Kats sharp early in preseason play
8/7/2015 1:45:00 PM | Soccer
When the Sam Houston soccer team reported to Pritchett Field on Wednesday morning for preseason camp, there was little doubt in the mind of senior Ashley Alonzo what her expectations were for the 2015 season.
“I want to go out with a bang and I'm not leaving this place without a ring,” Alonzo said. “Every senior here is willing to do whatever it takes to get that. Our motivation reflects on the whole team and everyone else wants to work as hard.”
According to eighth-year head coach Tom Brown, Alonzo's efforts played a pivotal role in helping the Kats secure a program-best 8-2 record in Southland Conference play and runner-up finish during the 2014 regular season.
“I thought she had a breakout year last year,” Brown said. “She has a lot of confidence and big goals for us. I think that she's showing as she comes out here and goes through the playing and fitness tests that she's always at the top. She's poised to lead this team through example and we're really going to count on her this season.”
Through three practices, which have mixed focuses on technique, fitness and players understanding one another's tendencies on the pitch, there is little doubt why the Bearkats are confident they're further ahead of pace than in previous years.
“Being here for the Summer 2 session only made that bond start earlier and gave us more time to connect before the season starts,” Alonzo said. “Since we did that, we won't be as fatigued going into the first game. We get where we need to be fitness wise early and we can focus on our ball skills and working together.”
For the program's seven freshmen, the summer allowed the group to get acclimated to a new system and more importantly, get a feel for the campus, teammates and general routine.
“It's nerve racking but fun,” freshman Meredith Carlson said. “Coming here early in the summer was cool meeting all of the girls. It's a whole new intensity (from high school). It was really helpful because we got to know our way around campus and how the team does things. I like it a lot.”
On Thursday evening, under the glow of an eventual setting sun at Pritchett, the unit toughed out one of its fitness tests before splitting into four seven-on-seven teams and dividing the field into two separate games while focusing on endurance and play.
“We're way ahead of where we've been in other years because so many players have been committed this summer to come in and train,” Brown said. “We just had a bit of fitness testing to get some measurements that will help us through the season with the players. The small-sided games done in intervals help focus on fitness while doing it through soccer and not just running.”
The Bearkats competed in an 11-on-11 inter-squad Friday morning and will have a chance to review film on their play, but say they can already see improvements in the togetherness of the team.
“Every year I've been here the team chemistry has gotten a lot stronger and that definitely displays on the field,” Alonzo said. “When that happens, we connect so much better and that's how we come out with wins.”
The Kats host a pair of scrimmages next week, beginning on Monday with hosting fellow Southland Conference foe Texas A&M-Corpus Christi at 5:30 p.m. The team opens its 18-match regular-season schedule in two weeks (Aug. 21) at Louisiana-Lafayette with the match slated for 7 p.m.
