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Soccer
Lady Lions' strength lies in goal scoring Staff Writer
Starting
its season off on Aug. 31 at Central Missouri State University, the Lady
Lions soccer team beat Minnesota-Moorehead, 4-1. Defeating
the University of South Dakota on the following Sunday gave the women a
strong start in a tough season. Practicing eight to 10 hours a week
while playing two to three games each week keeps the team busy and
focused on winning. Mike
Lawrence, strength training coach, leads the women in weight training
once a week during the season. "He
pushes us to our limits," said Terressa Kusick, freshman,
"which is good." Three
new recruits joined the team this year, bringing total players to 23.
These newcomers include Jenni Johnson from Milton, Wisc.; Kusick
from Jefferson City; and Paula Towne from Manhattan, Kan. "Our
team is going to do really well together this season because we get
along very well, and our strengths are not just in one person,"
said Libby Negus, sophomore. "We just seem to jell." Kusick
agreed and said the team is coming together on the field. "It
takes a lot of getting used to, and it's a big change from high school
into college ball," Kusick said. Geoff
VanDeusen, head coach, sees goal scoring as a strength for the team this
year. "We
possess the ball very well, and our team chemistry is at an all-time
high," VanDeusen said. Sept.
10, the team beat the University of Central Arkansas, 2-1. "We
struggled during the first part of the game, and it wasn't our best
game, but everyone showed a lot of heart and we pulled out a win,"
said Sarah Sneed, sophomore midfielder. The
women travel to Omaha Friday to take on North Dakota State and the
University of Nebraska. One of the major goals for the season is to win
the conference and go on to the national conference. "We
will take care of our business on a game-by-game basis," VanDeusen
said. He
said there are a number of teams capable of winning the conference. "If
we believe, we can do it," VanDeusen said. |