March 28, 2014
A time to make progress. Whether you’re coming off of a great season or one not up to par, any team looks forward to the spring to make progress toward attaining its goals for the next season. Spring is no different in Columbia as the South Carolina women’s soccer team has its sights set on an SEC Championship and advancing deep into the NCAA tournament.
Coming off of a year in which the Gamecocks went 17-4-2, went undefeated at home and ranked No. 15 in the nation at the end of the season, they have remained hungry during the spring.
“To not make it past the second round of the NCAAs, it was disappointing to them,” head coach Shelley Smith said. “The expectation is to go further than the year before and that’s what they want to do. We have a very strong group of seniors that have played a lot over the past few years and have won a championship and they know what it takes and what it feels like, and they want to feel that again before they leave.”
With a large freshman class during the fall, the team has returned a lot its players, allowing for a different atmosphere than many teams across the country. More players mean a lot of nearly full-sided games. The team has pushed themselves not only on the field, but also in the weight room to get stronger and work on their fitness.
The Gamecocks have challenged themselves with their spring schedule, playing teams that bring something different to the table in each contest. Taking on the boys team from CESA allowed players to see a different type of quickness and closing speed that they’re not used to seeing.
“They gave us a great look because they’re quick and skilled and really forced us to move the ball quickly, which we really harp on,” said Smith.
A game at Wake Forest displayed the team’s resolve against a quality side.
The highlight of the spring though came in a 1-1 draw against the Trinidad & Tobago women’s national team as the side is preparing for World Cup qualifying.
“It was a great opportunity to see a national team, how they compete, their style of play, their intensity,” Smith said. “They’re trying to make the World Cup qualifying squad so they were trying to play as hard as they could.”
“They were very athletic, quick, strong and very experienced,” Smith added. “They had some older players amongst some new players that they’re looking at. They were very physical. They put us under pressure and I thought we handled it well. I thought on the day that we had some good play, had some good chances and I think we limited them for as fast and as strong as they were. I thought our defense was very good in handling the pace that they threw at us, but once we won it, we were able to keep the ball and move up the field.”
With a great crowd on hand, it created a different environment for the spring and an opportunity for fans to not have to wait until the fall to get a glimpse of what could be in store for the 2014 season.
The Gamecocks will host their final game of the spring at Stone Stadium on April 4 against Coastal Carolina at 7 p.m. The following week, the team will host its annual fan appreciation clinic on April 10 from 5:30-7:30 p.m.
