The start of the Alabama women’s soccer season is less than three weeks away, and the Crimson Tide athletes are looking to build upon last season’s success and achieve more in 2013.
With eight games against teams that made the NCAA Tournament last season and 11 matches against SEC competitors, the Tide will be stacked up against extremely stiff competition this upcoming season.
The team will also be facing many past-tournament teams on the road, something senior goalkeeper Shelby Church said will hopefully strengthen the team’s resolve as the season progresses.
“The more we’re acclimated to different places and venues, the better we can play as a team wherever we are,” Church said.
Last season, her first eligible season after transferring from the University of Southern California, Church grabbed 58 saves and recorded three full shutouts, one of which was the signature win against No. 11 Florida. The win was the program’s first against the Gators, in addition to being the highest ranked team the Tide has ever defeated.
The Crimson Tide will commence the 2013 campaign Aug. 17 with a neutral-site match against Clemson in Atlanta, Ga., before hitting the road again to take on Wake Forest in Winston Salem, N.C. The first home game will be Aug. 30 against the Georgia State Panthers with a two-day turnaround against Mercer. The SEC slate will start in Gainesville, Fla., against the defending regular season conference champs, Florida.
Fellow senior Molly Atherton, who led the team in shots last season with 61, affirmed the logic of playing challenging teams on the road.
“When you travel, there aren’t as many distractions,” said Atherton, who was the Tide’s third-leading scorer and second-best in SEC play. “Your mind is completely focused on soccer and the match ahead, which helps us all play better.”
Coach Todd Bramble, entering his sixth season as head of the Crimson Tide soccer team, led the Tide to a 8-9-2 record last season with a 3-8-2 record in conference play. In addition to the program’s benchmark victory over the Florida Gators, Bramble coached three All-SEC performers – Merel Van Dongen, Katie Bourgeois and Pia Rijsdijk – the most in Alabama history.
Though the schedule daunts some, Atherton said she believes the team can still realistically make a significant postseason run.
“To be honest, I’m hoping Sweet Sixteen,” she said. “Hopefully we can finish in the top five in the SEC, perhaps get an SEC title and make the tournament again.”
Church said she expects results of an intrinsic value.
“We’re here to make a name for ourselves,” Church said. “We’re here to be the team everyone expects us to be, and to prove to ourselves that we are the team we say we are.”
Alabama will play nine home games this fall, including matches against SEC foes Tennessee, LSU and Texas A&M. The regular season and home finale will see the Crimson Tide face against arch rival Auburn.
