Former 49ers soccer star Beam to join sister in having jersey retired [The Charlotte Observer]

Oct. 04--The Charlotte 49ers women's soccer program, which is celebrating its 20th season, honors one of its best Friday night.

Hailey Beam, the 49ers' second-leading all-time scorer, will have her No. 13 jersey retired at halftime of Charlotte's Conference USA game against Texas-San Antonio at Transamerica Field. She will be honored again Saturday at halftime of Charlotte's football game against Gardner-Webb at Richardson Stadium.

"This is all very humbling," said Beam, who scored 36 goals and 31 assists from 2006-09. "I know that retiring a jersey isn't done very often and it's very neat to know that they thought enough of me to do that."

In fact, only one other jersey has been retired in the history of the program. Beam's older sister Lindsey Beam-Ozimek, who played from 2004-07 and is the school's career assists leader with 43, was given the same honor.

"It's very unique for their family," 49ers coach John Cullen said. "You know they're very proud."

Beam, 24, works in the insurance business and lives in Huntersville, where she coaches for the South Iredell Soccer Association.

"I live soccer vicariously through those little ones running around the field," said Beam-Ozimek.

This is alumni weekend for the 49ers (7-3, 1-1), who follow Friday's game against the Roadrunners (2-8-1, 1-0-1) with another C-USA contest against Middle Tennessee State (4-4-2, 1-1).

"There's so much going on off the field, but we have to remember what we need to do on the field, too," said Cullen. "You have to balance all that with the alums coming in. But it's exciting and fun. What's the point otherwise?"

Goal kicks

--Charlotte's men are on another lengthy road trip and this time they face perhaps their toughest test of the season. The 49ers (4-3-2, 0-1-1) are in Albuquerque, N.M., to face New Mexico (5-3-1, 1-0) in a Conference USA match. The Lobos are one of three teams -- along with South Carolina and Kentucky -- that have an associate membership for soccer in Conference USA. Charlotte has already played at Denver and travels to Tulsa next week.

--Davidson broke a three-game losing streak with a 2-1 victory against Georgia Southern on Sunday. It's been an up-and-down season for coach Matt Spear's Wildcats (5-3-1, 1-1 Southern Conference), who had won four in a row when Duke came to Alumni Field on Sept. 17. Davidson led 2-0 in the second half before the Blue Devils rallied and won 3-2 in double-overtime. Then came losses at Wofford and N.C. State before Sunday's league victory against Georgia Southern. Sophomore Valeriy Sviderskiy has five goals for the Wildcats.

--Appalachian State's men continue to rack up the ties. The Mountaineers (2-1-6) drew with Furman 1-1 Sunday. The Mountaineers play at Elon on Saturday.

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