The 2009 season was a frustrating one for the Texas A&M University-Commerce women’s soccer team. After being touted as one of the top contenders in the Lone Star Conference, the Lions fell to a 10-8 record overall and 5-5 in the LSC. They just managed to get into the LSC tournament, finishing in the 6th and final tournament spot in the table. According to head coach Neil Piper, the team is better than their record shows.
“From a record standpoint, the season was obviously a disappointment,” he said. “As far as our performance goes, there wasn’t too much difference between this year and last year. We played a very tough schedule. We were there; we just couldn’t get a break. We’re not as bad as our record indicates.”
Piper used the 1-0 loss to Central Oklahoma as an example of his team just not getting the break they needed. After battling back and forth for the entire match, the Bronchos scored with minutes left in overtime.
He also said the lack of a routine for his team was a major factor in their slight dip in form. Injuries and especially weather kept the Lions from settling into a routine.
“There’s been no consistency with out line-up,” Piper said. “With injuries, practices, weather and playing on turf, we just haven’t had our normal routine, and I think that has really affected us. We’ve had to adjust practices all year. If it’s a week, that’s life. But it seems like it’s been five weeks of the season, and it’s been a mess.”
Formation changes were a common occurrence for A&M-Commerce this season. Piper said the reason he tried different tactics was to get a consistent, fluid movement from his offense.
“We’re just trying to get a spark, something that works,” he said. “We came out in the 3-5-2 against UCO, put Meagan (Lasley) and Chelsey (Haight) out wide in the midfield and it really worked. Against Texas Women’s, we had Devon and Chelsey at center-midfield, so we’ll probably go back to that again for Thursday.”
Players were also lined up in different positions than they were used to, but that was not necessarily a bad thing. Freshman Taylor Maeker was moved to a left defensive role to make up for the departed Sarah Reed.
“I was kind of shocked that I played defense, but I like it,” Maeker said. “I’m excited to keep playing, and I think I’ll play defense the rest of the time, unless he (Piper) changes things.”
Piper also said not having Melissa DoRemus, the Lions’ influential player from last season, changed how the team functioned. Sophomore and SMU transfer Devon Herrman was assigned to fill that void left by DoRemus, but the difference in their styles of play made a direct replacement very difficult.
“She’s a different player than Melissa,” Piper said. “We had to change our formation a little bit and find a formation that works for us. Melissa did a great job of linking the midfield to the forwards, and we just were lacking that this year.”
The addition of Herrman has turned out to be somewhat of a success, as she recorded seven goals and three assists during the regular season.
“I feel like a freshman again,” Herrman said. “It’s a new team, a new coach, a new system of play, and you just have to make a conscious effort to keep your style but adapt to a new team at the same time. You just have to have a good attitude about it, and I’m blessed to have great teammates to help me get there and a good coach who’s helped me every step of the way.”
Now A&M-Commerce must concentrate on the LSC tournament, which could be a direct ticket to the NCAA Div. II tournament. They face Texas Woman’s University in the first round on Thursday, Nov. 5, and Piper said this is a favorable draw.
“The conference is so tight,” Piper said. “We really didn’t care who we played. I think all six teams believe they can beat one another. Of all the draws, it was the best one we could get. We play Texas Woman’s, and it was the only team we beat that is in the conference tournament. If we win that, we play Central Oklahoma who had to score with a minute left in double overtime. The difference between 6th and 3rd is very small.”
Senior and team goal leader Meagan Lasley, who scored 15 goals during the season, said while there was work to do, anything can happen in the conference tournament and the Lions have just as good of a chance as anyone to win it.
“I think heart is a huge thing that we need to have,” she said. “We need to be determined, and we need to capitalize on our opportunities. I think that was a big thing these past few games that hurt us, but I think that if we do that then we have a good chance in the tournament. All the teams are beatable.”
If A&M-Commerce beats Texas Woman’s on Thursday and then gets past Central Oklahoma on Friday, they will play in the tournament final on Sunday afternoon.