Women soccer’s defending champions have had trouble defending.
SC’s Lady Jaguars are off to a 1-4 start, but coach Carolina Soto said the early struggle will pay dividends later in the season.
Their opponents so far have a combined record of 22-7-10.
“There is a lot of positives about playing a tough team in preseason,” Soto said, “It has prepared us for tough matches.”
Sophomore midfielder and team captain Alondra Osuna said the team is eager to head into conference play.
“We are excited to start the league the total opposite of what we are now,” she said. “We aim to be undefeated like last year and our chances of doing it are pretty good.”
Soto said last season’s success put a target on the team’s back.
“We are not the underdog anymore,” she said, “ Everyone is aware that we won it. They know we are going to compete, they know we are going to fight to the last second. It is a competitive game and everyone that walks in knows that.”
One player Soto will rely on is spirited sophomore goalkeeper Sharon Montoya.
“She always keeps her head up and pushes the rest of the team to keep fighting,” Soto said.
Montoya said the fire she exhibits during matches can rub off on teammates.
“I try to transmit energy into every game so that we as a team go in strong and with the best mentality,” she said.
Soto said opponents have noticed Montoya’s fire.
“Montoya’s outstanding, her work ethic and the way she flys,” she said. “Even opposing players after the game say things like, my respect to you.”
Though the Lady Jags are defending champions, most of this year’s players were not part of the championship team. In fact Soto said, 14 out of the 18 players incoming freshmen and will need time to adjust to the demands of playing at the college level.
“It has been a little more challenging this year because I have more freshman, the majority of our team are freshmen,” she said. “We are definitely developing as we go, but we still instill the hard work ethic, structure and the commitment.”
With conference play underway, Soto said the team is eager to regain its conference title.
“There is a little pride, she said. “We do not want to just win one year. We want this to be something we get used to.”
Osuna said the team is ready and willing to do what needs to be done.
“We have a team full of girls who are willing to fight and work every day to become better players,” she said.
