Sophomore forward Jenna Knight launches ball forward. (Photo by: Seth Lampton)

Last Wednesday, the Cavs faced off against the Cardinals in their first game of the spring season. The first half started off hot, and it didn’t take long for the Cardinals to get the first goal of the game. 

“My head went straight to believing in my teammates,” sophomore defender Emily Crosby said. “I knew that there was no reason to think about their goal because I know everyone on our team is talented and that we would come back.” 

After that move, the Cavs fired up all cylinders, as freshman midfielder Tatum Bresette and sophomore forward Maya Wallace both managed to score a goal before the end of the first half. 

“We finally realized what formation they were playing,” sophomore forward Jenna Knight said. “Once we were able to find the outside wings more, it was barbecue chicken from there.” 

William Jewell struggled to keep up with the Cavs’ unstoppable momentum in the second half. After a couple of previous shots, Wallace was able to thread the needle through defenders and send a laser-precise shot into William Jewell’s net. 

So what does the spring soccer season mean? What’s the point of playing six exhibition matches in the off-season? It’s all about getting newer players conditioned and ready for their next fall season, where they will find themselves as leaders filling in the shoes of their alumni. 

“The younger class is filled with great players with so much talent and just seeing how they’ve grown in the past season,” Sophomore midfielder and defender Sydney Puetz said. “It will be really exciting to see what they will accomplish next year.”

Freshman midfielder Brecken Hoy pushes ball forward. (Photo by: Seth Lampton)