Have a successful showing in winter league – check.
Improve team fitness and conditioning – check.
Post a winning record during preseason play – check.
After a successful off-season, the Concordia Stingers women’s soccer team is ready for the 2012 RSEQ regular season to begin Thursday night on the road against the Montreal Carabins.
"The success of our winter season motivated the team to invest more time in getting fit over the summer," said head coach Jorge Sanchez whose Stingers posted a 4-2 win-loss record in the RSEQ indoor league and finished third in the seven-team conference.
Sanchez expects the team to build on the momentum and continue to improve this fall. There were encouraging signs in the preseason when the Stingers rolled up three wins and a tie in five exhibition games.
"We have to have a good start and play consistent soccer game in and game out," said Sanchez. "We need to change the culture of the soccer program and create an expectation of success. We want to win all our games against non-playoff teams. Usually it takes about 24 points in the standings to get in the playoffs. It’s a big challenge but we’re aiming high."
Leadership and teamwork will be imperative for the Stingers if they hope to meet their coach’s expectations and improve on last fall’s 2-9-3 win-loss-tie record. Fortunately, Concordia is returning several key pieces from last season.
Forward Jennifer Duff, who led the Stingers with four goals in 2011, will be back and wearing a captain’s band. She’ll be joined by veteran defender Shannon Travers who was named an indoor league all-star last March.
With a solid defensive core and goalkeeper Brittany O’Rourke returning, it will be of the utmost importance for the offence to continue to develop and be more opportunistic than last season.
"We need to improve our goal scoring output, but most importantly we need to find a way to get that timely goal," said Sanchez.
The Stingers have some new faces hoping to make a splash. First-year goalkeeper Saby Dagenais will offer strength at the position. Forward Shauna Zilversmit, defender Nicole Middleton, defender Gabbie Dobias and midfielder Johanie Lessard are also new to the team and are expected to add depth to the roster.
The team’s top recruit, Hilary Hyland, is out with an injury but is expected back at the end of September.
The Stingers’ first home game of the season is this Sunday at 3 p.m. at Concordia Stadium. The UQTR Patriotes will be the visitors.
