By Savannah Schwarz, Guest Writer
Even though both the men’s and women’s soccer teams completed their regular seasons in the fall, soccer is back for its spring season. Spring season is the time when the teams prepare for the upcoming fall season.
“Spring games are to set the standard on the team and at the same time figure out what is the mode of play for next season,” junior player Juan Carlos Cordova said.
The teams’ opponents in the spring are different from the regular season and come from different conferences and divisions.
“Spring season is calmer, since we have fewer games, and it's not like a fall season when we are competing for the championship and go to nationals,” said sophomore men’s player Gael González said. “In spite of that, we give it the importance it deserves, preparing for what is to come,”
The women's soccer team started its spring season against UMKC on March 2.
“Score-wise, (it was) not so good,” said sophomore Maylani Birckbichler. “Playing-wise, we pulled a lot of things out of it.”
Women’s soccer lost a number of seniors over the fall season.
“I think more people are stepping up in the positions we lost, especially in being more motivated and wanting to be looked up to and being a leader,” Birckbichler said.
The team has only away games left in its spring season. They will happen April 6 vs. Butler Community College and Southwestern College and April 13 vs. Kansas Wesleyan University and Cowley College.The team wraps up its season by playing Friends and Tabor College on April 20.
The spring season allows the team to play more loose and relaxed and work on plays that are risky, Birckbichler said.
Men’s soccer opened its spring season on March 23. Its remaining matches will be played at 3 p.m. on Saturday at Wilkins Field vs. Garden City Community College; at 11:30 a.m. on April 7 vs. Barton Community College and 5:30 p.m. vs. Friends University at Friends; and at 2 p.m. on April 13 vs. Southwestern College at Southwestern.
The players wrap up their season at 12:15 p.m. on April 20 vs. Sterling Community College and at 1:30 p.m. vs. Dodge County Community College at Wilkins Field.
“Fans can come and support us,” Gonzalez said. “It is special for us to have them supporting us.”
Head soccer coach Victor Domingues said that the spring season offers good practice time for both the men and women.
“Overall for us, we are just working hard on setting our standards, bettering our team culture,
identifying who we are and being clear on our objectives and how to achieve them,” he said.
PHOTO: Courtesy photo, Unsplash
