Bulldogs finding their niche
With league
changes, soccer sets its sights on WAC crown one year after new head coach
takes over
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Joseph
Hollak / The Collegian
The Bulldogs have the
preseason WAC defensive player of the year in junior Rochelle Jagdeo.
She likes the team’s chances of winning the league this year.
The team will travel to and face UC Santa Barbara today at 7:30
p.m. |
By
Maggie Thach
The Collegian
Head soccer
coach Steve Springthorpe can relate to new head volleyball coach Ruben
Nieves. After all, Springthorpe was in the same position just last year.
Like Springthorpe, Nieves will have to get used to players and have the
players get used to his system.
Last year,
Springthorpe also had the responsibility of integrating 11 freshmen and
getting them to make the big jump in competition from the high school
level to college. Which is why the women’s soccer team predicted
to finish second in the preseason Western Athletic Conference poll in
only Springthorpe’s second year at the helm, was such a big surprise.
“I think this will boost the player morale,” Springthorpe
said. “I think it’s good for everybody in the conference.
SMU has ruled the conference for 10 years. Only two out of the top six
teams in last year’s conference are back. At least we know there’s
going to be a new champion.”
The team’s second-place prediction is a big jump from last year’s
preseason fifth-place forecast. The new look of the WAC has affected women’s
soccer the most. That’s because Southern Methodist University, who
won the WAC championship the last four years, Rice and UTEP, last year’s
third- and fourth-place team, respectively, has also left the league.
Utah State, Idaho and Louisiana Tech have taken their place. All three
new teams have been predicted to finish near the bottom of the preseason
poll.
“I liked the competition of the old league,” said junior Rochelle
Jagdeo, the preseason WAC defensive player of the year. “I would
say we have the best chance of winning the WAC than any year before.”
Senior midfielder Barbara Davis adds: “Our confidence is up. We’ve
beaten them before.”
Davis is referring to Hawaii, who placed ahead of Fresno State with 49
points. The Bulldogs had 43 and one first place vote. To make up for the
loss of competition in SMU, Rice and UTEP, the Bulldogs will play Santa
Clara University and Big West champions UC Santa Barbara.
Kortney Lewis, a senior who has had 24 goals and 14 assists in her career,
thinks the team’s improved level of fitness will also help the Bulldogs
this season.
“We train hard. Coach has prepared us well,” Lewis said. “We
train harder than any other team in the WAC.”
Springthorpe has also seen the improvements. The Bulldogs have won their
two exhibition games easily, handing CSU Stanislaus a 2-0 defeat and beating
Fresno Pacific, 4-1.
Springthorpe says the team is a step ahead of where they were at this
time last year because of better team chemistry and the majority of the
players have had at least one year of playing experience.
“We’re in a good position,” Springthorpe said. “It’s
all about getting ready for the conference. We’ve had a good preseason.
Last year, there were a lot of unknowns but there’s a different
focus. There’s a true commitment to winning. They want success and
they have a good chance of getting it.”
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