By Benjamin Wilson
The University of Louisville women’s soccer head coach Karen Ferguson-Dayes believes that her team’s 2010 season could lead itself back to the NCAA tournament.
“This team has the same vibe as the first team I had that went to the NCAA tournament. They’re relaxed, they’re loose, they have fun, they train hard, they’re intense and they’re focused. They’ve really come together in the short of amount time that we’ve been here (The University of Louisville),” said Ferguson-Dayes.
This is Ferguson-Dayes 11th season as the women’s soccer head coach and she will be joined by forward, and senior captain, Catlin Rehder and eight returning starters. One of those returning starters, and team leader, junior midfielder Jennifer Jones, feels that this year’s team is taking the right steps towards succeeding during the regular season.
“The team is moving along really well. Our unity—coming together—has been great so far. We’ve been in preseason for two weeks, now, and things seem to be really coming together,” said Jones.
The Cardinals are coming off a 5-11-1 2009 season. Their losing record can be attributed to the toughness of the Big East conference. Schools such as Notre Dame, St. John’s and Rutgers serve as rough opponents for the University of Louisville women’s team, but they know how important is too show up for every game.
“Every weekend is like a competition. Once we get into the Big East conference games, every Friday and Sunday are going to be tough games and we got to come out to play both of them,” said Jones.
Ferguson-Dayes prides her team as a defensive force to be reckoned with. In the Cardinals’ 2009 season they allowed just 25 goals out of their opponents 175 attempts between the posts, which equated to their opponents having a 1.47 goal average per game. According to sophomore forward Emily Cardell, the team is working hard on keeping up the defensive intensity.
“Our defense is playing awesome, and we are continuing to work on that,” said Cardell.
For Ferguson-Dayes, defensive always comes first in the University of Louisville women’s soccer program, “The backbone of the program has got to be defending—individual and team defending. That is what we are spending most of our time on doing.”
Complementing the Cardinal’s returning starters are eight freshmen that have joined the University of Louisville women’s soccer roster, and they are already making a big impact on the field.
“I think they are fitting in really well (the freshmen). There are eight of them who have come in; some of them have made it into the starting lineup. They’re very vocal and know what they are talking about. They are very good players,” said Jones.
Joining Ferguson-Dayes on the sidelines for this year’s season will be associate head coach Kyle Singer and assistant coach Natalie Cocchi. So far, Ferguson-Dayes and her assistant coaches have been very pleased with how this season is shaping up.
“We are absolutely excited with how things have gone…If this is our starting point from how are season is opening, then I am absolutely excited with how things are going to go,” said Ferguson-Dayes.
The Cardinals will play the 2010 Gamecock Courtyard Cup in Columbia, S.C. at 7.30 p.m. on August 27, 2010.
