This weekend the BG women’s soccer team has two opportunities to take the next step in its rebuilding process.
Losing the first three games of the season has been a tough start for the young Falcon team. Head coach Lindsay Basalyga said working on the individual confidence of the players and keeping up the focus for 90 minutes of soccer has been the central point of practices this week.
“It has kind of been a tough week of training for us, both on the field and in the locker room,” she said. “We have really had some heart to heart conversations about where we are going in our process and I am really excited about what this team shows us coming into this weekend.”
BG redshirt senior Kylie Briem said it’s important to keep improving what the team needs to work on in practices and to come out and show the same effort every day.
The first opponent for BG is the Cleveland State Vikings, a team that started with three losses into the season yet has won its last two games, outscoring opponents 9-1 in that span.
The second opponent for the Falcons this weekend, the Chicago State Cougars, are 1-3-0 thus far, in the first season for its women’s soccer program.
Basalyga said the Vikings are in a rebuilding phase as well, but so far are just a little ahead of the Falcons.
“It’s going to be a tough game but definitely a game that I think if we show up and compete and make plays, we certainly have an opportunity to come away with a result,” Basalyga said.
Falcons junior Haley Parkinson expects a battle for Friday night’s game and a great competition.
“I don’t think they are anything out of our reach because we prepared all week and we know that on our home field we just have to go out and fight and battle hard,” she said. “I think we are excited for our opportunities we have this weekend to go out and show what we’ve been working on in training and practice.”
Basalyga said playing at home on Friday under the lights at Cochrane Field adds to the teams’ excitement.
“We love our home games, seeing all our fans out there. It’s definitely a lot better of a crowd than it is when you travel, so we are really excited,” Briem said.
For the young group of Falcon players, the growing process has been the primary message of their season to date.
“I really believe with this group of players it’s just a matter of that first win, and when that’s going to come it will be exciting to see where we will be able to move in our process just with getting that off our chests,” Basalyga said.
The match-up with Chicago State on Sunday will be another opportunity for the Falcons to finally bring a victory back home.
“Right now we are focused on Cleveland State and playing at home and when we move on to Chicago State, it’s can we play on the road, it’s can we find a way to compete and do the things we do here on our field in terms of how we play the game,” Basalyga said. “But we are focusing on our process and if we jump the process, if we go into the game and say we have to win, we are missing 90 minutes of work.”
The Falcons will take on Cleveland State, Friday at 7 p.m. at Cochrane Field and end the weekend on the road against Chicago State at 7 p.m.