If you take a look at the 2010 Miami University women’s soccer roster the names of some key players have disappeared, but if you told Head Coach Bobby Kramig that his team was broken he would have to disagree.
“We lost some good players but we still have a lot of good players,” Kramig said. “I think we can put a pretty good first 11 out there and I’m confident in that. I think we proved that with some good spring results.”
After falling in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) Championship 1-0 to the Central Michigan University Chippewas in November, the RedHawks didn’t waste any time preparing for another season under Kramig. The team started strength and conditioning in January then started working with the ball in March leading up to their five spring games in which they went 3-0-2.
The Red and White kicked off the spring campaign with a 1-0 win over the Indiana State University Sycamores and capped it off with a 1-1 draw to a Southeastern Conference opponent in the University of Kentucky Wildcats. RedHawk keepers only surrendered two scores over the five games.
“We only gave up a couple of goals and we were pleased with that,” Kramig said. “I thought it was a pretty good spring. I don’t think I came out knowing anything different about our girls than when I went into it. I always felt that way and I think the girls came out of the spring feeling that way.”
Despite Kramig’s confidence, over half of the players on the 2010 roster are freshmen. The coach said that he needs the new blood to step up.
“The biggest question for us is where our depth is going to come from,” Kramig said. “It’s a long season and playing two games in three days is always difficult and we are going to need some depth. At some point in time we are going to need these freshmen to play.”
One of the players that has produced for Kramig consistency is senior defender Brooke Livingston. Livingston started all 21 games last season, earned First-Team All-MAC honors, Second-Team All-Ohio honors and led a stingy RedHawk defense that surrendered a school record low 14 goals. This season she may be needed more than ever in a leading role.
“It’s not really shocking to our seniors to have the large freshmen class,” Livingston said. “It’s going to be a bit of a challenge for us to become one team but I’m excited about it.
Each senior is taking a really big leadership role this season and we’ve been separated into small groups to help the freshmen on and off of the field.”
Meshing quickly will certainly aid team chemistry as the Red and White try to rise to the top of the MAC. The RedHawks take the pitch against Alabama A&M Friday, August 20 at 5 p.m. in Oxford.