A son-to-be for coach Ronnie Woodard is not the only new addition to the women’s soccer team this year. The squad sports new coaches, players and attitudes that could very well mark the beginnings of a new era for the Commodores.
One new feature expected to contribute to the Commodores’ success is freshman playmaker — and Olympian — Chelsea Stewart. Stewart, who took almost a year off from school to play for the Canadian national team, is one of seven promising freshmen recruited to create a more dynamic Vanderbilt team and help boost the Dores to the elusive top of the Southeastern Conference.
They're fine so far; Vanderbilt (1-0) knocked of Saint Louis 2-1 on Aug. 22 in the season opener. The Commodores host Mercer Friday at the VU Soccer Complex at 7 p.m. and then Murray State on Sunday at 2 p.m, trying to match and then better last year's 5-0 start.
“We’re just focusing on one step at a time,” Stewart said, “We need to use (each game) as building blocks to get to the SEC, but I definitely think we can compete with them and be able to come out on top of it.”
To set a high standard, the Commodores turn to their dynamic duo, junior twins Megan and Molly Kinsella. The pair has brought depth and balance to the team for the past two years and now carry a weapon even more lethal: experience.
“Last year I felt like there were so many teams where we were like, ‘Oh my god, that was a game that got away,’” said Molly Kinsella, an All-SEC player in 2008.
Like their fellow upperclassmen, the Kinsellas have a long memory. Last year, the team started the season 5-0 before descending into a downward spiral against fellow SEC teams, ultimately finishing the season at 9-8-2, with a conference record of 3-7-1. This year, the team returns with a chip on their shoulder.
“Now it’s about getting the results we deserve,” Molly Kinsella said. “A lot of revenge on a lot of SEC teams. … We’re not looking back on mistakes we made last year. This is a whole new team, so it’s just like, let’s go out there and play well.”
The shift in mentality has come in part after the coaching staff called in a sports psychologist to help the team set their season goals and push themselves mentally further.
So far, so good. The Commodores won their season opener on Aug. 22 with a 2-1 home victory over St. Louis.
Sophomore Candace West sees the difference.
“We are holding each other accountable now,” she said.
The Commodores look to on-field leadership from Megan Forester, who shares the responsibility of guiding a young team with fellow senior Lindsay Ratterman, who was sidelined by a knee injury earlier this year.
“The freshmen are pushing the upperclassmen to keep their spots,” Forester said. “We are different this year. … We have higher expectations now.”
Among the changes, Forester is sure of one thing: we can expect a stronger, tougher and more well-rounded team this season.
“There is a new mentality,” she said. “We are starting a whole new tradition this year.”
