From Costa Rica, to Portland, to the Dominican Republic, Cal women’s soccer has designed the long trek property from national groups to Cal’s Maxwell Family members Industry in preparation for the 2022 year.
Soon after ending the 2021 season on a 3-video game shedding streak — and an all round 8-7-3 and 4-6-1 file in meeting enjoy that left it tied for seventh spot in the Pac-12 — the group options to additional raise its advancement from the 2020 and 2021 seasons soon after its newfound worldwide recognition and knowledge.
Remaining far more recently named range 6 in the 2022 Pac-12 Preseason Coaches Poll, it is very clear that Cal intends to inch up the rankings each individual year and aim even increased for 2022.
The year opens with an absent game in opposition to Irvine on Thursday. The Bears fumbled the ball with their to start with reduction to the Anteaters in 2021 right after 11 consecutive wins in opposition to the workforce. In 2022 the Bears hope to reinstate this streak.
Soon following is an exhibition activity in opposition to the Chinese nationwide crew at Edwards Stadium on Aug. 20, which will be the Bears’ 1st dwelling video game of the period. The tumble time will consist of 20 video games, including 9 property game titles and nine Pac-12 convention games.
With only 3 new recruits additional to the 31-participant roster, the workforce has solidified due to the fact the 2021 period when it introduced in the No. 1 recruiting course in the nation by Top rated Drawer Soccer. The new additions incorporate Mya Each day, Teagan Wy and returning player Kailee Gifford, who put in a year at Pepperdine.
Through the offseason, sophomore defender Ayo Oke alongside with freshman goalkeeper Wy went worldwide to engage in in the 2022 FIFA U-20 Women’s Environment Cup, hosted in Costa Rica.
Oke was named by Top rated Drawer Soccer as a person of the prime new recruits from the 2021 season and earned an appointment to the Pac-12 All-Freshman Group. Oke assisted in the skills, profitable the CONCACAF U-20 Championship with the U.S. nationwide workforce in 2022, marking its seventh consecutive get.
Oke, alongside with Top Drawer Soccer’s “No. 1 player to know” on the staff, fellow defender Sydney Collins, are sure to action up to the plate just after quite a few of the team’s prime defenders graduated final season.
Wy also participated in the CONCACAF U-20 Championship in 2018 and has been a member of the U.S. youth national groups for the earlier 5 many years. She has far more recently been rated the 18th most effective prospect in the region by Top Drawer Soccer.
Fellow goalkeeper Angelina Anderson also returns for her fourth and closing calendar year with Cal. Anderson has had a lot more than 200 saves in the course of her occupation, with 46 complete in 2021. This remaining her third successive calendar year as group captain, she is confident in the associates of her staff, a the greater part of which are her past teammates.
“It definitely can help that we’re all largely returners, so we know what we wanted more than the summer season and what we separately experienced to aim on … So far, the chemistry has been amazing, ideal from the get-go, since we’re all so shut currently,”Anderson explained.
One more player to observe in the forthcoming video games is mounting sophomore ahead Karlie Lema, who scored a overall of 12 points — double the amount of most other players on the crew in the 2021 time.
With consecutive fall and spring seasons in 2021, the blue and gold resurfaced for air with their offseason this yr. From local to countrywide tournaments, the Cal women’s soccer crew received a myriad of knowledge with its time over crack, and need to be keen to prove it in the impending time.
“We’re sick of providing up these silly minor aims. We’re ill of winning 1- to groups we must be beating 5-. We’re likely all-in this calendar year. And (with) that mindset, (it) does not make any difference who we’re actively playing.” Anderson claimed.
Lindzi Hutchinson covers women’s soccer. Call her at [email protected].
