APSU Sports: Women’s Soccer
Clarksville, TN – Emily Perkins and Morgan Zigelsky, a pair of Ole Miss transfers, will be joining Austin Peay State University women’s soccer team, head coach Kelley Guth has announced.
Both players were former Tennessee high school standouts – Perkins at Ensworth High School, in Nashville, and Zigelsky at Franklin High School, in Franklin. Not only will the pair contribute to a high level of soccer, they also bring a experience from a number of successful teams.
Perkins, who will have two seasons of eligibility remaining, played in 16 matches over her two-year Rebel career, including 10 a year ago. She played a season-high 34 minutes in the Ole Miss’ 0-0 double-overtime with Western Kentucky to open the season.
As a freshman, she scored her first career goal against Arkansas-Little Rock and played a career-best 53 minutes versus Alabama-Birmingham.
“We expect Emily will add depth to our attack,” Guth said. “Her style of play is a great fit for our system. She’s a strong, fast forward that creates chances offensively by getting behind defenses and pressing to the end line. Emily has tremendous athleticism and work ethic.”
Perkins was a two-sport prep star. She was twice named all-region in soccer and a was three-time All-State selection in basketball, helping lead her hoops team to the 2008 state championship. She also played for the Brentwood Real Madrid club soccer team, helping it to a pair of Tennessee titles, including the 2007 Region III semifinals and a seventh-place national finish.
Zigelsky played in five 2010 matches at Ole Miss, bringing three years of eligibility to Austin Peay. She recorded her season’s only assists in the Rebels’ 3-2 win at Vanderbilt, a game in which she played a career-best 16 minutes.
At Franklin High School, Zigelsky was an ESPN RISE and National Soccer Coaches of America Association (NSCAA) High School All-American selection. She was a two-time All-State selection, helping her team to three state tournaments, including the championship match as a senior.
In fact, as a senior, she was named Tennessee Player of the Year by the NSCAA and was honored as the Tennessean’s Midstate Player of the Year. Although she was third-leading goal scorer for Franklin, scoring seven goals with five assists, it was her ability to draw defenses without the ball that allowed her to create for her teammates.
“Morgan will be in the midfield, competing at the holding midfield position,” Guth said. “She’s a tenacious player that we think will be adding much-needed depth in our midfield.”
Zigelsky, a two-year member of Tennessee’s Olympic Development Program, also played club soccer with the Brentwood 92 Premier Club, helping it to a 2010 regional qualifier.
