Freshman Class Making An Impact

Going into Friday’s second-round matchup against Missouri, UW women’s soccer has 13 wins, its most since 2010, and finished with a winning record in the Pac-12 for the first time since 2008.  The Huskies are playing in their 13th NCAA Tournament a year after missing out on an invite and finishing in the bottom half of the Pac-12 despite a very talented roster.

In 2014, Jaclyn Softli has turned in one of the top-10 goal scoring seasons in UW history, senior midfielder Christina Archer is wrapping up a career that will put her in the top-10 all-time in appearances, and junior keeper Megan Kufeld continues to climb the ranks in career shutouts. However, much of the success UW is experiencing this year has roots off the field well before the season began, with an emphasis in the offseason on developing team chemistry and making the incoming freshman class feel like part of the team.

“The effort being made outside the practice environment to make sure everyone is included makes a difference in their comfort level,” UW head coach Lesle Gallimore said. “This is their first time away from home and it’s a big jump. The more a team can make a player comfortable early on, the easier to start out on the right foot.”

That effort has paid dividends, as the Huskies have five freshmen that have played significant roles in 2014. Pac-12 All-Freshman team honoree Kimby Keever is third on the team with five goals to go with two assists despite missing four games with an injury. She has seen time at forward and left back and is an impact player when she is on the field.

“We got right into it and clicked right away,” Keever said. “They went out of their way to include us and make us feel welcome. The culture here is to make the team better. The upperclassmen don’t act like they own the team. They treated all of us like equals.”

Fellow freshman Dominique Bond-Flasza has seen action in all 21 games, starting 19 on the back line. She has taken over the starting role at right back and contributed to a Husky defense that has recorded eight shutouts.

“I owe all my success to the rest the team,” Bond-Flasza said. “They have been really encouraging and welcoming this whole year. Giving me that comfort and motivating me to play to the best of my ability has really helped me.”

Forward Shannon Simon leads the team with five assists in her freshman campaign. She has started 18 games. Forward Rachel Wheeler and midfielder Shaye Villanueva have carved out significant roles as subs, as Wheeler has seen action in 20 games and Villanueva in 10. Wheeler also scored her first collegiate goal in a 3-0 victory over Oregon St.

The overall humility of this group has helped them progress and get up to speed quickly. Their ability to possess, be tactically sound and keep up with the physicality has been key to their contribution on the field.

“They are winners,” Gallimore said. “It’s the coachability piece. They’re all really talented, but at the end of the day, if they’re not coachable, talent means nothing. Because they’re coachable, their talent shines through and I think they’ve earned the respect of the upperclassman. They came in prepared, they came in with a lot of humility, and they came in ready to follow. That’s been the key to success for them.”

The Huskies are losing a talented group of seniors that includes five starters, the team’s top two scorers in Softli and Kate Bennett, and a wealth of experience in Stine Schoening, Sami Page and Chelsea and Christina Archer, but the success of this freshman class gives reason to the idea that UW women’s soccer will build on a great 2014 campaign and continue to thrive.

“They’re a great group,” Gallimore said. “They’ve got great personality, they’re diverse, they’re funny, they’re good listeners, they’ve really come in and been a huge contributing part of our success on the field and off the field. They’ve helped make the vibe of our team really good. They’re been a real pleasure to coach.”

The Huskies are playing Missouri for a spot in the Sweet Sixteen. Should they advance, they will play Sunday against the winner between Stanford and Arkansas. Friday’s game will kick off at 4:30 p.m. PT in Palo Alto, Calif. The game will be streamed live and live stats will also be made available. Follow the action live on Twitter at @UW_WSoccer.