2008 Woodie Awards
Soccer finishes up spring season
Harold McIlvain II
Issue date: 4/16/08 Section: Sports
The Arkansas Lady'Back soccer team finishes the spring schedule when they take on TCU at 1 p.m., Saturday at Lady'Back Field.
The Lady'Backs will look to get everyone evolved and work on players playing at multiple positions to make the team more versatile, Arkansas assistant head coach Steve Oliver said.
"We are working on phases of play as younger players are getting experience at the collegiate level," Oliver said. "It is very important in soccer to be on the same page and be originated. The results of the games do not mean too much, but the play of our team and individuals do as we prepare for the season."
The team is able to get everyone evolved in play by moving players into different positions, but that doesn't always mean that they will make a permanent change, Oliver said.
"We might have a girl who is a defender play midfield for us, but during the fall she might go back to midfield. It's about getting everyone evolved because not everyone plays during the fall," Oliver said. "But we don't move everyone around. Players that are moved around still have a good chance of going back; we just want our players to be versatile."
Being versatile is something the team needed last year as the team was hurt by injuries late in the season and finished 0-8-1 in the last nine games. With the spring portion of the schedule, freshman will be able to step into a starting role if needed, Oliver said.
"It's good to get the girls out there in different positions because last year we were devastated by injuries," Oliver said. "If that were to happen this fall, our freshman would be able to know what we are looking for with the particular position they might be filling."
The Lady'Backs are still feeling affects of those injuries as senior Sarah Gwisdala and freshman Kelly O'Connor have just been released to play, Oliver said. Gwisdala played in just five games last year while O'Connor played in 12 and led the team in goals with six, which was missed during the season, Oliver said.
"Losing a goal scorer is a big blow," Oliver said. "Somebody has to score the goals, and it takes a natural ability to do that. You can't teach a goal scorer. It will be nice to have her back as it made it easier for teams to defend us last year without one of our top forward."
A new addition to the team this year is Clemson freshman transfer Erin Moskos, who will be eligible to play this year, having left Clemson prior to her sophomore season.
Moskos played club soccer with freshmen Britni Williams and Camille Flores, but she is taking advantage of the spring season to get acclimated with the whole team, Oliver said.
"Moskos has experience, but she is in a new situation. Soccer is about being on the same page, so for her to spend time her early it helps her get use to what we do," Oliver said. "It is nice for her to know some teammates, but it is important for her to know the twenty other girls and know what they can and can't do [on the field]."
The Lady'Backs will look to get everyone evolved and work on players playing at multiple positions to make the team more versatile, Arkansas assistant head coach Steve Oliver said.
"We are working on phases of play as younger players are getting experience at the collegiate level," Oliver said. "It is very important in soccer to be on the same page and be originated. The results of the games do not mean too much, but the play of our team and individuals do as we prepare for the season."
The team is able to get everyone evolved in play by moving players into different positions, but that doesn't always mean that they will make a permanent change, Oliver said.
"We might have a girl who is a defender play midfield for us, but during the fall she might go back to midfield. It's about getting everyone evolved because not everyone plays during the fall," Oliver said. "But we don't move everyone around. Players that are moved around still have a good chance of going back; we just want our players to be versatile."
Being versatile is something the team needed last year as the team was hurt by injuries late in the season and finished 0-8-1 in the last nine games. With the spring portion of the schedule, freshman will be able to step into a starting role if needed, Oliver said.
"It's good to get the girls out there in different positions because last year we were devastated by injuries," Oliver said. "If that were to happen this fall, our freshman would be able to know what we are looking for with the particular position they might be filling."
The Lady'Backs are still feeling affects of those injuries as senior Sarah Gwisdala and freshman Kelly O'Connor have just been released to play, Oliver said. Gwisdala played in just five games last year while O'Connor played in 12 and led the team in goals with six, which was missed during the season, Oliver said.
"Losing a goal scorer is a big blow," Oliver said. "Somebody has to score the goals, and it takes a natural ability to do that. You can't teach a goal scorer. It will be nice to have her back as it made it easier for teams to defend us last year without one of our top forward."
A new addition to the team this year is Clemson freshman transfer Erin Moskos, who will be eligible to play this year, having left Clemson prior to her sophomore season.
Moskos played club soccer with freshmen Britni Williams and Camille Flores, but she is taking advantage of the spring season to get acclimated with the whole team, Oliver said.
"Moskos has experience, but she is in a new situation. Soccer is about being on the same page, so for her to spend time her early it helps her get use to what we do," Oliver said. "It is nice for her to know some teammates, but it is important for her to know the twenty other girls and know what they can and can't do [on the field]."
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