The women’s soccer team has practiced for four weeks and still has not played a game.
Since the team’s first game on Aug. 22 was postponed due to weather concerns, the players are anxious to get their season started.
On tap for the team this weekend are two games in upstate New York in Army’s BAE Systems Fall Classic. Tonight the Bills take on Seton Hall, followed by a match against host Army on Saturday, Aug. 30.
Head coach Tim Champion, who is the only head coach in Saint Louis University women’s soccer history, is starting his 13th season. He said that while the upcoming matches are important, what will ultimately set the tone for the season is how quickly key players on the team can recover from injuries.
“If we can get those six injured players back soon, then our style will be very different,” Champion said. “If we’re healthy, we’ll be quick and score more goals, otherwise, we’ll have to adjust with the players that fill those spots.”
Since the team’s injured list includes nearly all offensive players, Champion said the Bills will be sound on defense heading into the weekend. Four experienced upperclassmen, including seniors Lauren Olson and Molly Hartmann, will lead the team from the back.
“If you’re going to have one area with maturity it’s the back four, and we have that going for us,” Champion said.
After winning its first eight season openers and earning a tie in its ninth, the Billikens have dropped its last three consecutive season debuts.
Junior midfielder Ashley Hayes said the first few games are always exciting, but that this year’s will be tough since the team’s only exhibition game was postponed.
“Since it’s away, we just want to come out and get the first couple games under our belt,” Hayes said. “We want to get a good result, but, really, we just want to play strong as a unit.”
With the loss of the team’s exhibition match, Champion said he was unable to get a good look at players in different positions. Freshman Hannah Perry will start as goalkeeper for the Bills, while freshman Andrea Barklage will see some playing time in the midfield.
The ideal outcome of this weekend for senior Allison Sole would be a pair of wins and a better idea of how and where different players work best with one another.
“It’s always hard to tell with the first game, but we really just want to see where the strongest players fit well and get us the best results,” Sole said.
One aspect of the team that has improved since the conclusion of last season, according to both Hayes and Sole, is the team’s morale.
An unexpected loss in first round of the Atlantic 10 Tournament last year to Dayton in overtime cast a dark cloud over the 2007 season in general. But Sole said the team returned this year with a renewed sense of enthusiasm.
“That loss and the expectations that weren’t met kind of reverberated through the summer and even now,” Sole said. “But we want that back; we want to surprise everyone and show that we can win when it counts.”
