Currently first place in the Sunshine State Conference, the University of Tampa women’s soccer team is optimistic with the way their season is headed. With a conference record of 5-1 (10-3 overall), the Spartan team has taken the lead over other schools like Eckerd, Rollins, Lynn and Florida Tech as they reach the middle point of their season.
Senior midfielder Courtney Peffley, currently second on the team with six assists, believes the team is doing well so far but can further improve and possibly have a winning title at the end of the year.
“We have so much potential it is unreal. Once we get everything down and what Gerry (Coach Lucey) wants us to do games we can go really far,” said Peffley. “I think we are going to do really well for the rest of the season; we have a lot of talent. We have a bunch of freshmen jumping up this year starting as well as a bunch of returners this year so we are doing really good. I’m excited for the rest of the year and what else is to come with it, like the possibility of a National Championship.”
Recently, fellow teammates Lauren Moore, Cici Gonzalez and Gabby Russo have been getting a lot of attention for the stats they have been putting up for the team but Coach Lucey believes that Peffley is also a very strong and important leader on the team and is not getting the credit she deserves.
“Is she a leader? Absolutely,” said Lucey. “She has been a leader here even though she hasn’t had the captaincy role over the past few years. She’s a very mature individual and a very good student as well. She’s someone who I have actually worked with closely for the past four years and I’ve felt that she is someone I can always trust and rely on. She’s very much a team player rather than about herself; she’s always been that way,” stated Lucey.
“Courtney is every bit as valuable as those three players and I have told her that before as well. The way I look at it is that all four of them that start are all viable attacking options, equally as dangerous as one another. Courtney is very dangerous down the left hand side and she’s very versatile in playing different positions.”
Peffley, who is a senior this year, is pushing herself to her fullest potential and doing what she can to make her last year the best.
“It’s kind of weird,” Peffley said. “I don’t know it’s weird to think that this is my last year. But I just go into every game playing like it is my last one because it is my last season and I want to give it my all and I want what’s best for the team and definitely a National Championship at the end of the day.”
Lucey, who has had the opportunity to coach Peffley for the past four years, has really enjoyed watching her grow and mature as a player and as an individual.
“It’s been a pleasure, an absolute pleasure,” Lucey said with a grin. “She’s one individual who came here when we had a down year, so for her to grow out of that and to just flourish from year to year as a player, to be successful in the classroom and watch her teammates look up to her is fantastic. I take a lot of pleasure out of seeing that growth,” said Lucey. “Courtney is especially special because she’s pretty much the only one who has come through that year, for four years, and to see her finally play on a team that truly represents her talent is gratifying for me as well.”
This past Saturday October 6th, the Spartan team continued on their winning streak and came out on top against Florida Tech by the score of 4-1. Peffley helped start out the lead with an assist to teammate Gabby Russo for the first goal of the game. To finish it off, Peffley scored a goal off of a corner kick during the 78th minute of play. This was her fourth goal this season.
Peffley knows she is a senior and has a lot to take with her once she graduates.
“From this team, definitely friendships will be huge,” said Peffley. “These girls are my best friends. I consider them my family; we’re all really close. Also life lessons; the time management you get from playing a sport and being an athlete and student.”
The Spartan team next plays this Saturday at Palm Beach Atlantic University.
Paige Shallcross can be reached at paige.shallcross@spartans.ut.edu
I enjoyed reading this article on Courtney. I agree with Coach Lucey. She is a huge asset to the team! She shows leadership and has commanded her position on and off the field. Way to go Peff!!!