Wake Forest Invitational is first big test for Mean Green Soccer
Ehsan Azad / Staff Writer
After starting the season 2-0, the Mean Green soccer team will hit the road for their longest road trip of the year, the Wake Forest Invitational tournament in Winston-Salem, N.C.
With no games against Conference USA foes for a month, the team starts the tournament Friday night with a matchup against nationally-ranked No. 15 Wake Forest University. After an off day on Saturday, the team will face Virginia Tech on Sunday.
With such a long trip, the coaches decided the schedule needed some tweaking.
“It’s a little interesting because we actually leave Thursday morning, but once we get there we will have plenty of time for the game Friday night and they are off on Saturday and then get ready to play another strong team on Sunday,” head coach John Hedlund said.
Since the 978-mile flight to Winston-Salem is the farthest the team will travel this season, some of the players feel the trip can benefit for the team.
“It actually helps us focus as a team. We can laugh and joke our nervousness out,” sophomore forward Amber Haggerty said.
As the players prepare for the tournament, they are also prepping themselves for their inaugural season in Conference USA. Junior goalkeeper Jackie Kerestine said she feels like the team’s only goal is to win.
“I really want us to win the conference and get to the conference tournament,” Kerestine said.
One of the many ways they will try to win this weekend and for the rest of the season is by preaching about team defense, something Hedlund taught from day one.
“Defense first. Everything we do is defensive oriented. Everything we do is to help our teammates,” Kerestine said.
The Mean Green will put their defense to the test as they face the Wake Forest tonight at 7 p.m.
Photo courtesy of Rick Yeattes
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