With Fall Work Complete, Women's Soccer Looks Ahead
11/23/2020 9:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
The Davidson women's soccer team has concluded its fall workouts, and head coach Adam Denton is pleased with the progress he's seen, despite the unique challenges of 2020 and an August-September-October absent of games.
"There were challenges with the new environment academically and also athletically, but our players responded well, had the opportunity to come together and, in some respects, have become a stronger team," he said.
A fall that began with no contact and solely individual skill work, progressed to limited contact in small groups. Eventually, 11 vs. 11 scrimmaging was permitted, and it was a welcome return to normalcy.
Masks and COVID-19 protocols simply became part of the daily process, like lacing up cleats and strapping on shin guards. The Wildcats just rolled with it, got to work and tackled what was in front of them that day. Senior captains Gretchen Pearson and Katherine Smith helped set the tone, along with junior goalkeeper Mary Grace Bunch, an Atlantic 10 All-Conference pick last year.
With the semester wrapping up and players departing for home, there will be a significant break in the action. But Denton is confident his players will do what is necessary on their own so that the team, in January, can pick up where it left off.
"We incorporated the freshmen and feel pretty really positive coming out of a difficult fall season," he said. "We come out really positive and excited to go away and come back in the spring."
Upon return, the Wildcats will prepare for a spring 2021 campaign. The Atlantic 10 is planning a regional conference schedule, and the Wildcats are in the process of building in some non-conference contests as well. The schedule will be released once finalized.
For now, though, Denton is just proud of how his players and staff handled the fall of 2020, with the kind of adversity no one soon will forget.
"Really pleased with the fall," he said. "We came together well, worked through some bumps in the road, responded well and we're excited for the season that lies ahead."
"There were challenges with the new environment academically and also athletically, but our players responded well, had the opportunity to come together and, in some respects, have become a stronger team," he said.
A fall that began with no contact and solely individual skill work, progressed to limited contact in small groups. Eventually, 11 vs. 11 scrimmaging was permitted, and it was a welcome return to normalcy.
Masks and COVID-19 protocols simply became part of the daily process, like lacing up cleats and strapping on shin guards. The Wildcats just rolled with it, got to work and tackled what was in front of them that day. Senior captains Gretchen Pearson and Katherine Smith helped set the tone, along with junior goalkeeper Mary Grace Bunch, an Atlantic 10 All-Conference pick last year.
With the semester wrapping up and players departing for home, there will be a significant break in the action. But Denton is confident his players will do what is necessary on their own so that the team, in January, can pick up where it left off.
"We incorporated the freshmen and feel pretty really positive coming out of a difficult fall season," he said. "We come out really positive and excited to go away and come back in the spring."
Upon return, the Wildcats will prepare for a spring 2021 campaign. The Atlantic 10 is planning a regional conference schedule, and the Wildcats are in the process of building in some non-conference contests as well. The schedule will be released once finalized.
For now, though, Denton is just proud of how his players and staff handled the fall of 2020, with the kind of adversity no one soon will forget.
"Really pleased with the fall," he said. "We came together well, worked through some bumps in the road, responded well and we're excited for the season that lies ahead."
Players Mentioned
GK
/ Women's Soccer
MF
/ Women's Soccer
D
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