Women's Club Soccer Has Strong Fall Season

This past fall, the University of Mary Washington women’s club soccer team has been on top of their game, completing their season last weekend with a victory against William & Mary College at the score of 3-1.

The team’s season record is complete at 4-1-1 with wins against Salisbury University, Old Dominion University, George Mason University and Towson University.

The team’s captains, senior Gwen Holdgreiwe, senior Dana Jones,  junior  Kathleen Morgan, can remember the days when the UMW women’s club soccer team lacked the level of performance it has today.

“When we first started three years ago, our practice grounds were poor quality. The goals were makeshift and there was no grass. Back then there was weak leadership,” said Morgan.

Since then, with the new administration of President Hample and the support of the Board of Visitors, the club/recreation fields have received a much deserved face lift.

Combined with a new turf field and rising leadership, women’s club soccer has given UMW another team to get excited about.

“Mark Mermelstein, campus recreation director and our coach, has been key in turning women’s club soccer around and changed us into something very successful,” said Holdgreiwe.

The team consists of about 40 athletes who are divided among two levels of play, a white and blue group. Both teams practice together but the white team is designated for travel competitions and more competitive play.

Different players with different levels of experience have been attracted to the team. Anyone who comes out to the team is welcome to play and this aspect has brought former varsity players as well as many talented walk-ons together as a force to be reckoned with.

Along with the team’s flexibility, the captains say think the team is constantly improving on the players’ abilities to work together and communicate.

“The girls are starting to click and we’re always driving to be more comfortable with each other out on the field,” said Jones.

Overall, due to such great success this season and constant improvement over the past couple years, the captains say that traveling to club soccer nationals next year is a firm possibility.

Until next fall, the team will train and compete in their upcoming spring season and confidently continue in the development of their team.

According to Holdgreiwe, “The team is a lot stronger than it used to be and it’s going to stay that way for a while.”