The women’s soccer team is currently 1st place in the CCIW conference and has a record of 10-1-3. The women’s soccer team is coming off a win over rivals Illinois Wesleyan on Oct. 4, a tie against Millikin on Oct. 7 and a win against Elmhurst on Oct. 11. Several players said this shows an improvement from last year compared to this year.
“There has been a huge improvement this year. We have 14 freshmen and 31 girls on the team,” senior Jayde Speight said. “Every practice and game we strive to get better. We have confidence and are truly fighting to make this season a win.”
Out of 14 games the team has won ten of them, while last year at this time they’d only won six.
One reason for the team’s improvement stems from team building. The team builds chemistry on and off the field by having practices with each other, while also having team bonding activities and getting to know each other off the field better. This is something that is done every year, but with the large first-year class that came in, it was more important than ever to focus on team bonding and team relationships.
“The team chemistry is amazing this year. All of us seniors have really strived to ensure a positive and competitive atmosphere,” Speight said. “Personally, I believe we have completely changed the team dynamic and what makes us a good team is our connection with each other. We are all super close and prioritize friendship to build trust on and off the field.”
The leadership has also improved throughout the years, which has benefited the team.
“I definitely think we have better leadership this year. I really appreciate the seniors,” junior Abby Dugustino said.“We [also] have a lot of freshmen that have a lot of talent, so I’m grateful for that.”
In the first 14 games, three goals and three assists have come from First-Years. However, players agree there is still room for improvement on the team.
“There are small things here and there, but I think we have a really good team, and our coaching staff is trying hard to bring us together and encourage us to raise our level,” Degustino said. “I think if we keep raising our level then we’ll be fine.”
So far, the women’s soccer team has scored a collective 19 goals with eight assists, while only allowing opposing teams seven goals. From a defensive standpoint, the team has 67 saves throughout the 14 games played so far.
For the rest of the season, the team hopes to go far and get better along the way.
“I hope we win our conference, and I hope we make it to the tournament,” Degustino said. “I’m just excited to see how far the team goes. I think with the talent that we have and the team dynamic and our chemistry, I think it can go very far.”
