By Claire Burke, Staff Writer
Although it is only April, the Masters’ women’s soccer team has already begun preparing for their upcoming season in late August. The team has been working on pre-season workouts, drills and practices that hopefully will help prepare them to repeat the winning season they accomplished last year.
The Mustangs have consistently held a strong presence within the Golden State Athletic Conference (GSAC). However, despite the Mustangs’ previous standings, this season could be shaping up differently than prior ones.
Looking back on previous years it is clear that the Lady Stangs have been a dominant presence within the GSAC. In 2021, after a winning season, TMU faced the Westmont College Warriors in the semi-final game of the GSAC tournament. This game resulted in a tough 4-5 loss that was settled by penalty kicks.
In 2022 the Mustangs performed well throughout their entire season and the team once again made it to the GSAC tournament. They played a hard-fought game but ultimately lost again to Westmont 0-4 in the semi-finals.
Just last year in 2023 the Mustangs again carried a winning 8-5-3 record into the GSAC tournament. The Stangs once again were defeated, this time in the opening rounds to Vanguard, ending the season a few games before the championships.
There is no question that the Mustangs have been a dominant team within the GSAC for the past few years. However, this upcoming season could have a different ending with the various changes that the team is expecting to accommodate.
The first of those changes is within the GSAC. Some of the Mustangs’ greatest rivals, including Westmont, Vanguard and Menlo, have all decided to enter the NCAA Division II pool of teams. In addition, four new teams are joining the GSAC.
These changes will have a huge effect on the competition and most likely, the Mustangs’ standing in the conference. Essentially, the Mustangs are entering a whole new playing field.
Not only do they have to prepare for external changes, but the Mustangs are also facing difficult internal ones. At the end of last season, the team had seven graduates. This was a heavy loss. Besides losing key players such as Alexandria Dunn and Ellie Radmilovich, as well as team chemistry, the team now must fill in those empty spots. The Mustangs are looking to bring in around 12 recruits. In a sense, this is creating a whole new team.
Although the Mustangs are facing many new situations, the team is looking at this season of change in a positive light. Senior midfielder Hannah Burke, who has played on the team since her freshman year, looks at the beginning of this new season with hope.
“The GSAC and team dynamic may be changing but we aren’t worried about the unknowns because our goal is still the same,” she said. “Our success doesn’t come from whether we win or lose but from how we represent Christ on and off the field. That’s what we are gonna continue to strive for this season.”
Burke’s optimism has been expressed by other members of the team. The Mustangs have always been a resilient team, working hard every season to be better than the year before. That work ethic and determination will be vital for this upcoming season of change.
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