100-Percent Cotton
11/4/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Nov. 4, 2008
NACOGDOCHES, Texas - "100-Percent Cotton" is the weekly blog of senior defender Jessica Cotton. The blog gives fans a look at the inner workings of the SFA soccer program and is updated weekly on Tuesdays.
So we came out of this weekend exactly how we wanted to. We recorded two shut-out wins and gave ourselves a chance at a good seed in the conference tournament.
We knew we had put ourselves in a tough situation, but we also knew with a little bit of help, we had a great shot at being seeded No. 2. Tuesday was very normal. It was a tough, yet successful practice. We started out with the Brazilian skill balls, and slowly went back to regular balls. We even introduced a new game which we now call, "NEW BALL!!!!" It is basically a regular half-field scrimmage, but just when you think you are playing normal soccer, [Coach] Trae [Manny] yells out "NEW BALL!" He plays a ball anywhere on the field, and we must leave the old ball and play off the new ball. It was pretty interesting, and we still don't exactly know what to think of it. We finished off practice with some tough fitness. It was extremely confusing, but somehow we got through it without hurting ourselves or anyone else.
Wednesday was a little different, but only because Trae introduced us to new drills and games. They were still under the transition category, but it was great to see and do something new!
By this time in the week, Senior Day was finally becoming real. At least five times a day at practice, someone would ask, "So how exactly does it feel?" I don't think we ever actually answered the question, but we would always come back with a "remember when" moment. Thursday was very light and constructive. We went over the game plan, and simple ways to be successful on the weekend.
Friday rolled around, and it was beginning to become emotional. The six of us seniors realized it was our final game under the lights here at SFA, but we would not let that take us over. We knew Lamar had been surprising people all over the conference, and we needed to come out strong to get the result we wanted. We ended the first half in a zero-zero lock. We were not playing great, but we were out-working them in all areas of the field. We came out for the second half knowing they would be coming out just as strong as the first. However, a goal from Amanda Alders was all we needed to take the victory and the shutout. We didn't put away all our chances, but we learned how close of a game it can be when we have so many missed opportunities.
Saturday was our recovery practice, and it was very similar to the weeks prior. We were given about twenty minutes with ourselves, our iPods, and a skill ball. It was our time to focus on ourselves. We came together for some simple keep-away games, and then we were on our way. Given the rest of the day off, I relaxed and watched some of the most amazing college football games.
Sunday was going to be our day or theirs [McNeese State's]. We had pre-game meal at the Fredonia Hotel, sharing the dining area with none other than the McNeese soccer team. What a way to start off a day.
However, it was our senior day and, for everyone, it became an emotionally charged day. Our pre-game speech was from Rachel Schwind and Lauren Fricks, and obviously there were tears on most people's faces. I believe each and every one of us took it to heart. I had never been on the senior side of this day, but being on the underclassman side, I had always wanted to play my heart out to let the seniors go out with a bang. I like to think the others did that for us.
But no matter what their motivation was, it worked. We came our firing from the beginning, scoring two first-half goals help put the momentum in our favor. At halftime, I think the main thing said was, "That was only one half... we still have a lot of soccer left to play." However, those two goals proved to be all we needed. We came away from a hard-fought battle with another victory, and another shutout, just as we had planned.
Our senior class was honored after the game, but I'm still not sure it has hit any of us. We have given countless hours and days to the game, and just the thought of it coming to a close never crossed our minds. I can remember the six of us saying before the Sunday game, "Did we actually make it all the way here ... have we really gotten this far?"
But we still have more to go. This weekend is the conference tournament, and we would like for nothing else but to win it two years in a row. Making it into the NCAA championships was our long-term goal, and it is now just a week away!
-- SFA --
