July 16, 1997
Five From Notre Dame Named to Nordic Cup National Team
NOTRE DAME, Ind. -- Five players on Notre Dame's 1997 women's soccer
team have been named to the 16-player United States under-20 women's national
team Nordic Cup roster. Senior Kate Sobrero (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.),
sophomores LaKeysia Beene (Gold River, Calif.), Jen Grubb (Hoffman Estates,
Ill.) and Jenny Streiffer (Baton Rouge, La.) and freshman Meotis Erikson
(Kennewick, Wash.) will represent Notre Dame in the five-day, eight-country
championship to be held in Denmark Aug. 4-8.
The eight competing teams are divided into two groups of four, with
first-round play consisting of matches within the group. The group winners will
then play for the championship, the two second-place finishers will play for
third place, the third-place finishers for fifth and the fourth-place teams for
seventh. United States will open against Sweden on Aug. 4, and then face
Iceland on Aug. 5. The U.S. will close out the first round against host Denmark
on Aug. 7, with the championship games to be played on Aug. 8
In 1996, the U.S. team won the bronze medal over Germany thanks to a
sudden-death goal by Grubb, who is making her second consecutive appearance on
the Nordic Cup team. As a freshman at Notre Dame, Grubb was the only freshman
defender to earn National Soccer Coaches Association of America All-America
honors. She helped lead the Irish to the NCAA championship game and was named
to the NCAA all-tournament team. Grubb played on the U.S. national team against
South Korea on May 2 and 4, in the Victory Tour.
A three-time All-American defender, Sobrero will captain Notre Dame's 1997
women's soccer team, looking to lead the Irish to their fourth-straight NCAA
title game. She was a finalist for the 1996 Missouri Athletic Club player of
the year award and was a first team All-BIG EAST selection as a junior.
Beene saw limited action as a freshman goalkeeper at Notre Dame, learning
behind All-American Jen Renola. Beene combined with Renola to shut out 13
opponents and allowed just one goal in 542 minutes of action.
Streiffer was one of just two freshman forwards to earn NSCAA All-America
honors in 1996 as she was second on the team in points with 22 goals and 22
assists. She was named BIG EAST rookie of the year after being named an
alternate on the 1996 U.S. Olympic team. Streiffer was invited to play against
South Korea in the Victory Tour but illness kept her from competing.
Erikson was named both NSCAA and Parade high school player of the year at
Kamiakin High School and led her club team, the FC Royals, to the under-17
national championship. The forward is the youngest player on the Nordic Cup
squad and one of just two freshmen on the roster.
