From left, Cowgirl seniors Amanda Lathrop, Laine Hubbard and Tamika Wilson
By Richard Anderson
Wyoming Sports.org
The seven seniors on the Wyoming soccer team have been part of a program that has improved leaps and bounds throughout their three years except for one important aspect: Win in the postseason.
The Cowgirls won 24 games in their last three years, but are 0-3 in the Mountain West Conference Tournament, outscored 4-0.
A change was made in the off-season, as Danny Sanchez, one of the most successful coaches in Division II soccer (two national titles), moved north from Metro State to take over for longtime coach Anne Moore.
Change is always a challenge, and that is certainly the case for the Cowgirl seniors.
“The intensity has definitely been brought up a level or two,” Wyoming senior defender Laine Hubbard said. “It’s been hard, but that is what we need. I feel like it will definitely pay off. We’ve been running a lot and that will help us in the last 10 minutes of the game.”
A change in coaching can be more difficult on seniors because they abandon the system that they are used to. Was the change complicated for the Cowgirl seniors?
Yes and no, said senior midfielder Amanda Lathrop said.
“I think it has been a great change for the most part,” Lathrop said. “Being one of the seniors, I think we have experienced everything, but I think Danny will give us what we need to take it to the next level and I think that is important for us right now.
“We were so used to what we did for the last three years, so that is a big change and it is hard. It is also good because it takes us out of our comfort zone. I know, for me at least, it makes me work harder knowing that nothing is what it was for the last three years.”
An aspect of Sanchez’s coaching comes from work ethic -- physically and mentally. The Cowgirls looked to adapt to Sanchez’s style by staying in Laramie over the summer and getting ready.
“Before, there would be three or four players, whoever was taking summer classes,” senior forward Tamika Wilson said. “Almost all of the seniors were here all summer long. We were able to do a lot together.
“We’re further along than we have ever been.”
The added work has enabled the Cowgirls to be stronger and in better shape, Lathrop said.
“We worked real hard. I think that is making the preseason a little easier … not completely easier, because it is going to be hard not matter what,” Lathrop said. “I think everyone has adjusted pretty well to the atmosphere of the three-a-days and the running. I think we’re doing well.”
The Cowgirls will get their first test of the season Friday with an exhibition at home (4 p.m.) against Fort Lewis College. Wyoming, 9-10-0 last season, will open the regular season on the road Aug. 22 at Western Michigan in Kalamazoo, Mich. The Cowgirls return home with four of their next five games at the Louis S. Madrid Sports Complex.
Although the Cowgirls tied for third in the league last season at 4-3, they fell 2-0 to Utah to open the league tournament. The strong season turned out to be more of the same for Wyoming, which is now 0-10 all-time in postseason play (nine years in the MWC, one in the Western Athletic Conference). In the last nine years of the MWC, Wyoming has been outscored 14-1 in the tournament.
“We always think about it and think, ‘We’ve come this far and somehow it never happens for us,’” Hubbard said of their postseason troubles. “That’s what we have been working hard at, to definitely change that.”
The way the Cowgirls’ season ends has been frustrating, to say the least, Lathrop said.
“We do so well in the season and when we get into the first round, for some reason we don’t seem to be able to make it. I think winning our conference this year is the goal for most of us, at least,” Lathrop said.
With a new coach and hard-working attitude, the Cowgirl seniors want to go out on top.
“We definitely know what we can do and what we’re capable of,” Hubbard said. “We have to just make it happen. I feel like we all want to win the Mountain West Conference and we want to beat the big teams like BYU and Utah. We just want to have all-around good success in the season.”
Added Wilson: “With all of the seniors back, we’re all just going to play our hearts out every game. With the underclassmen want to play just as hard, so we can go out strong.”
MWC preseason poll
Although the Cowgirls are looking for a strong season, the league’s coaches aren’t so sure. Wyoming was picked seventh in the eight-team league with 16 points. Air Force was nabbed eighth.
For more on the preseason poll, click here: http://themwc.cstv.com/sports/w-soccer/spec-rel/081208aac.html
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