Lady Muskie soccer ties last season's record

  The University Women's soccer suffered a tough loss to a non-conference Waynesburg University last Thursday evening.

Although the score read 3-1 at the end of regulation, the Muskies went out with a fight.  Junior keeper Sara Poling saw it as a competitive match up until the final seconds.

    "I really don't think the scoreboard shoes how we played," said Poling. "I just feel like they were able to capitalize on a couple of mistakes and it doesn't reflect on the scoreboard at all how we played."

    Poling, who seemed to be deflecting balls left and right Thursday evening, also noted that to be successful, the offense and defense need to work better together.

"It releases a lot of pressure on the defense when the offense is getting balls in the net, so we just got to work as a team for it," Said Poling.

     The Lady Muskies have already tied their record from last year's season which ended up being 2-17. They have two wins on the year defeating Carlow University 1-0, as well as most recently Ohio Christian University 4-0.

To push forward in OAC play this season, it's important that the team communicate on the field and to battle for the entirety of each half.

   "I think our main goal is playing the ball to feet and just getting the ball in the back of the net." said Junior Noelle Kleppel.

 "Our team has changed a lot, since I was a freshman," said senior Captain Christine Ward. "Team chemistry [has changed], there is less drama off the field and I think we're starting to look better as a team on the field now."

  When it comes to strategy for the Lady Muskies, Head Coach Mary Beth Caudill has been focusing a lot on game-like situations during practice.

  "We have been working a lot on possessions," said Caudill. "Our practices have been going very well and we are getting better and better every time we come out to play."

  This improvement could very much so be seen when the squad triumphed over Ohio Christian University this past Saturday, September 17, 2011.

  The unity of the Muskies this season is certainly a focal point not only for the players but also amongst the coaches.

  "There's a good camaraderie, I'm very happy, even with the coaching staff," said Caudill. "We have two knowledgeable coaches that have been able to help out tremendously. The team is receptive to all three of us."

   The Women's Soccer team will continue to compete this season when they kick-off Ohio Athletic Conference play against Ohio Northern University in Ada, Ohio on September 24 at 1 p.m.