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Women’s Soccer on the Rebound Show your Marauder pride. Support Millersville athletics. Join the Black & Gold Club today! You can support the sport of your choice or athletics in general. Thanks You! Click HERE to Join Wednesday, Sept. 7 WSOC vs. Slippery Rock, 1 p.m. MSOC vs. Slippery Rock, 4:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 9 MTEN at Topper Classic Tourn., 9 a.m. WVB at. Barry, 3 p.m. WVB at UNC-Pembroke, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 10 MTEN at Topper Classic Tourn, 9 a.m. MSOC at Lock Haven, 12:30 p.m. FH vs. Shippensburg, 1 p.m. WSOC at Lock Haven, 3 p.m. WVB at Eckerd College, 3 p.m. WVB at Palm Beach Atl., 7:30 p.m. FB at Lock Haven, 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 11 MGOLF at Clarion Invit., All Day WGOLF at Gettysburg Invit., All Day Monday, Sept 12 MGOLF at Clarion Invitational, All Day Tuesday, Sept. 13 WVB at Shepherd, 6 p.m. FH vs. Kutztown, 7 p.m. MARAUDERS IN ACTION Click here to view complete schedule Going 2-0 to start a season is a big confidence boost. It is an even bigger confidence boost coming off a one-win season. The Millersville women’s soccer team is looking for its first 3-0 start to a season since it started the 2000 season 5-0. “You name it, something happened to us,” head coach Mike O’Brien said, referring to last season’s struggles through a litany of injuries, bad bounces and one-goal losses. Until the start of this season, Millersville hadn’t won back-to-back games since the end of the 2009 season. With last year in his and the team’s rearview mirror, O’Brien looks forward to a new start, and his team has done everything to start the right way. O’Brien could not hold back his excitement about this year moving forward. “The team is pretty excited,” said O’Brien. “We didn’t play the best on Thursday. It was good we got the win, but we should have taken care of them earlier.” This team is different from last year’s team in that they keep “attacking, attacking, attacking.” It has out-shot their first two opponents by a wide 36-13 margin. The team gave up a 2-1 lead to Shepherd last Thursday night, letting the Rams tie the game at two, but in the 81st minute freshman Kelsey Mat- tola came through to score the game-clinching goal for the Marauders. “People being able to step up and finish, we had chanc- es last year but weren’t able to step up and finish,” O’Brien said. “Kelsey came through and scored a great goal for us.” Marauders’ 2-0 Start is Program’s best since 2000 The finishing attitude can also be attributed to senior leadership. Two seniors that have learned how to finish during their careers at Millersville are Niki Roberts and Allison Snyder. Add in an assist from Taylor Suskie from her forward spot and the three seniors on the team have chipped in six of the 14 points for the team. “They’re backing up their play as captains, not just going out and playing, but they backed it up,” O’Brien said. The senior leadership on this team has been outstand- ing, but the Marauders are also relying on a youth movement. In addition to Mattola, sophomore transfer from Indiana State Alyssa Grell has also sparked Millersville’s offensive attack. She proved her worth during a two-goal performance in Satur- day’s 2-1 win over Chestnut Hill. The final piece to the puzzle appears to be bench depth for the Marauders. “With the injuries and stuff last year, our bench was very thin, and I would say that our quality depth would be better this year,” said O’Brien. “It matters on the kids that you have and who is healthy.” O’Brien is guiding the Marauders ship as far as he can take it, and this year he looks to help the team climb the lad- der back to the top of the PSAC. Millersville will look for its first 3-0 start in 11 years later today when they take on No. 22 Slippery Rock in its first PSAC contest of the season. Now the real test begins.
