Just past the midpoint of their season the Lady Archers look to finish strong
By: Aaron McCall
-Staff Writer-
By: Spencer Gleason
-Sports Editor-
In sports, an often used cliche is: take things one game at a time. As cliche as it may be, according to head coach Juergen Huettner, the Lady Archers have continued to take each game at a time en route to their six-game winning streak. Execution is equally important in every sport. Closing out games is another factor.
After starting the season 0-2-1, the Lady Archers have found a groove. Since defeating the Heartland Community College Hawks, 2-0, at Meramec on Sept. 8, the Lady Archers have continuing their winning ways both on the road and at home. Their current six-game winning streak is a new milestone for STLCC soccer. During that stretch, the Lady Archers have outscored their opponents 18-3 with five shutouts.
“We have won [six] games in a row. That is a St. Louis Community College record,” Huettner said.
With nine games left in the regular season, the Lady Archers have a 6-2-1 record and a .722 winning percentage. While four of those games will find the Lady Archers on the road, five will be played in the Archers own backyard, including a four-game home stand spanning between Oct. 2 to Oct. 11.
The Lady Archers will return home on Sept. 27 when they face the Lindenwood University-Belleville Lynx at 4 p.m.
Continuing with the cliched approach, Huettner has found facets of his Archers’ game to improve.
“There are always things to work on during the season. Recently we have missed out on some scoring opportunities,” Huettner said. “We need to work on finishing teams off and not letting them hang around.”
Along the way of the season, freshman forward Jessica Smugala has helped put the 2012 Lady Archers in the school’s athletic history books. While scoring three goals each, in back-to-back games, Smugala has achieved two hat tricks in as many games. Her second hat trick helped lead the Archers to a 6-0 win over the Trailblazers of Metropolitan Community College-Blue River on Sept. 18. The Archers’ fifth win in a row, at the time.
With Smugala’s six goals this season, she cracks the top 50 in the nation for women’s junior college soccer players, tied at 46 place.
While Smugala leads her team in goals scored, the Archers’ goalies have kept up their end of the bargain. Between the four players that have roamed inside the net, they have collectively accumulated a 70.7 percent save percentage.
“This team is fast. This is one of the faster teams I have had,” Huettner said. “We have some better athletes this year. We have about three or four girls that we can go to for speed.”
Although the Lady Archers began the season winless in their first three games, they have continued to follow Huettner’s advice to take one game at a time. Since losing in the Regional XVI Championship Game last season, Huettner has his team focused on the goal at hand — winning regionally and capturing a national championship.
“This year our goal is to win the championship,” Huettner said.
