The women’s soccer team is officially nearing the end of the season. At the midway mark of the season, the team is starting to move towards conference play. They currently stand at 7-3-2, taking a 3-0 loss to in-conference team North Central on Wednesday, Oct. 9. Their conference record stands at 1-2, with more games to come throughout the remainder of the season.
When switching into conference games, the level of intensity increases compared to regular season games. It requires a higher focus than the rest of the season.
“It is like a whole different vibe,” junior Samira Khobdeh said. “Everybody fully has to lock in. The pressure is really on, but the energy is also really high. Instead of the average ‘wanting to win’ it has been, you need to win- everything affects playoffs.”
Despite the recent loss, the team remains positive for the switch into conference play. They say they feel as though they are finally starting to put the pieces together and are looking good. The goal is to keep improving each game, fight for every ball and maintain a positive attitude.
“I think it is all coming together,” sophomore Paige Bingen said. “Sometimes, it gets super frustrating when we are not winning, or it is not going our way but just staying positive so everyone on the team still feels good [is the goal].”
Starting conference play means the beginning of the end of the season. The end of the season means bittersweet goodbyes to the senior soccer players who have dedicated so much of their past four years to this team.
“It is definitely crazy,” senior Carson Kekelik said. “We only have eight [games] left, so we are more than halfway done, and it just goes by so fast. It will definitely be a chapter closed, but I think that they will be left in good hands.”
The seniors’ supportive approach has been super important for the freshmen and the rest of the team, as it has helped moderate the team dynamic and create a more cohesive environment. They are inclusive, making the team feel as if they are all one– there is no such thing as seniority when it comes to these girls.
When an environment is inclusive and welcoming, it makes it easier to play well. There is a team that they can trust and rely on and off of the soccer field, which helps improve the quality of play.
“I can talk to people about any time,” First-Year Mary Baker said. “I think that is super important for my comfortability and my confidence too because that’s a big thing. The seniors are definitely going to be difficult to replace.”
The team will look to respond in their next match as they will travel to face another conference opponent, Wheaton College, on Saturday, Oct. 12.