Auburn, ME - The 2017 Lady Mustangs soccer season began with a returning group of six players from last year's team, including third year player and two-time team MVP Megan Duval. Added to that group were ten new players, which included eight incoming freshmen recruits.
Preseason focused on team building, teaching a short-pass possession game, and an aggressive attacking style of play. Goalkeeping duties were put mostly in the hands of freshman keeper Ali Sult from Lisbon, with Jane Lester serving as backup keeper in addition to playing on the field. The defensive unit consisted of a rotating lineup of second year defenders Emily Rubino and Cheyenne Gray together with freshmen Keara Hunter, Abby Fogg, and Aimee Horne. The defense changed frequently between a three-back and four-back system in both a flat and diamond set-up depending on the opponent and game situation. Midfielders included returning players Ellie Jasper, Meghan Desjardins, and Olivia Dooley together with newcomers Ellie Harrington and freshmen, Tabie Tlumac and Cynthia Oakes. The midfield continually switched in and out of a four mid and five mid set up. Forwards were junior Megan Duval and freshman Brittany Greig. Stephanie Jones, sidelined with a season-ending injury before preseason got started took on the role of team manager and was extremely valuable as a second pair of eyes on the team during games.
The season began on the road with a first-time ever win over UMaine-Machias in a conference game followed up two days later by a win in double overtime over a very fast Massasoit Community College team down in Brockton, Mass. Two lopsided losses to Southern Maine Community College were the only real low point of the season. A 4-0 loss on the road to top-ranked undefeated NHTI, the eventual YSCC champion was balanced out by the fact that it was the most competitive game we have ever played against them, and the score remained 1-0 until twelve minutes left in the game. The Mustangs split their season against Unity College, losing 3-1 at Unity in a game where they outshot the Rams by 17 to 12.
Later in the season they got their revenge by completely dominating Unity in a 4-0 win in front of their home Mustang crowd. A 2-1 conference win at home over Hampshire College in a very evenly played match, along with a 4-0 conference win on the road during a 700 mile roundtrip overnight journey to Paul Smith's College helped to keep the season going in a positive direction. A 2-1 home loss to Machias was not enough to dampen the Mustang spirit because it was a game in which they outplayed the Clippers and just couldn't find the net in the second half.
The season ended with an overall record of 6 wins and 5 losses with a 4 win, 3 loss conference record which put the Mustangs in fifth place, missing the playoffs by half a game. The 2nd, 3rd, and 4th place teams all finished with a conference record of 4-2-1 and since the Mustangs beat two of those three teams, one more conference win or tie would have been enough to knock one of them out of the playoffs. At the end of the season, Megan Duval and Ali Sult were named to the YSCC All Conference team. The goal this season was to simply be competitive with the top teams and to have a shot at the playoffs. This was certainly accomplished.
Next season we have set the bar higher in terms of what we want to accomplish and with a big returning group of players together with what may possibly be our biggest and best incoming recruiting class, the Lady Mustangs will be an exciting team to watch in 2018.
