Women's Soccer End-of-the-Year Speech

The 2007 Women’s Soccer season began with a great deal of optimism. While we had lost a large number of starters from the previous year, we were confident in the talent of our new players.

Our defense put up the best numbers in team history with a 1.78 GAA, even after giving up 14 goals in our first three matches. Jenny, Shasta, Shannon, Kat, Sierra, Laura and, of course, Barb all contributed to that accomplishment. Our problem this season was in goal scoring. At one point, we went 8 straight matches without putting the ball in the net (except for a PK by Melissa). We didn’t score in every way imaginable: off posts, off defender’s hands, great saves, goals called back, referee’s inattention, whiffs, shot’s over from 2 feet away, etc.

Yet, we played well enough to win a trip to the NCCAA II national tournament in Kissimmee, FL for the first time in program history. The experience was one that I will never forget and we had a lot of fun with the team – on the airplane, waiting for poor Miss Bolton with the van, having my own room all to myself, taking pictures with Kennedy, squeezing into Sunday School class, and playing soccer in summer weather in November. Good times.

We had a large number of players play in every match this season:
Gerlach, Nichols, Harrison, Harley, Kutz, Dow, Alley, Mikolowski, Muse, Collogan and Delaney

Ladies who started every match include:
Nichols, Harrison, Harley, Kutz, Mikolowski, Muse, Collogan and Delaney

Julie Muse is now 7th all-time in goals scored. Emily Kutz is 8th.
Melissa Nichols is now 6th in goals scored in a single season.
Julie is 4th all-time in assists.
Barbara Gerlach posted the all-time lowest GAA for an MBBC goalkeeper at 1.59 GA.

Our awards went to the following people:
Offensive MVP – Melissa Nichols
Defensive MVP – Shasta Mikolowski
Most Improved Player-Pamela Shetter
Leadership Award-Shasta Mikolowski

Our four-year seniors are Kristen Kowalcyk and Shasta Mikolowski. Both young ladies have great discipline and faithfulness. Kristen was especially good at making sure that we run things according to plan – she often reminded of statements that I have made and did not follow through on. I appreciate it a great deal. I hope Kristen goes on to coach this game. I think she understands it and can communicate effectively.

Our second senior was Shasta. Shasta’s leadership abilities grew immensely during her four years. I remember a younger player once telling me that Shasta had yelled at her so bad during a match that she cried. Forward that scene to this year, and Shasta’s encouragement was always positive and constructive. She truly helped the players around her to become better.