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Raiders set to kick off second season photo by Drew Fleming Alison Richards By TIM PYLE ASHLAND - Jose Chavez isn't bashful about his Southern Oregon University women's soccer team. Although the Raiders are set to kick off just their second varsity season on Sunday, Chavez believes his squad is ready to claim its first Cascade Conference crown. "Right now, our goal is the conference championship, and I think that's very, very possible," Chavez said following practice Wednesday afternoon at SOU. "I'm feeling really, really confident that we can do it." The Raiders, 6-9 overall and 5-5 in the conference last year, open the season with a home game at noon against NCAA Division II stalwart Chico State. Their first conference game is Sept. 14 at Albertson College in Caldwell, Idaho. Holdovers from the Raiders' inaugural varsity season number just five, but Chavez said this season's team boasts skills to spare. "Skill-wise, we have a better level (than last season)," says Chavez, who also guided the SOU women's club soccer team during its two years of existence (1998-99) before becoming a varsity sport. "Experience-wise, we have some girls who are coming in as freshmen, but they have a lot of experience under their belts participating in tournaments around the country. Then we have a couple of transfers who have experience as well." Alison Richards is the most intriguing addition to Chavez's squad. The former Phoenix High three-sport all-state star hasn't played competitive soccer since her prep days, but she has already made quite an impact on the SOU sports scene. Richards flashed her athleticism for four years with the Raiders women's basketball team, the last three of which she spent as starting point guard. "Originally, I started checking into schools for soccer," says Richards of her collegiate athletics route. "Then I realized that I really wanted to play basketball in college and not soccer. "Maybe I just kinda got burnt out on soccer, and now it's time to go back to it." Her basketball eligibility exhausted, Richards is primed to aid the SOU soccer program with her goal-scoring capabilities. "She's catching on quick, and she's gonna be one of our leading scorers," Chavez says. "There's certain areas where she's a little rusty. ... But she's got the love and the desire, so she's not lacking anything in that department." Although she admits to being far from in soccer shape, Richards believes she'll make it back to the top of her game with continued hard work. "It's kind of like riding a bike," she says. "I know where I want to go, maybe I'm just not necessarily getting there right now. "I've been wanting to play soccer for a long time." Co-captains Monica Doshier and Emily Schifferling are the Raiders' returning all-conference standouts. Doshier, an Ashland High alumna, steadies the midfield, while Schifferling, who hails from Hillsboro, stifles opponents' scoring chances as SOU's goalkeeper. "The best thing that happened to the program this year is that we're bringing back Monica Doshier and Emily Schifferling," says Chavez, who believes both are potentially all-region and national all-star candidates. An injury to Schifferling's left knee has hampered her in preseason practices, but neither she nor her coach expect any game time to be missed. Reach reporter Tim Pyle at 776-4483 or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.