Going into one of the biggest games of the season, the soccer team needs to come out ready to play against the No. 1 team in the Mountain West Conference, the head coach said. The soccer team will face the top conference competitor Friday when it plays the Utah Utes (10-2-4, 2-0-2) in the last home game of the season at Garvey-Rosenthal Soccer Stadium.
TCU (7-9-0, 2-3-0) is coming into the match No. 6 in the MWC, following a 1-0 overtime loss to UNLV on Sunday.
Head coach Dan Abdalla said the team has been playing well, but it needs to keep the consistency and just put the ball in the back of the net.
“Every game in the conference is going to be a tough one,” Abdalla said. “Utah is a great team. We just have to come out ready to play.”
Senior defender KJ Brozena said Friday’s game is all about playing the game, not the opponent.
“Even though Utah is a tough team, if we come in with a strong attitude, determination, commitment and hard work, this should be a good game,” Brozena said.
Abdalla said the team has a good frame of mind and it just needs to do things a little sharper at the end of games.
As the final home game of the season, it will also be senior night for the team.
There are four seniors being honored during Friday’s match – Brozena, midfielder Angie Nickens, forward Leslie Parkinson and midfielder Lauren Pope.
Freshman midfielder Chelsea Cody said it has been the seniors who kept the team motivated all season.
“They have kept us all going through the good and bad times this season,” Cody said. “Not only do we want to win going into the tournament, but we want to win for them.”
Abdalla said this season’s group of seniors has been a great group of young women. He said it has been very fun to watch them develop these past few years.
“They have done a very, very good job and are very dedicated,” Abdalla said. “They will definitely leave a long-lasting impression on this program.”
Abdalla said the team is excited coming into this game because it knows it has yet to reach its full potential this season.
“Our goal over the next two games is to play up to our capacity and reach what we have the ability to do,” Abdalla said.
