When the women’s soccer team takes the field at Method Road Soccer Stadium on Friday against defending Southern Conference Champion Western Carolina, there may be mixed feelings among the players.
For nine seniors, it will be just one of many games they have played as they embark on their final season. But for eight freshmen, it will be their first game on the collegiate level.
Should the butterflies take to fluttering about in the freshmen’s stomachs, there is an equal amount of experienced players who can recall what it was like for them three years ago.
“I remember the first game I started was actually in Delaware, and I was very nervous,” senior goalkeeper Megan Connors said. “But once you get into the flow of the game, you forget about how old you are if you’re a freshman or senior, and you forget about how old the people are around you.”
Most of the freshmen are playing forward, as the back line holds the most experience for the Wolfpack. Three seniors start on the back line and have combined to miss only two games over their careers.
One of those seniors, captain Michelle Massey, has been named team MVP for each of the past three seasons.
“There are some things we did really well [in last week’s scrimmage],” coach Laura Kerrigan said. “But on the defensive side of things, there are a lot of things that we needed to address this week and hopefully put in order for Friday.”
Connors said the upperclassmen have been impressed by the newcomers so far and that their arrival has added a more competitive atmosphere.
“We have nine new freshmen, so it’s a huge difference from what we’ve had in the past. Practices have been a lot more competitive. Everyone’s working a lot harder than in the past,” Connors said.
N.C. State went 6-12 last year, but was outscored by only five goals. The team fell by a 1-0 score in seven games, including games at No. 3 North Carolina, at home against No. 8 Duke, at No. 8 Wake Forest and at home against No. 10 Boston College.
“It’s a big year for us. We have a lot to prove,” Connors said.
After the initial game on Friday, the team will have another home game Sunday against UNC-Wilmington.
