A Preview of Women’s Soccer 2023
Photo courtesy of bcrams.com.
Despite the challenges of 2022, the Bluefield University women’s soccer team has big expectations for the fall 2023 season under new head coach Patrick Ritter.
Last season, the Lady Rams endured a difficult 0-16 campaign, but this year many of the players are confident the team can greatly improve from last year.
“We’ve improved so much technically,” said Kaylei Newman, a senior who will be returning to play at midfield. “We’ve gotten faster and stronger, and I think our soccer IQ is being challenged in the best way possible.”
Teammate Macy McBride agreed. She said the team’s overall attitude has improved significantly toward each other, the coach, and in playing in general.
“We have grown in not only that, but also in our skills,” McBride said. “We have been working really hard in this post-season with morning practices, lifts and individuals, and we should see that growth in the upcoming season.”
Players like Newman and McBride returning for the 2023 season will be the key to success, according to Coach Ritter, who joined the Lady Rams as head coach in 2022 with more than a decade of soccer coaching experience, including most recently as the assistant coach at NCAA Division II Missouri Southern State University.
“We are expecting big things from all nine of our returners for next fall,” Ritter said. “Because of our smaller roster last year, all played significant minutes on the field, and both of our goalkeepers had over 400 minutes in the net. Everyone will be playing in their more natural positions now, and we are expecting each of them to lead our incoming players into a strong new direction.”
The Lady Rams will open the 2023 campaign with a scrimmage versus Bluefield State University on August 19 at East River Soccer Complex before beginning official regular season play at home against Georgetown College on August 25. By season’s end, Coach Ritter said the team hopes to be enjoying much success.
“Our goal is to host the first home playoff game for the program next fall,” Coach Ritter said.