Women’s soccer coach Gerry Lucey got his 100th win as a head coach last Friday when the team defeated Lincoln Memorial. “It’s nice but it’s really more about the team,” Lucey said. “I only got here because of the team.”
The Spartans are 6-3-1 through 10 games and have an important conference game tonight, at home against a much improved Lynn team.
“Lynn is much better this year,” Lucey said. “We’re going to have to match their physical nature and athleticism.”
Tampa started out 0-2 with tough road losses in Philadelphia against no. 4 West Chester and Philadelphia University. “I’m not satisfied with our record to this point,” said Lucey. “8-1-1 would be a better reflection of how we’ve played. Unfortunately, the surfaces in Philadelphia with the long grass did not suit our style of play.”
After the 0-2 start, the Spartans went on a four game win streak, including an 11-0 over Mercy. Mercy is unranked, but they have had a rough schedule of their own thus far.
They lost to the sixth ranked team in the country, Franklin Pierce, 3-1 the week before they played the Spartans. They also lost to the no. 1 team in the country, Bridgeport 2-0, the week after.
At 4-2, the Spartans went on the road to play Rollins. Tampa lost 2-0, but coach Lucey felt they outplayed the Tars. “We were the better team in possession and we controlled the game,” said Lucey. “We made a couple of mistakes and that’s what cost us the game.”
Lucey admitted that the teams’ greatest weakness has been making too many mental mistakes and individual mistakes. He believes their greatest strength is the camaraderie and togetherness that they posses. “The team has showed the willingness to battle together,” he said. “Athletically, we’re just as good as any other team, and tactically, we hope we’re better.”
Lucey helped choose a difficult schedule with goals to improve the team. “Some teams worry more about getting early non-conference wins, and looking good, but we always pick a tough non-conference schedule,” said Lucey. “The goal is to play high competition and to be ready for the conference.”
With all of its non-conference games over with, the Spartans have a stretch of seven consecutive conference games to end the season. They finish up the regular season at home against Saint Leo, a team that touts a 10-0 and that is already 3-0 in the Sunshine State Conference.
Tampa is 5-0 at home this season and 0-3 on the road (1-0-1 at neutral sites). Senior Jazmin Perry is the teams’ leading goal scorer with eight goals and 17 points. New goalkeeper Emelie Karström has stepped into the starting goalie spot nicely, compiling a 0.67 goals against average.
Ten games are played, and the Spartans are going to take on the conference all this month. “If we’re not ready by now, we’re not going to be ready,” said Lucey.
John Hilsenroth can be reached at jhilsenroth@spartans.ut.edu.