Prior to the season kicking off, Shelley Howieson, head coach of SFU’s women’s soccer team, prophesied a worst-case scenario: starting a defender in goal.
It didn’t take long for it to come true. However, with freshman defender Teagan Rae Sorokan in net, the Clan earned their best finish of the season last week, a 0–0 double overtime draw against Northwest Nazarene.
After last year’s starting goalkeeper — and Great Northwest Athletic Conference saves leader — left the team late in the offseason, Howieson was stuck in a bind with two freshmen netminders left to compete for the starting spot. After one went down with a freak concussion in practice, the veteran head coach was left with one first-year goalie.
In case you haven’t guessed where this is going, that lone keeper, Simone Tessler, injured herself, forcing Howieson to turn to Sorokan to guard the net.
And against the Northwest Nazarene Crusaders last Saturday, in her second consecutive start (the first was a 2–0 loss to MSU-Billings), she earned her first career shutout — and the team’s first of the season — making five saves through the double overtime match.
“Teagan played really well,” said Howieson after the match. “So many of our players battled their hearts out in this game. The second leg of this road trip is tough so full credit to our team for coming away with a tie. The back-line really held strong and played through some injuries. We’re pleased with the effort. Now we need to get home after a long road trip and get prepared for Thursday evening.”
Thursday marked the team’s home opener, ending a grueling opening stretch of the season where the Clan played four straight on the road. The result, unfortunately, was another loss — a 2–0 setback against Saint Martin’s University — but Sorokan again held her own, allowing only one of the two goals scored, and making a couple of impressive saves.
Sorokan has been a bright spot for the Clan, otherwise going through a tough transitional year. Despite being a concern for any Clan fan, starting the back-line player hasn’t been the team’s biggest issue. The Clan have scored only one goal this season, and until they figure their offence out, it likely matters little who’s between the pipes.
But again, this is a transitional season for the team, so struggles are expected. As evidenced by the team’s best finish of the young season, the team’s defence has tightened up significantly since being thumped 6–0 in the season opener. There have also been signs of improvement on offence as well (junior midfielder Ali Trenter hit the post late against Saint Martin’s).
The breaks haven’t been going the Clan’s way, but they’ll come. Until then, the Clan will have to roll with the punches, and with Sorokan in net.
