Go Toppers Go

Lady Toppers Soccer Team Growing and Learning

Blue Mountain College is known for many things: for our unbelievably good volleyball team, the amazing professors in every department, and the way that God is implemented in our everyday lives here at Blue Mountain College. However, there is a new program that just recently has been added to Blue Mountain College: soccer.

The soccer team had its first season last fall of 2021. They had a lot of good but also rough battles. Their main focus according to Madison Zamudio, the captain of the women’s soccer team, is “to improve in the areas that we lack as a team.” She explained that as a new program, it is vital for the team to create a good foundation for the new players that have been added to our 2022 roster. The idea is to create chemistry between every player for a successful team that can connect on the field as one.

Saturday, March 26th, the Lady Toppers had a tough loss against Belhaven. One of our other captains, Lizabeth Lopez, said, “It was a game that had many things that our program can grow from.” Blue Mountain College Soccer is setting a standard for its athletes that requires them to work hard, and not only did that game on Saturday show them that as a first-year program they have to continue to work hard, but that the work has just begun.

The first half was a battle because it was their first game in the spring after a long season in the fall, but the plan was to come out strong and put pressure on the opponents. They let two goals in because of mistakes that could be prevented with better execution. The team during the first half looked as though it was hard to connect and move as a unit to attack.

The second half taught the whole team that working together is vital and will help them improve. In the first thirty minutes of the second half, the Lady toppers seemed to have improved and had an opportunity to play a bit more offensively, but the game still ended on a loss for the Lady Toppers.

It is always hard for a first-year program to be successful, but Blue Mountain College has been very supportive of the team and their growth. Coach Bassoff, the women’s head coach, is trying to set a high standard for each of his players not only on the field but also in the classroom.

The program has a growth plan. The women’s team was a couple of players short the past two semesters, which will quickly change in the 2022 season.

The sport of soccer is a team-based sport that requires every single athlete that is on the field to be on the same page, and that is what they strive as a team to achieve.