WSC Women’s Soccer Back To Work Early Tuesday Morning

 

WAYNE – Just under a week of official practices and the Wayne State College women’s soccer program has one preseason contest under their belt.

The Wildcats took on Briar Cliff University in Sioux City, Iowa this past Saturday during an exhibition game.

Head coach Joe Cleary will be entering his fifth overall season with the program and third as head coach. Cleary is looking for the team to improve on their transition from attack to defense and vice versa.

“The transition moments are such key moments in the game,” said coach Cleary. “I think if we would have been a little bit sharper in Saturday’s game as an entire team, because we played everybody, I think we would have been in a lot better situation.”

Chris McNaughton will also join Wayne State soccer as an assistant coach. Coach Cleary added that coach McNaughton has brought a new level to the program while also being a great addition to the staff.

Wayne State closed out last year with a 4-12-1 overall record and 12th place finish in the league with a 4-10-1 mark. WSC was picked to finish 11th in the 2019 NSIC preseason coaches’ poll with Sophia Ketchmark and senior defender Madison Burgard listed as players to watch.

Sophia Ketchmark is a senior defensive midfielder and she talked about looking to make this year the best year yet for the program.

“That’s setting a tone of positivity as well as mentality to always work hard at practice,” Ketchmark added. “Setting the tone for next year, we want to leave here with the mentality that we’re leaving the program in a better place then it was in previous years.”

Ketchmark has logged the most minutes (1,268) of any returning Wildcat player. The team also held senior-led practices the week prior to preseason sessions with the coaches.

Of the 26 players, 13 are who didn’t play on their roster last year (11 freshman).

“So, it’s a lot of learning,” coach Cleary mentioned. “But I’m excited to show those players off to our fans and our families and also to show the growth that the returners have made coming back because we have a great upperclassman returning group of leaders.”

WSC will close out their exhibition schedule hosting College of St. Mary’s at 3 p.m. this Friday from the WSC soccer field before traveling to Kearney in early September. Wayne State will open their 2019 campaign against Harding University on Friday, September 6 at 2 p.m. and then face Nebraska-Kearney on Sunday, September 8 at 1:30 p.m.

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