After a long offseason, the Alabama Women’s Soccer team feels optimistic for the upcoming season.

Looking at the way they’ve competed in the preseason, it’s easy to understand why.

The Crimson Tide is 2-0 in exhibition play vs. Tennessee Tech University and Mercer University.  The Tide won 3-0 and 3-1, respectively.

Tide senior forward Victoria Frederick, from Huntsville, noted the vast improvement from the beginning of the preseason up to now. “[There’s a] huge improvement,” Frederick said. “Our mentality’s a lot better, a winning mentality. The team chemistry is good.” Alabama will attempt to put that winning mentality into action tonight, as the Tide tries to avenge last year’s 3-0 loss to the Samford Bulldogs in the season opener at 7 p.m. in the Alabama Soccer Stadium. “They [Samford] are going to give us everything we can handle,” Head Coach Todd Bramble said.  “Fortunately, I won’t have to come up with anything special in terms of motivation.  It’s our first match of the season, the first athletic event of the entire year.” Senior midfielder Rosaly Petriello agreed. “I expect [Samford] to come out hard, to give us a lot of pressure,” she said. “I think it’ll be a close game.” Brooke Rogers, a senior forward from Cincinnati, Ohio, said the Tide’s history with its in-state foe brings extra intrigue to the matchup.

“There are definitely bragging rights with Samford,” she said.  “But, it doesn’t matter [who we’re playing], we need to set the tone for the rest of the year.” Fortunately for the Tide players, they have complete confidence in the way their coach preps them for each match. “Coach Bramble gets you prepared,” Petriello said. “Physically, emotionally, mentally, anything you need. He’s really smart. [All the coaching staff] is amazing.” Moreover, the Tide won’t have to rely on any one player, veteran or rookie, this season. “Our team’s pretty good on not just relying on any [one] senior,” Petriello said.  “I feel like we have everyone to rely on.  We’re all leaders.  It doesn’t matter what class you’re in.” Following the Tide’s season opener, Bramble and company will head to Birmingham to play another in-state rival, the University of Alabama at Birmingham. The Blazers lost their only exhibition match 3-0 to the 11th-ranked Florida Gators. For Alabama, a win against its sister school would be huge, considering Alabama also lost to this team last year. “It’s a game that we lost last year at home,” Bramble said. “We have no reason to expect it to be an easy game.” Rogers said, “There’s definitely a bigger rivalry with UAB, being a sister school. We’re looking to redeem ourselves.” Looking even past the first two games, Tide players have high expectations for the entire season.

“I expect [the team] to be the best we’ve ever been since I’ve been here,” Petriello said.  “I’m ready to beat those SEC teams.”