Coming off a tough end of the season last year, the Augustana women’s soccer team (2-0) is ready to fulfill their usual goals for the season with a better sense of confidence.
The team unfortunately did not make the CCIW tournament last year. They are using this upset as motivation to be an even stronger team this year.
The Vikings went 2-0 in their first two games of the season, proving that they are prepared to create a new identity this year. Coach Scott Mejia said the team’s main focus this year is to stay positive and confident.
“The team has a stronger mentality than in years past,” said Mejia. “There’s a belief that there’s some hard work to be done, and I think everyone understands that it’s not always going to be glamorous and I think the group is at least acknowledging of that and they work hard embracing that.”
Since it’s early in the season and the team hasn’t endured any crucial losses, the positivity shared by the players is still strong. As four year players, captains Mady Huber and Sammi Farkos acknowledged that sometimes this mentality can be difficult to keep throughout the season.
“We’re really focusing on applauding people who finish their goals,” Huber said. “Even if we end up losing a game, we want to make sure everyone who scored or did something positive is recognized.”
This mindset goes hand in hand with the team’s overall goal for the season, which is to make the conference tournament and then win. The team is building on their teamwork skills in order to accomplish this goal.
“Staying positive helps the team chemistry and that really reflects how we play on the field,” Farkos said.
The team is also trying to stay focused on one game at a time. Although they haven’t started conference play yet, they are treating each game with the same importance.
“In the past we’ve had problems where we’re looking ahead and it distracts you from the game you’re in,” Huber said. “This year we’re really focusing on taking every game one at a time. We’re treating every game exactly the same.”
The Vikings faced some tougher competition against 9th-ranked Thomas Moore College and Hanover College in their second weekend of the season. The Vikings lost to Thomas Moore 2-0 on September 9 and lost to Hanover 3-1 on September 10.
The team still has a couple weeks before starting their CCIW play. The team’s next game will be at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse on Saturday, September 16 at 12 PM.