As the women’s soccer team heads into the balance of its Big East schedule this weekend – hosting Louisville on Friday at 7 p.m. and Cincinnati on Sunday at 1 p.m. at Joseph J. Morrone Stadium – the Huskies, who are 4-4-0 (1-1-0 Big East) are seeking to find more consistency.
“It’s a work in progress,” says goalkeeper Jessica Dulski ’12 (CLAS). “In the first five minutes of every game, we’ve kind of let the [other] team dictate, then five or 10 minutes in, something clicks. It’s not the inexperience. It’s the decision you have to make from the first second of the game to be decisive.”
Having road wins against nationally ranked Boston College in an exhibition game and Wake Forest in the non-conference part of the schedule, the Huskies have demonstrated their ability to beat quality teams, but they have struggled to keep their game sharp for 90 minutes.
“Having a consistent effort and being as good as you can be each game, that’s a challenge for this team,” says first-year assistant coach Zac Shaw, who as an assistant helped lead the Penn State women’s team to the Final Four. “There’s no question there is talent here. It’s just about all pushing in the same direction and understanding the importance of each opportunity.”
Head coach Len Tsantiris ’77 (CLAS) says he likes the way his defense is playing, but the team is also trying to make up for the loss of two players – midfielder Julie Hubbard ’13 (CANR), a transfer from Penn State, and freshman defender Gabrielle Cuevas ’15 (CLAS) – to season-ending injuries.
He says that with a strong corps of returning veterans and some talented new student-athletes, the team’s depth will help.
“We have increased our depth up front that will allow us to create a lot of goal scoring opportunities,” he says. “I am very excited about our midfield this year. Our newcomers add creativity on and off the ball.”
One of the newcomers is midfielder Riley Houle, ’15 (CLAS), the Connecticut Gatorade Player of the Year as a high school senior, who has already notched two goals in the young season.
Devin Prendergast ’14 (CLAS), a second-year midfielder, says she has gained confidence in her play after going through her transition from high school to college player last season.
“I’m more confident to shoot, more calm and collected on the field,” she says. “Last year I tried to get rid of the ball as fast as possible. Now I look for the best option.”
Prendergast has scored 6 goals this season, most from outside the penalty box. “I like to shoot from there. It’s been easier for me to find my teammates and attack more than it was last year.”
Senior forward Jessica Shufelt ’12 (ED), who has 1 goal and 2 assists off of 21 shots, says the Huskies’ front line simply needs to press the opponent more early in each match.
“We’ve got to put our foot down and be more focused,” she says. “We have the talent, we’ve shown it.”
Dulski has been recognized on the Big East Honor Roll twice this season and was Goalkeeper of the Week. She has posted 41 saves this season. She says the play of defenders Danielle Dakin ’13 (ED) and redshirt junior defender Karen Gurnon ’13 (CLAS) has helped the Huskies to win tight games.
“The strength of those players is what’s helped us win those big games,” says Dulski. “If that continues through the rest of the field, it will help us and make us consistently win.”
