Women’s soccer team tries not to lose momentum

By Lauren Ely | gargoyle@flagler.edu
Photo by Dyann Busse

The Flagler College’s women’s soccer fell to 4-2 after a 3-0 loss on Sunday afternoon in a conference match against Columbus State University.

After beginning the season 4-0, the best start since the program started in 1995, the Saints have recorded losses to Lynn University and Columbus State University.

Junior goalkeeper Cristina Coca credits this season’s good start to team chemistry.

“We have a wide variety of talent and we are using each other’s strengths to our advantage,” Coca said.

While the last two games have been losses, head coach Teddy Meyer said that this year’s team is deeper than last year’s team.

“There is just a different mentality with this team. We’ve changed some of the personnel, we’re older and more mature,” Meyer said. “The heart of this team, the passion of this team and the work rate is much different than it has been.”

The Saints were voted to tie for eighth in conference play in a Peach Belt Conference pre-season poll voted on by coaches. The loss to Columbus brings the Saints conference record to 1-1, knocking them down to sixth in conference standings.

“The biggest thing I think is injuries. We started with our back four in both games [Lynn and Columbus]. We ended with one starting defender,” Meyer said. “So it’s one of those where you say, ‘Well, do I not have confidence in the back four? No.’ It’s just not the same continuity we had when we started the year.”

The top eight out of 11 teams qualify for the conference tournament at the end of the season. Last season, Flagler finished ninth and just missed the cut. In the 2009-2010 season the team was knocked out in the quarterfinal by Lander University.

“After the two losses we just have to keep a positive attitude and remember that we have a lot of the season ahead of us,” Coca said. “We know what we have to work on, and we just have to keep going at it.”

Currently the Saints are 5-2 after beating No. 23 UNC Pembroke during a Peach Belt Conference away game on Friday, Sept. 23. Their next game is on Sept. 25 against Newberry.