The Plattsburgh State women’s soccer team has a lot to be feeling good about since they clinched a spot in the SUNYAC tournament over the weekend, however, getting there didn’t go exactly how they had planned it to.
“We can’t make excuses,” sophomore goalkeeper Nichole Gibson said about the pair of losses last weekend. “We just have to take any negativity and turn it into positivity and go out there and play our hardest.”
Despite losing in double overtime against Brockport and being shutout against Geneseo, head coach Tania Armellino thought that her team overall played really well and came out strong against their opponents.
“We played some of the best soccer as a unit all season,” Armellino said. “We’re trying to keep that consistency and take it into this weekend.”
Ending the season on the road with a pair of losses could have the potential to throw off the rhythm of the team, however, the Cardinals have been resilient all season long and will look to capitalize on the opportunity they have at home in the first round of SUNYACs.
“It doesn’t sit well with them to not be as successful as they want to be,” Armellino said. “Spirits are high, and they’re all excited to be home, so I think they’re ready to get the win and advance.”
The last time the Cards took the field at home was their senior day, which PSUC was able to defeat Fredonia 5-0 in front of a large home crowd.
“It was really fun to watch, and for the seniors, really well deserved,” Armellino said. “Everybody stepped up and battled for that great win.”
As for the seniors playing in their senior day game, it was a game full of emotions, and one that can often be described as “bitter sweet.”
“All of the seniors took it to hear that day, we all wanted to win,” senior midfielder Ashlie Guinness said. “It was definitely a bitter sweet day. It’s sad that it’s coming to an end and we don’t want it to.”
The Cards hold an 8-1 record on their home turf this season, which gives the team an added boost of confidence heading into Saturday.
“We definitely play much better on our home turf,” Guinness said. “We know it’s going to be a tough game, but we do think we have an advantage since we’ll be playing on our home turf.”
Earlier in the season, PSUC hosted Oswego in a match that ended in overtime thanks to junior forward Sarah Haight’s goal in the 98th minute. This time around, the Cards will look to one up their last meeting against this team by sending them home at the end of regulation to advance in the SUNYAC tournament.
“We know Oswego is a tough opponent and we know that we’re a good team,” Guinness said. “But it really comes down to us being confident on the day that we take the field.”
It is incredibly important that PSUC maintain the amount of team chemistry that it has on and off the field because sometimes the intangibles are what can make or break a final score.
“For us, it’s huge that we’re able to host this round of the playoffs,” Gibson said. “The main factor is that we give everything we have and leave our hearts out on the field and do everything we can do to come out on top.”
Email Ezra Kachaturian at sports@cardinalpointsonline.com
