SFA Opens Spring Against Navarro
3/7/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
NACOGDOCHES, Texas - The Stephen F. Austin women's soccer team is set to get its competitive spring season started on Saturday afternoon at 4:00 p.m. as the Ladyjacks host Navarro College at the SFA Soccer Field.
Since coming back to campus after the holiday break, the Ladyjacks have been hard at work lifting weights three times a week and conditioning twice a week between training sessions. Saturday's contest marks the first of six competitive games set for the 2015 spring season.
"It's an exciting time for our program," said head coach Wally Crittenden. "The kids have been working really hard. The energy has been great, the team chemistry is tremendous and it's a really exciting time to see how this team is going to come together and take shape. We have some fantastic players coming in the fall as freshmen but the core of this team now is going to be the team that sets the trajectory and ceiling of achievement come November."
Like SFA, Navarro College has experienced a great amount of success over the last several years. The squad was a NJCAA National Tournament Semifinalist in both 2013 and 2014, reaching the NJCAA National Championship game in 2013.
"We've played Navarro each of the springs that I've been here and they are a very talented and well coached team," Crittenden said. "It'll be a great test for our kids. With the limited amount of time that we've actually had on the field in our 20 hour weeks due to weather, we know it's going to be an adjustment. We'll get better throughout the game and this will be a great chance for us to line up against somebody else.
"For me, the main piece that I want to see on Saturday is the overall competitive spirit and character from each of our players. I know they're fit, I know they're going to have some great moments and I know they're going to make mistakes - which is okay. I want to see how they push themselves to change and impact the game."
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