Women’s soccer team working to escape rut
Women’s soccer looks to forget about its slow start, as they play the two of four consecutive home matches against conference opponents.
By Danny Gillham
Sports Editor

For the women’s soccer team, the stats say it is playing well, but the scoreboard tells a different story.

The team (2-7-4, 1-2-1 C-USA) has been outshooting other teams, but lapses have been the team Achilles heel.

“If you look at our stats, we’ve had our chances, we just haven’t produced,” head coach Dave Rubinson said. “On the defensive side we lose focus at bad times, and have given up some strange goals.”

Junior goalkeeper Ruth DeJong echoed Rubinson’s comments.

“We have made careless mistakes,” she said. “Most of the goals we have given up have basically been poor goals.”

However, the team has the opportunity to rectify its early season struggles with its two conference games at home this weekend. The team plays Southern Miss at 3 p.m. Friday and UAB at 1 p.m. Sunday. The matches are two of four consecutive at Garvey-Rosenthal Soccer Stadium for the Frogs, all of which are against conference opponents.

Rubinson said with the four games at home and six games remaining in conference play, the team has not given up on chances for postseason play.

“I think our kids are remaining very upbeat,” Rubinson said. “(They’re) not hoping, but willing to work for the results. And I think as they all know, the road map is right in front of us. We have certainly had our chance to get to the conference tournament and beyond, but its still there for us.”

Senior forward/midfielder Nicole Carman said the team wants to set the pace early, and keep it in its favor for the remainder of the match.

“I think we’re looking to come out and play hard in the first half, and score early,” Carman said. “At the same time, we want to play hard in the second half to finish out the game.”