FGCU was
primed to be contenders in the Atlantic Sun for women’s soccer in 2014 in the
preseason, returning three of its top scorers, placing six players on the
Preseason All-Conference team and looking to bounce back from a 2013 A-Sun
Championship Final shootout loss to Jacksonville.
Moving forward
to today, FGCU sits 5-0 in the conference standings and has already clinched a
spot in the 2014 A-Sun Championship, while owning a 12-3 overall mark for the
season. There is no shortage of offense for the Eagles, thanks to FGCU’s top
scoring trio.
Sophomore
Tabby Tindell, 2013 A-Sun Freshman of the Year, already matched her goal total from
last year of 15 and leads the conference with 36 points. So what is the
difference between this year and the 2013?
“I feel like
last year, my freshman year, I was still getting into the swing of things and
getting used to everything,” mentioned Tindell. “Coming in this year I’m
playing with mostly the same girls so it helps a lot to still have that
chemistry we had last year. It has been working really great and I just hope it
continues.”
The chemistry
shows in Tindell’s numbers. The Ocala, Florida-native is tied for second in the
conference with six assists and leads the A-Sun with 15 goals.
“We only lost
one starting senior off last year’s team so it’s mainly the same group of girls
and I think that’s helped a lot with the way we play on the field,” Tindell
explained about team chemistry and her comfort level on the field.
Tindell is not
the only Eagle surpassing her 2013 numbers. Paulina Speckmaier has seen
improvements in the program ever since she transferred to FGCU from Florida.
“Last year was
my first year here as well and coming from Florida and not playing, I kind of
had to get back in the groove a bit,” said Speckmaier about the transition.
“This year it’s just finding the love for it again and playing the way I know
how to play.”
Speckmaier, third
in the A-Sun with 17 points and has six goals this year, also cites the
chemistry as a factor to her successful second season at FGCU.
“I guess as
the season is progressing we’re learning how each other play and I can kind of
anticipate now where Tabby and [Shannen] Wacker are going to be before I even
pass the ball.”
Anticipation
is a key to Shannen Wacker’s contributions as well for the FGCU attack. One of
six total seniors on the squad, Wacker leads the conference with a season-high
10 assists.
“The
chemistry, especially between the three of us has gotten so much better now
that we have Paulina in the attacking third most of the time. It definitely
helps having that one extra person that you can find in the box.”
Wacker has no
issue being the one to set up the scoring chances for the Eagles. To her, it
all comes down to wins.
“It’s cool
that I’ve got something that will help these two [Tindell and Speckmaier] get
goals and as long as it makes us better and helps us win games then it puts me
in a way happier place than just trying to be selfish about it.”
FGCU,
clinching a spot in the A-Sun Championship last Friday, has an opportunity to
stay at home for the A-Sun Championship if the Eagles remain as the No. 1 seed.
“We know that
we’re not going to let up just because we’ve achieved something,” stated Wacker
about the possibility of relaxing after clinching a spot for the postseason.
“That’s not good enough for us so we’re just going to keep playing our game and
getting better at it so that we can continue winning.”
Wacker,
playing in the final season of her collegiate career, wants to leave a
statement with this year’s FGCU squad by the end of the year.
“I want to go
out with a win and go as far as we can go because I know that we’re better than
the first round of the NCAA Tournament and we’ve had three years to prove
that,” said Wacker on her goals for the season. “I think this is finally going
to be the year that we’re going to exceed the goals we’ve had in the past.”
FGCU closes
the conference season with matches against Jacksonville and Stetson at home and
then prepares for the A-Sun Championship.
