September 20th–The final whistle blew on a warm September afternoon to cap a dominant 3-0 display for the Pirates against the Southern Union State Bisons. The game’s first half was balanced, with both teams creating chances and exchanging possessions. However, the Pirates proved too much for the Bisons to handle in the second half as the Pirates steadily held possession at the opponent’s half and started to convert their chances. Midfielder Maya Figueroa’s strike put the Pirates ahead in the 55th minute and forward Paige Philips, last season’s division player of the year, added two more goals to extend the lead in the 60th and 69th minute.
This season only marks the women’s soccer team’s second season, and already, they continue to show brilliance with their play, piling up goals and victories along the way.
Last season saw an impressive debut for the Pirates as they were crowned Region 8 champions. However, they began their first season with little expectations. “We were just hoping to finish the season,” recalled head coach Mark Yepishin, “[and we were just hoping] to have enough players for the whole season and play some games.” Things turned out differently as the Pirates started winning as the season went on. Their play continued to improve as the season went on, and they eventually won the conference.
The Pirates also came close to qualifying for the nationals last season, failing to do so when they fell 1-0 to Region 10’s Cape Fear at Arizona. Playing far away from home and having only 13 players available due to injuries proved to be a struggle against a strong team. The lack of players was a big issue the team needed to address over the offseason. “The biggest thing for me was to find good quality players for this year,” coach Mark said of their offseason moves. The recruiting efforts went well for the Pirates, as they now have 26 players on their roster and boast a squad with dependable players, including four international recruits coming from Sweden, Denmark, and two from Germany. The additions to the team do not just give the team more skill and quality but also more depth and adaptability in case of injuries.
Coming off a successful first season and now with a deeper roster, they started this season with a different mindset. Coach Mark states that their goal for this season is to “compete”. The results the Pirates have shown so far this season prove they are more than capable of competing. They have a record of 5W-3D-1L, including a victory against Pearl River, which is ranked 10th place on the national rankings. Their only loss was a 2-1 defeat against Holmes Community College—which is ranked fifth nationally—after a last-second goal from the opponents. “We’ve shown that we are a quality team that can compete against other teams,” Coach Mark said of their recent performances. The Pirates have also entered the national ranking, currently ranked at 17, improving from their initial rank of 19.
The Pirates came into the new season with a higher goal, as they are eager to compete in the national tournament. To do that, the Pirates first need to win the region again. “We came in and took the right steps,” said coach Mark of their progress. The Pirates have won their first two conference games and only need to draw one of their remaining two conference games, held on October 11 and 12, to be back-to-back Region 8 champions. And then win the qualifying game in November at North Carolina, a feat that the team previously failed to accomplish last season, to compete at the national tournament.
“It’s going to be different for them [the players],” coach Mark said regarding the travel. “The hours of travel, then spending the night at the hotel, and coming out the next morning and playing – that type of atmosphere these players haven’t really experienced yet so it will be interesting to see how we’ll respond.”
Still, coach Mark has confidence in the team’s improvement and their ability to win, citing their improved ability to convert chances as the biggest difference compared to last season. “We are actually taking our chances [to score] when we have them,” he said, “compared to last year, we created a lot [of chances], but we wouldn’t score.”
The work the Pirates have done in the off season has made them even better, riding the momentum of their excellent debut. And there is no doubt that they will continue to grow as the games go on.
