Seth Louis // Staff Writer
The women’s soccer team hasn’t won a game, resulting on a 0-2-1 record in the first three games.
This is not the start the team wished for, but Assistant Coach Paula Zuluaga believes there is great upside to this team.
“I expect the team to peak later in the season,” Zuluaga said. “We have a lot of growing to do.”
Courtney Phillips, Paula Quintero and Alyssa Robinson are just some of the returning players, who helped contribute 13 of the Panthers’ 21 goals scored last year.
There are 18 underclassman on the roster and only five seniors to lead them. Leadership though, will not be an issue.
“Five seniors is a small class, but they have a big voice on the team. Two of them are our captains, the team sees them as that, respects them and hears their voice,” Zuluaga said. “They are able to translate our message to the team, I don’t see it as a problem. They have done a great job roping the underclassman in.”
The team endured two overtime games to start the season. The first game was a 1-1 draw at Stetson University on Aug. 19 and the other game was a 2-3 loss on the road at the University of South Florida on Aug. 21. Last year the Panthers held a 1-8 record on the road.
“It will be a rough season and was a tough weekend, having to play two overtime games and in less than four days played the game against Wake Forest,” Zuluaga said. “It takes a lot of maturity, and you can only learn that through experience. A great experience for the younger kids it was, having to play two non-conference games.”
Despite a slow start to the season, having played those two overtime games against nonconference opponents can pave the way for a great conference schedule coming up for the Panthers.
The next game will take place on Thursday, Sept. 1 on the road against Florida Gulf Coast University at 7 p.m.
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