Injuries and inexperience made for a challenging season last year for the women’s soccer team, but as its spring season concludes, the team looks forward to a fresh start.
After being chosen in the 2018 preseason polls to finish fourth in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA), the Broncos ended up in last place and concluded the season with a 5-9-4 overall record and a 1-7-4 mark in the CCAA.
The group suited up and got back on the field for the spring season where it took on five teams, three of which were Division I programs, including Cal State Fullerton, Loyola Marymount and Cal State Bakersfield.
“I was happy to be honest,” head coach Jay Mason said. “To learn a new system with a team that came off the year they came off of, it can go one way or the other.
“They can either have a ton of energy and want to change their situation, or they accept where they are and this group works really hard which makes my job a lot of fun.”
The team concluded the spring season on April 20 with a win against Cal State San Bernardino and went 3-2 overall. The Broncos also announced the addition of five new players that will look to make an impact this upcoming season.
Of those players is Division I transfer student Tori Morton, who joined the team during the offseason.
“Tori came from an extremely successful junior college,” said Mason. “She went to Seattle University and I think for her she’s from Victorville which I think ultimately she wanted to get home so she’s bringing some experience for us.
“She’s a big, strong girl, athletic so she’s used to the physicality of the whack which lines up pretty well with our conference.”
The team will also add four incoming freshmen for the 2019 fall season, who are Cassie Snow, Phoebe Amaro, Bridget Carbonneau and Maddy Bennett.
“They are all great kids, great people which lines completely with our core values and the culture we have now so they should fit right in,” Mason said.
With injuries hurting the group last year, the Broncos want to put more focus on training their bodies and they understand that it starts long before the lights are on and the season starts.
“We really wanted to challenge them this year,” Mason said. “We’ve been spending a lot of time in the weight room getting them stronger so they can be a little more durable, so we don’t sustain the injuries maybe that we sustained in the beginning of the season.”
After not reaching their expectations last year, the Broncos are locked in and enthusiastic about what the future holds.
The challenges of last season have prepared them both mentally and physically for the upcoming season.
“They had to go through some adversity last year which I’m hoping will serve them well this season,” Mason said. “The only way to go is up for us right now. I’m extremely optimistic and I think this group is going to be just fine.”