0
5pm - Clear Lake vs Amarillo 2-0
6pm - Plano East vs Taft 2-1
7pm - Pearce vs Klein Oak 1-0
8pm - Plano vs Odessa 3-2
9pm - Antonian vs SA Central 1-2

Friday's Schedule...
@ TCUs Garvey-Rosenthal Soccer Stadium
*Team listed first will be HOME and will wear WHITE
1:00pm - Murrieta/Plano East
2:30pm - Clear Lake/Plano West
TBA - Lynch/Plano (11:30am or 4:00pm)

@ TCU Indoor
* Team listed first will be HOME and will wear WHITE
7:30am Ursuline/Coppell
9:00am Aquinas/Murrieta
10:30am Taft/Nolan
12:00pm Midland/Heritage
1:30pm Klein Oak/Odessa
3:00pm JJ Pearce/Boyd
4:30pm SA Central/Tyler Lee
6:00pm Carroll/Hockaday
7:30pm Amarillo/Antonian
9:00pm St. Stephen’s/Clear Lake

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Thursday Game Cancelled

The game for this morning has been cancelled but we may play later on tonight - we will keep you posted.