One of the most challenging regular seasons for Texas State Soccer comes to an end on Sunday.
The Bobcats endured a revised, reduced and delayed schedule in 2020 but are now about to come out the other end, holding a 3-8-1 overall record and a 3-4-0 record in district play. The team is coming off one of its best matches of the season, rallying from a 1-0 halftime deficit to take a 2-1 victory over Little Rock last week — a squad the maroon and gold lost to a little more than three weeks prior.
“I thought we played very well,” head coach Kat Conner said. “I thought we did what we wanted to do in the sense of, like, the scheme of the attack, of how to get numbers in behind. And I thought we did it a very good pace. I think that's always been the issue, is how fast can we get it done. And that's what I thought they did very well, as they did it with the speed at which we need do it at.”
The win kept Texas State in third place in the Sun Belt West Division with nine conference points. The Bobcats will now host the last-place team of the division in Louisiana-Monroe (0-7, 0-6 conference). Another win would secure Texas State the sixth or seventh seed in the league tournament.
It’ll be the last match for seven seniors on the team, a group that’s had to help 10 freshmen and seven sophomores mature as the season has progressed.
“Us seniors had to come in and kind of show them the ropes,” defender Holly Streber said. “And I think they've come in and done a good job. And we've showed them the pace and they've kept up with that and I think we're keeping a good standard now.”
Conner noted that the leadership of the upperclassmen will pay dividends for the program. The seniors aren’t just good soccer players, they’re good people, too.
They’re excited to play at Bobcat Soccer Complex one last time.
“It's crazy. I can't believe I've been here for — well, I'm a transfer — so for three years now. But it's crazy that I'm already a senior,” senior midfielder Mackenzie Smith said. “(It’s been) the funnest experience. I love it here, I love this team. It was just a great time.”
Texas State will look to close out the season strong when it hosts ULM on Sunday at 1 p.m. Streber said the team wants to make a statement as it enters into the postseason.
“We've had a little bit of a rough patch but I feel like we're getting into our stride right now. We're peaking at the right time,” Streber said. “I want to see some goals. I think last game, we finally got some goals under our belt and I think we could really come out the senior game against ULM and try to get some goals. Just keep that attack going so that when we get into tournament, we're looking dangerous.”
“I've always wanted them just to keep going in their performance and you know doing their best,” Conner said. “And so I'm just looking forward to them having fun and going out and playing to the best of their ability.”
