SAN ANTONIO — St. Mary's women's soccer is burrowing into the season with high, validated confidence backed by the one who knows best, head coach Corwyn Ritch.
"You have to find the right personalities for the right team," Ritch said. "And I think I really hit the nail on the head this time around."
With two scrimmages under their belt, including one against cross-town rival University of the Incarnate Word, the Ratters meshed just as Ritch predicted their chemistry would.
The Lady Rattlers are donning a deep squad, filled with quality recruits and a strong senior class of nine.
"We are fortunate enough to have a very veteran squad this year," said Ritch of his squad that contains just four freshmen, all of whom were highly recruited. "And along with that, these girls that are in their senior year, they been to every tournament ever offered in the Heartland Conference. And they have the expectations within themselves to make it there again. I think they'll do whatever it takes, both on and off the field, to prepare to make sure they are there once again."
Among the new cast of Rattlers are former teammates, freshmen Megan Tomlin and Kristal Williams, who played together at the highest level of club soccer in the nation, UCNL. In addition, the Rattlers gain two Division-I flares in sophomores Lauren Peck and Lynsie Shaw, who played together at Churchill High School.
Top returners include junior Kaitie Kasperitis, who played soccer overseas this summer for the American International Sports Team in Italy, and aggressive goalkeeper sophomore Alyssa Taramona.
Last season, St. Mary's fell just short of a .500 season, going 9-10 overall. They made their third straight tournament appearance, falling in the semifinals to rival St. Edward's.
This season, the tournament expects a fourth straight showing as the Rattlers placed No. 4 in the Heartland Conference preseason poll, which would advance them to the tournament.
However, with Ritch's confidence and the Rattlers' already displayed team chemistry, a higher rank may be in store for St. Mary's.
St. Mary's University, as a Catholic Marianist University, fosters the formation of people in faith and educates leaders for the common good through community service, integrated liberal arts and professional education, and academic excellence. The University has six athletic national titles: men's basketball (1989–NAIA), baseball (2001–NCAA Div. II), softball (1986–NAIA and 2002–NCAA Div. II) and an individual national champion in men's golf (2006–NCAA Div. II) and a national academic championship in men's golf (2009–NCAA Div. II). St. Mary's also had more than 40 percent of its athletes named to conference, regional and/or national honor rolls this past year. St. Mary's student–athletes graduation rate is 65 percent, higher than the NCAA Division II average of 55 percent. To learn more about St. Mary's, visit www.rattlerathletics.com.
