Women’s soccer team poised to suprise
Wednesday, September 1, 2010 at 11:59PM By Chris McFadden
mcfaddenc@thejohnsonian.com
Team returns 10 starters from last year’s team
The Lady Eagles soccer team will have a new coach this year after last year’s coach Melissa Heinz was fired. Photo by Kathleen Brown • brownk@thejohnsonian.com
Coming off a surprising run during the Big South Conference Tournament, the Winthrop women’s soccer team was picked to finish seventh by the conference coaches.
After finishing the 2009 regular season with a 5-10-6 record, the Eagles made it to the conference championship game before coming up short against High Point University.
Despite the run in the tournament, Winthrop made a change at the top and fired head coach Melissa Heinz.
Heinz had been head coach with the Eagles for seven years and was the only coach the soccer team has had since its existence. Winthrop fielded its first women’s soccer team in 2003.
The Eagles hired Spencer Smith who, ironically, had the most wins in Radford University men’s soccer history. Smith was named the Big South Conference coach of the year twice at Radford.
Smith will inherit a team that returns 10 of 12 starters from the 2009 team.
The Eagles return their top six points leaders led by senior forward Tricia Vensel.
She produced eight points for the team last season.
Vensel should be one of the leaders of the 2010 team.
Winthrop also returns its top goaltender in red shirt junior Kelsy Weavil. She had 98 saves in 2009 and a 84-percent saves average.
Weavil had several strong defensive games and will need to continue that type of play for the upcoming season.
The Eagles will also need to improve their play away from home if they want to have a better 2010 season.
The team was only 2-7-2 on the road overall and 0-4-1 in conference road games.
Experience should not be a problem with the 10 starters returning, and if the Eagles can continue to get strong play from Weavil, they could be a surprise in the league.
The Eagles next home game will be September 17 at 7 p.m. against Georgia State.
The team currently has a 0-1-1 record, with the loss coming against Appalachain State University and tie against Marshall University.
