by Cheval John

After falling short in the semifinals in the Southland Conference Post-Season Tournament last year, the SHSU Bearkat soccer team is looking to make a statement in the 2012 season.

The Bearkats are returning all 11 starters from last year’s team that experienced the heartbreaking loss against Texas State Bobcats in the semifinals that went to a penalty shootout.

“It’s cool to have a whole group of us who stayed together through the last three seasons,” senior midfielder Kirby Zak said to gobearkats.com.

“We’re excited about starting our final season together.”

Zak, along with defender Kayla Anderson and forward Tricia Mallory were selected to the 2012 all-preseason Southland Conference women’s team .

Zak is ranked No. 5 in SHSU career goals (17).

Three of those goals were game-winners, including the one that came against McNeese State last year in Lake Charles, Louisiana.

Mallory, a junior from Spring, is ranked No. 2 in SHSU career goals (19).

She led the team last year with 8 goals and was named the team’s “Co-Most Valuable Player.”

On the defensive side, Anderson started all 22 games last year and played a total of 2,051 minutes during her career as a Bearkat.

The Bearkats were picked to finish fourth in the conference by coaches in the league.

But they feel that they can finish higher in the league and make a run toward the SLC Post-Season Tournament.

“In our estimation, based on what have… I think we can finish a bit higher,” head coach Tom Brown said.

The Bearkats first game of the season begins tomorrow at 7 p.m as they play host to Texas Southern.