Freshmen to play a big part for USU soccer in upcoming season
The Utah State women’s soccer team’s upcoming season is finally taking shape.
On Oct. 29, the Mountain West conference announced a 10-match schedule, starting on March 5, 2021 and ending on April 11, 2021. Utah State will play each team in its division twice (New Mexico, Air Force, Colorado State, Wyoming, and Boise State) once at home and once away.
For a group that at one point was unsure if a season would come to fruition, the abbreviated schedule is something to be excited about.
“At first, I was kind of sad because we don’t get to play every team,” said senior defender Imelda Williams. “But then after thinking that we finally get to play against someone other than ourselves I got pretty hyped about it.”
The Aggies, who graduated just three seniors last year (defender Mealii Enos, midfielder Kanyan Merrill, and forward Alecia Robinson), are not only looking to improve upon last season’s 8-10-1 overall record (3-7-1 in conference play,) but according to Williams, their eyes are set on the conference championship.
The 2020 squad returns a loaded midfield that is led by four seniors: Ashley Cardozo — who earned 2019 second-team all-mountain west honors and also led last year’s team with seven assists. Amber Marshall — who also earned second-team all-Mountain West accolades last season; Kami Warner, who has started in every match of her Aggie career; and Karstyn Peterson, who appeared in every game last season.
Other notable returners include Williams, who helped lead a defensive front that gave up just 18 goals in 19 games last season, while scoring a co-team high three goals, and Sophomore forward, and Sky View grad, Sid Barlow, who also scored three goals as a true freshman.
But several players that could have returned this season are no longer on the roster. Would-be sophomores Megan Unbedacht, Maybe Lorenzana, Olivia Romney, Kathryn Wynn, junior Hallee Jones, and senior Paige Moser-Tews are 2019 players that will not be a part of this year’s team.
“We have some key players that are leaving us this fall that would have played with us if we had a season,” said Williams. “Mentally that’s kind of hard for me to think because I couldn’t picture us winning (the conference championship) without them.”
In order for the Aggies to find success this season, they will rely heavily on nine incoming true freshmen to fill some of the gaps left by players left. Williams has taken the responsibility to help prepare the rookies.
“I think it’s important just going into the season to put confidence in the upcoming players,” Williams said. “The freshmen are doing so well at practice… I think we definitely could win the championship and we have the potential and talent to do so.”
One incoming Freshman looking to make a splash on the scene is midfielder Kenli Coon, who just graduated from Corner Canyon high school in May.
“I feel like as a player now I’m working harder than I ever have before,” said Coon. “I’m excited for the season and I hope that I can contribute as much as possible.”
Coon is already turning heads. In the blue and white team scrimmage on Nov. 2, she was the only Freshman that scored a goal.
Coon and Williams both admit that it has been disappointing not to be able to play a full season in the fall semester, but the team has made sure to stay focused.
“We try to remember that we have goals to work for and that we’re still working for the conference championship,” said Coon. “I think every day just showing up and being positive and really being pushed to still be out best every single day has been big,”
Having the entire fall semester, and then all of January and February for the Freshman to train at the division one level is certainly beneficial. Much of the focus during practices has been on teaching the players to be dynamic and work as a fluid unit.
“I think that a big thing for us is getting everyone involved on the field,” Coon said. “We have the ability to play multiple formations and switch things up and we’re very good at adapting — and every one of us is getting used to playing in different roles and working together and finding that chemistry.”
Williams has had this mentality her whole career and is willing to do anything asked of her. That helped her become the co-leading scorer on the team last year as a defender.
“Ya I’m a defender but we play as a team,” she said. “It’s not like oh the forwards are the only ones that can score. We’re a team and we play together, we win together, and we lose together. If I’m up there and I have chances I have just as much responsibility as the forwards to finish them and that’s how I see it always.”
Coon, who holds Corner Canyon’s school record with 42 goals and 91 assists in her high school career, plans on switching up her game at the college level and looks to play a similar role as Williams.
“I really appreciate the build-up in the game and getting everyone involved on the field and I think that coming in I’ll kind of have a new role and be more of a defensive player. I think that I’ll be able to get everybody involved in the attack and really contribute.”
Although the news of a new season was re;eased recently, the start date sits four months away, and for the players, it can’t come soon enough.
“We’ve waited so long,” said Coon. “I feel like me and the other Freshman committed so long to play college soccer and now that we are here I just want to play. I’m excited that we even have that opportunity with the given circumstances and so I’m looking forward to that and I think that the work we’re putting in now will really be beneficial.”
@jacobnielson12
— sports@usustatesman.com