With last Saturday’s 3-0 loss to the Western Washington Vikings, the Clan women’s soccer team closed their season. It was the second straight game where they were shutout, and the 10th time this season (out of 18 games).
However, this was to be expected; this season was a year of rebuilding and tempered expectations for the team. As head coach Annie Hamel told The Peak at the beginning of the semester, their goal for this year was to “[have] the best success that we can with the team that we have, build game-in and game out on our successes, and look forward to what the future holds.”
The team finished with a 2-16 overall record, with both of their wins coming in Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) play. Olivia Aguilar led the team with three goals, and keeper Priya Sandhu appeared in all of the team’s 18 games. Their big problem throughout the year was their decision making and composure with the ball, and they suffered too many unforced turnovers. But this can and will be fixed with more practice and as the team builds more chemistry together heading into the next season.
The future is bright for this team. With eight freshmen on the roster, a handful of returning players, and surely a new recruiting class, the women look to continue to grow next season. The trick is to take another step to contention, and hopefully to eventually compete for a GNAC title.
