The Online Reflector

Women’s Soccer: Shelby Spinelli- Forward

Q: What are some of the key changes your team will have to make to improve from last season?

A: Probably be more offensive-minded. We got pretty good at our defensive shape, so I think our team might be playing more defensive. Probably just attack a little bit more from the back.

Q: Who will be key in accomplishing that?

A: Just starting with Megan Fee, our goalkeeper. Having her keep possession after a shot and distributing out to our defenders, out to our midfielders and then up to our forwards.

Q: What will be the most significant in working to get that done?

A: A lot of communication. It’ll be really key to have Megan step up. This is her first year. She did well in the offseason training with all of us. She already is showing [the] signs of a really good leader. Her communication is key to the whole thing.

Q: What are your expectations this year?

A: Just to win. We have a good freshman class coming in this year. A lot of them have the opportunity to start as freshmen. We’ll have a really young team. My expectations are to win. We might be a little bit of an underdog, because we have such a young team. I like being in that position.

 

Men’s Soccer: Ryan Barnett- Back

Q: What corrections does the team need to work on from last season?

A: I don’t think there is anything that stands out from last year that was holding us back. I think just building off of last year, and building off the year before. Every year that [Head Coach John] Higgins is here, we take steps forward and get better. So just getting stronger and keeping on with the progress we’re making. Two years ago we made it to the conference final; last year we set the record with the win streak. Just keep building on that and keep on going.

Q: Who on the team do you believe will stand out this year?

A: We’ve got a lot of good freshmen. [We have a] huge class coming in, and we’ve got the experienced guys coming back, too. We have leaders in every position. All around the board we are deeper than we’ve been in the past.

Q: What do you expect to accomplish this season?

A: We all expect to win conference. We all want to not only make the national tournament, but make a run in it.

Q: What will help you all achieve that goal?

A: We have a motto this year—it’s “fitness, enjoyment, positivity,” and those three things build into making history. With the kids coming in, I think we all really expect to make the national tournament.

 

Volleyball: Kristina Kerrigan- Outside Hitter

Q: Volleyball is ranked No. 1 in the GLVC. Do you believe that is going to put a target on the team’s back to start out the season?

A: Yes, definitely. I think we always start out the season and people are out to get us, because over the past couple [of] years we’ve been at the top of our conference, and we’ve won two conference championships over the past three years. So I think that there is always a spot on our back, and people are always out to get us.

Q: What team are you looking out for this year?

A: I think we are always looking out for Lewis. Lewis always has been our rival and a huge opponent of ours. No matter what players are playing, everybody is playing hard. It’s just one of those matches you really want to win because of the rivalry.

Q: You all went a long way last year. What adjustments will you need to make to go even further this year?

A: I think one of the biggest keys is going to be playing as a team and building team chemistry. When it gets to that point, it doesn’t come down to the play as much as it comes down to the attitude of the teams. Everyone is obviously good enough to make it that far; it’s just [a matter of] who has the chemistry and who works the best together.

Q: Are there any big losses from last year that you think will be difficult to fill?

A: I think all of the three seniors we lost last year – Courtney Anglemyer, Hannah Kelzer, Kristina Hefferan. Losing all three of them was a pretty big loss. I’m just hoping a couple [of] freshmen come up, and even the current players take their roles.

Q: Are there any incoming freshmen to watch for?

A: I think, as a whole, the class coming in is going to be very good. They’ve all played competitively for several years and played for very good teams in club and high school. I think we are expecting big things from all of them. We’ll see during preseason who will step up and actually fill those spots, but as of right now, anyone can have it.

Q: Are you confident your younger players will fill the voids those three seniors left?

A: Right now, I’m hoping for the best. But you never know what is actually going to happen because this group of people obviously hasn’t ever played together before. You [have] just got to hope for the best, work hard together, and hope that it actually works out.

Q: What are your expectations for this year?

A: My expectations are very high. I’d like to go out on top, obviously, because it’s my senior year. I’d like a regional championship; I’d like a conference championship; I’d like as many as I can get. I want my last year to be my best year. I think that’s anyone’s goal. When I came in as a freshman, I had a very good year. When I was a first year, we went to the Elite Eight. I think it would be great. It would set the tone for the incoming freshmen and show them that this is what we do expect. This is how this team plays. I’m expecting big things, and I think everyone else on the team is expecting them as well.