Rebels’ coach happy with first year of program

Steve Carp

Monday, Nov. 2, 1998 | 11:47 a.m.

For a first-year program, they were lofty goals indeed.

To play .500 or better soccer and to earn one of four berths in the Western Athletic Conference's postseason tournament was an ambitious undertaking. And even though UNLV's women's soccer team fell short with an 8-10-1 mark, when coach Staci Hendershott looks back on the just-completed season she can smile.

"I feel nothing but positive about this," she said in the aftermath of a season-ending 3-0 loss to Minnesota. "I know you don't become a top-20 program overnight.

"I want to win more than anyone. But I also know you have to be patient."

A tough end of the 1998 schedule took its toll on the Rebels. UNLV played its final six games on the road, including games at nationally ranked Brigham Young and San Diego State. The Rebels were 8-4-1 at that point before getting on a plane to San Diego.

The 4-0 loss to the Aztecs began a season-ending six-game slide which ultimately cost UNLV a berth in this week's WAC tourney in Provo.

"We had a hard time putting the ball in the net," Hendershott said of her team's late-season woes. "We didn't play well in Hawaii, and that disappointed me."

But Hendershott said the season still was a success, despite coming up short of the team goals.

"For a first-year program, we got a lot of things accomplished," she said. "We gained a lot of valuable experience and we got tremendous support from the community. We had good crowds at our home games and that really means a lot.

"I think we gained an understanding for what this is all about. We know what to expect now. We also know you have to come to play every day."

Things shouldn't be as hectic next year when UNLV competes in the Mountain West Conference. There won't be a trip to Hawaii and the Rebels will be familiar with league foes BYU, Utah, New Mexico, San Diego State and Air Force.

Hendershott's going to be hitting the recruiting trail shortly in the hopes of finding some additional firepower to take the heat off her three top scorers -- Anita Pedford, Janae Sims and Felicia Madrigal.

"We've got to be more consistent," she said of UNLV's attack, which garnered only 22 goals in 19 games. "We need to get some people who can put the ball in the net."

Pedford, a freshman, led the team with five goals and 16 points. Sims, a freshman midfielder, was next with four goals and Madrigal, a junior defender, had three tallies, as did freshmen Breanna Seaton and Suzanne Jensen.

Hendershott is also looking for size. UNLV was small compared to some of its opponents.

"BYU had some big girls," Hendershott said. "We had trouble matching up with a lot of teams' size. We need to get bigger and stronger."

But her biggest challenge will be to replace senior midfielder Joeleen Palmeri, the team's top playmaker and leader.

"We're really going to miss Joeleen," Hendershott said. "I don't know if it was because she was senior or what, but she never, never quit. She played hard until the end."

Hendershott said her first season as a head coach opened her eyes to a lot of things, such as travel, training, lineups and dealing with adjustments. But she's already looking forward to Year Two at Peter Johann Field, especially with 10 starters and all but two players -- Palmeri and midfielder Jennifer Wintermute -- returning.

"There's a lot of areas we need to improve on, both the players and the coaches," she said. "But I feel good with what we did. We definitely have something positive to build on for next year."