Westgate duo signs with LC

Published 2:00 pm Friday, May 4, 2012

Kelley Clancey and Alex Corne made a potent offensive duo for the Westgate Lady Tigers soccer team this past season.

Now the two can continue their offensive teamwork at the next level after signing national letters of intent Thursday to play for Louisiana College in Pineville.

Both Corne, a forward, and Clancey, a forward-midfielder, wanted to continue their soccer careers in college and Louisiana College offered them the opportunity to play right away as freshmen next year instead of sitting and waiting to play at another university.

“I wanted to go somewhere where I could play in my first year,” said Clancey. “I’ve known the coach at Louisiana College since seventh grade and I knew that I’d feel at home over there.”

Clancey said she had other opportunities to go play college soccer, noting that Nicholls was very interested in her, but she wasn’t sure how much playing time she’d get as a freshman at other places.

“I’d rather go somewhere that I can play right away,” said Clancey, who plans to study either physical therapy or nursing. “I want to go to play soccer, not to watch other people play soccer.”

Corne, who formed the other half of the potent offensive duo, debated all year whether or not she wanted to continue playing soccer at the college level.

Finally, her love of the game won out.

“I knew that soccer was a sport that I always wanted to play. So it came to me one day that I wanted to play soccer in college,” said Corne. 

She chose Louisiana College because it was a small school and that would allow her to concentrate on both academics and athletics.

“It was also the better opportunity to play a lot right away,” said Corne, who plans to study nursing at Louisiana College.

Both are expected to continue playing on the offensive end of the soccer pitch, at either the forward or outside midfielder position, which they are both very familiar with.

WHS girls soccer coach Fafadji Acouetey thought that going to LC was a good choice for his two offensive attackers.

“Kelley has been with me for four years and Alex for three years,” said Acouetey. “Both of them have progressed to where both of them can take charge of games.

“I think that they will both be good assets to Louisiana College.”

Acouetey said that when he spoke to Louisiana College coach Bruce Deaton, he was told that both Corne and Clancey were players that were needed at the school.

“Whatever they decide to do with their lives, this is going to be a good start for them,” said Acouetey, who also said he feels both can become starters right away for the Wildcats.

“I think that they can start as freshmen and people will be surprised at just how successful they will be.”