Bouncing off a disappointing 2005 season, the University of Maryland women?s soccer team is looking to overcome injuries and build a strong offense after suffering through a 5-11-3 campaign last season. Second-year head coach Brian Pensky wants to give the program its first winning season since 2003. Pensky recognizes that the Terps have something to prove in the Atlantic Coast Conference this fall.
“Things are going pretty well so far,” Pensky said. “We came in fit and focused.”
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The Terps beat Richmond, 2-0, in College Park Sunday in their only preseason game.
“This year, we are going to be a better attacking team,” Pensky said. “We feel like we have more options.”
Last year, the team was ravaged with injuries to key offensive players. The disturbing trend has already carried over to this year. Junior midfielder Nataly Arias (knee injury) is out for the year, as is sophomore forward Kimmy Bunting (repeated concussions).
“Unfortunately, we lost a couple of players for the year already,” Pensky lamented. “It is disheartening, but it is something we have dealt with in the past.”
Pensky said that the defensive core is solid with captains Ashly Kennedy at center back and Nikki Resnick in goal, but that his midfield is still young and lacks experience.
With six ACC teams ranked in the top 25 in the NSCAA/Adidas preseason poll, Pensky said simply, “Numbers don?t lie.”
“The ACC is the best conference in the country,” he continued.
The big test for Maryland will be its first two games against Tennessee and UCLA at the Penn State Classic Aug. 25 and 27. The daunting schedule, however, does not phase Resnick.
“We know what happened last year, and there are 22 of us that will not let that happen this year,” she said. “It is always a fight, and coming to Maryland, you don?t expect anything else. We might surprise some people with the way we posses the ball and create quality opportunities.”
Kennedy, an Edgewater native and St. Mary?s High School (Annapolis) product, shares that sentiment.
“We have never been an attacking team,” she said. “We have always been a blue-collar team. Brian has recruited more attack-minded players, and it looks good. We are coming out here and working out butts off.”
Terp tidbits
» 2005 Record: 5-11-3 overall, 3-5-2 ACC
» With the injuries to Nataly Arias and Kimmy Bunting, Ashly Kennedy is the leading scorer returning for the Terps.
» Nikki Resnick started 18 games in goal for Maryland in 2005 and had a 1.68 goals-against average.
