The ball is rolling in the right direction for the Cobber women’s soccer team this season. With a polished record of nine wins, one loss and a draw, the Cobbers are off to their best start since 2009.
Now seated at second in MIAC standings, the Cobbers are currently riding an eight-game unbeaten streak and confidence is building in the Cobber locker room.
Senior midfielder Rochelle Hickerson has been a bright spot for the Cobbers during this run.
“Confidence is a big key for everybody,” Hickerson said.
Hickerson is currently the leading scorer for the Cobbers and is tied for sixth in point totals in the MIAC. Henderson was not one to take credit for the team’s success instead she quickly redirected the praise from offense to defense.
“A lot of our success has not only come from our goals but from our defensive line,” Hickerson said. “We wouldn’t be where we are if they were letting goals in and they are playing really well together.”
Head coach Kevin Roos also has been impressed with the team’s back line.
“A lot of girls are a year older,” Roos said. “Our players are going into challenges a lot harder than last year and they have a belief that they will be successful.”
Roos mentioned their communication and understanding with one another as key aspects for stout defensive play. According to Roos, the Cobbers have only allowed six goals in the season thus far, with four of them coming in a four to zero loss against three-time national champion Wheaton College.
Sophomore striker Emily Wendorff described the Wheaton loss as a motivating point in the season.
“We don’t want that to be a continuing factor, we want to win,” Wendorff said. “We had to set the tone and not let the Wheaton game affect us.”
After a two to zero win against Scholastica, the women were able to get back on the right track. The Scholastica win reinvigorated the team, and the girls haven’t looked back since, outscoring their opponents twelve to two in their next five games.
Once again, confidence and maturity came into play with this team and the Cobbers showed it by getting back on the right track.
Even though Wheaton may be the toughest team on the Cobber schedule, it doesn’t mean a MIAC title run will be a cakewalk. Wendorff believes taking every game one at a time is key for the Cobbers.
With the target on the Cobbers back getting larger the more they win, Hickerson feels it is going to take strong efforts from both starters and bench players. As well as supporting each other to continue the success.
In order to continue the run of play, Roos plans on keeping a strong balance of intensity during practice and games.
“In practice I want to make sure were having fun but being intense,” Roos said.
This article was submitted by Ben Gislason, contributing writer.
This article was contributed to The Concordian by an outside writer. Questions and comments on this article should be directed to concord@cord.edu.
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