By Lauren Moran
It’s been almost two years since the Stonehill Women’s Soccer team has stepped on the field for a game day, and they are more than ready to get the ball rolling. Although the team had scrimmages in 2021, the last time the Skyhawks officially graced the field was in 2019. That successful season eventually led them to the NCAA tournament.
“In 2019 the team had a lot of drive and hunger to be better than we were the year before,” Camryn Thompson, captain of the women’s soccer team said. “We set clear goals early in the season. Each practice and game was an opportunity for us to improve and take steps towards achieving those goals. Everyone on the team was on the same page which was really important to our success.”
Following the 2019 season, hopes of going to the NCAA tournament in 2020 were crushed due to the pandemic. But that didn’t stop the team from losing sight of not only their goals but their team culture.
“I definitely think that the pandemic was challenging on the team, but we definitely made the most of it. One of our team mottos is ‘work hard and be ready,’ and I think everyone on the team did just that during the pandemic,” Thompson said. “I think we are dedicated and really excited going into this season. I can feel the team chemistry grow with each practice and scrimmage that we’ve had, putting us in a really great spot going into the season.”
One factor that is going to play a huge role on the team and in the conference is that only half the team has experienced a full season due to the pandemic. Some might look at that as an obstacle or a disadvantage going into the season but Meghan Lord, a sophomore on the team said, “Although we are young and inexperienced playing in the NE10, we’re all so excited to finally be playing and starting our college careers.”
Starting out strong for the 2021 season, the team has won every preseason scrimmage which foreshadows a favorable season. Although they have three wins under their belt, Thompson said, “We don’t want to settle for that. The last three scrimmages were pretty good tests for the team to see what our strengths and weaknesses are so we know where we can improve.”
The team is ready to take on the field as their home opener is September 5 against Molloy. During preseason Thompson said, “We have done a lot of work on honing our style of play by getting used to playing together again and working on playing to our strengths. We have put in a lot of work over the last year and a half and we want to make the most out of this next opportunity.”
On top of being physically ready for the upcoming season, the team has put in the work off the field to be mentally ready as well. “I think that our most important goal might be winning our individual battles on the field each game,” Thompson said. “If every person that steps on the field during a game can work hard and be successful in their role, we will succeed as a team.”
With a roster filled with wisdom from the upperclassmen and eagerness from the underclassmen, the women’s soccer team is more than ready to step out on the field together. The team has all the pieces to have not only a successful season but a memorable one. As Thompson put it, “the team is just really looking forward to just having the opportunity to play competitive soccer again and continue to represent Stonehill and Stonehill Women’s soccer.”