Soccer program looks to ride strong start into a successfull season, currently 2 - 0

     ASU’s women’s soccer team is 2-0 for the first time since 2007.


     The team, led by Coach Travis McCorkle, defeated Texas-Permian Basin  with a 2-0 shutout on Aug. 30  and New Mexico Highlands at home in a 2-1 overtime thriller last Saturday.


     The ‘Belles are on the right track toward coming back from a disappointing season where they finished 6-9-4 and lost in their Lonestar Conference Championship Tournament quarterfinal match against Texas A&M Commerce in penalty kicks 1-1 (4-3).


     With a 2-0 start, the ‘Belles have already gained recognition from the Lone Star Conference in the form of senior goalie Danielle Edwards receiving Lone Star Conference Defensive Player of the Week honors.


     The six-foot-one Edwards has allowed only one goal and has made three saves to begin the season.


     The ‘Belles have outshot their opponents 40-6 through 199 minutes of total play this season.


     The amped up defense has gone along way in filling the void left by the departure of  well known midfielder Brandie DeBacker, whose 34 goals over four seasons ranked her second on the ‘Belles all time scoring list.


     According to senior midfielder Hanna Horeis, the team tries to be competitive in practice to prepare themselves for their competition.


     “Some teams are more physically aggressive,” Horeis said. “Some of them are more possessive, so we just try to train off of that and be competitive in practice to just prepare ourselves.”


     Horeis said that she feels many people don’t realize how fit you have to be in order to play this game.


     “We play 90 minutes straight and sometimes you have to go into overtime,” Horeis said.     “There is a lot of running involved.”


     The ‘Belles run themselfs that hard in practice in order to make themselves better as players and in turn, a better team, Horeis said.


     The ‘Belles have welcomed six new freshmen in addition to the bevy of veterans on the team this year with three more redshirting.


     While the ‘Belles mean business, junior defender Trisha Killen said that they are more laid-back than serious in the locker room.


     “We are definitely a team that does not take life too seriously,” Killen said. “We joke around, have a lot of fun, but we also know when it’s times to get serious and to get our minds right to play the game.”


     Killen said that the team’s greatest need going forward will be passion.


     “Our team already has a lot of passion,” Killen said. “We all train hard enough, but we don’t want to put all that training to waste, so we all come out strong and we want to get the win.”


   To get the win, the team will need chemistry, which Killen said is their greatest strength.


      “I think we are very close-knit as a group,” Killen said. “We can figure out what each other is going to do and how each other plays and we can adjust to it.”


     The ‘Belles next challenge will be on the road today in Durango, Colo. against Colorado Mesa University.