By: Anthony Guivas / Staff Writer
With expectations riding high this season for our Golden Panthers, it is a definite surprise that they stand with a 2-4-0 after the first six games of the season.
The Panthers’ struggles have ranged from failing to execute plays, to small mishaps and to losing a midfield battle. But the Panthers have historically been slow starters. As of 2009 the Panthers stood at an eerie 1-3-2 through their first six games, then in 2010 they stood at an even .500 with a 3-3-0 record.
These records prove that this slow start is not uncharted territory for FIU, but may in fact offer a comfort level for the Golden Panthers, since in both 2009 and 2010 the Panthers made it to the Sun Belt Conference Tournament.
“We just talk about getting better each week,” Coach Thomas Chestnutt said.
With FIU having the most talented group of recruits under Coach Chestnutt’s tenure, along with returning players who led FIU to the semi-finals of the Sun Belt Conference just a year ago, it wouldn’t be a stretch to believe the Panthers can be more than contenders for the conference championship in 2011.
With FIU coming off the heels of two devastating losses in which the Panthers lost by the exact score of 3-2, they now look to improve their transitional play and make each shot count.
“We are just concentrating on cleaning up the little things, working harder defensively and also in transitional play we have done a lot,” Chestnutt said.
However, to do so the Panthers will have to step up their game and finally add a “W” to their win column. But before that can occur, the Panthers will have to visit a potent Oregon State team who carries a 4-2-1 record and has continually been top 25 in the country. So with that in mind the Panthers expect Oregon State to come into play with an aggressive style and try to take control of the ball right out of the gate.
“Well, Oregon state has always been a top 25 team the last few years and they are a strong team who likes to control the ball and they are very attack minded … so we will have to work together to give a good performance and it certainly is within our grasp,” said Chestnutt.
However, when it comes to attack, FIU has been extremely impressive, as they have out shot four of their six opponents so far this season.
In FIU’s first game of the season against Stetson, they outshot their opponent 22 to eight in a loss, then in their first win the Panthers had 19 shots. FIU carried that against Florida Tech and out shot them 24 to 10, and finally in an FIU loss to the Kansas City Roos, FIU had 24 shots.
If FIU could have capitalized on these shot opportunities they could easily stand at 4-2-0 instead of a dismal 2-4-0.
Regardless of how unsettling this season has been so far, Chestnutt and the rest of the Golden Panthers still believe this season will be a success.
“We have a great set of players and we just need to bond together and get stronger as a unit. Each game goes on because it’s all about the team,” Chestnutt said.
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