Soccer Gains Momentum from Winning Streak
The UWSP women's soccer team. Photo by Kylie Bridenhagen.

Soccer Gains Momentum from Winning Streak

The women’s soccer team experienced a recent upswing, having won four games in a row.

Facing off against the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire on Oct. 5 the team’s record was 4-6. Dawn Crow, head women’s soccer coach, describes the team to be competitive and gritty.

“We have won as many games as we won last year, period. We are on the right track. We have an opportunity to improve our record from last year,” Crow said.

PeplinskiCrow’s hope is to rebuild the program to what it once was. The team has not been to a conference championship since 2012 and has made it a goal to make it to the championship this year. Crow believes the recent upswing is partly due to the team’s growth.

“In the past, there were issues with individual agendas as opposed to team agendas. The players now care so much about their team chemistry that they are willing to speak up in regards to that chemistry,” Crow said.

Crow admits that injuries have been rampant this season. The team started out with 18 players but has lost two due to injuries. There are now 16 players on the team, only 10 were able to play in the first game of the season.

“Getting people healthy and getting people to compete has been fun and challenging. We don’t have a lot of people complaining about not getting a lot of playing time,” Crow said.

Sarah Peplinski, sophomore goal keeper, is no stranger to injury. Peplinski is just recovering from a foot injury and is working as hard as she can in order to improve her game. One of the teams that Peplinski is looking forward to playing this season is UW-Whitewater.

“I think our biggest challenge this season is that we are such a young team. We’re mostly all freshman and sophomores,” Peplinski said.

against North Central at the Point Soccer Bowl on Saturday, Sept. 24 in Stevens Point, Wis. Photo by Kylie Bridenhagen.

against North Central at the Point Soccer Bowl on Saturday, Sept. 24 in Stevens Point, Wis. Photo by Kylie Bridenhagen.

Reilly Louko, freshman center midfielder, admitted that this season the young team has spent a lot of time getting to know how each individual plays.

“The biggest difference for me is the team atmosphere from high school to now, everyone really wants to be here. It has been the best change and biggest change about coming and playing college,” Louko said.

Caroline Chalk

Reporter

cchal845@uwsp.edu

 

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