Chemistry Keying Chanticleers' Midseason Run
10/7/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
CONWAY - It has been a season of ups and downs for the Coastal Carolina women's soccer team, but at the midpoint the Chanticleers find themselves sitting over .500 with a 6-5-1 overall record and an undefeated 3-0 conference record.
The Chants have also protected their home turf this season, something that is reflected by their 5-1 record while playing at the CCU Soccer Stadium.
So how have the Chants been able to keep their head above water this season? Head coach Paul Hogan says that despite the various ups and downs his team has stayed focused overall and he is happy with the direction they are heading.
"I think we are constantly evolving as a team," said Hogan. "We are still trying to find our rhythm on offense and I think we are in a good place, but now we want to clean up some little things and set pieces to become a more efficient team."
Hogan emphasized creating more scoring opportunities and capitalizing on scoring opportunities when discussing some of these adjustments.
"It's (scoring) always the hardest part of the game," said Hogan. "We can't score on all chances but we have to figure out as a group how we can create more chances for us on offense."
Coastal Carolina forward and fifth-year senior Christina Stern said that one of the major reasons the team has been able to stay afloat this season despite struggles on offense is that the team has maintained a solid chemistry level.
"I think we work and communicate better this year as a team than we have in past years," said Stern. "If one of the younger players has something to say to an upperclassman then it is not an issue. We all listen to each other and our overall chemistry has been really good this year."
Stern returned to the field this season after taking a medical redshirt during the 2013 campaign following a series of surgeries for compartment syndrome. Stern says that she had some adjusting to do at the start of the season but she feels that she has returned to form.
"It feels great to be back this season and my legs feel good," she said. "Physically I knew I was going to be able to come back, but emotionally it was a pretty difficult thing to deal with and getting back into the flow of the game has been hard at times. I feel good though and I couldn't be more grateful to be back."
Hogan said that having Stern back has been key to the team's success this season because of the level of experience she brings after being on the team for almost five straight seasons.
"She has been around almost longer than I have," said Hogan. "It is so hard to see somebody go through all of those things she did. It is hard enough to come back from one surgery and it was hard to see her so down because as a coach there was really nothing I could do about it. So it's great seeing her back and being Stern."
Stern showed everyone she was back to her old self earlier this season when she displayed her incredible flip-throw. Stern's throw that set up the game-winning goal in overtime against Charlotte was recognized as one of ESPN's top plays and she says it is something she will remember for the rest of her life.
"It was great exposure for our program and our school as a whole" she said. "It is definitely a key moment that I will remember when I look back on my soccer career."
Stern credits part of her ability to perform her flip throw to her gymnastics background, but she said it was something that she spontaneously decided to perfect prior to her soccer playing days.
"Before I started playing soccer I would sit at my brothers' soccer practices and flip the ball around and then someone asked me if I could do a flip throw," said Stern. "I couldn't do it at the time but it intrigued me, so anytime I was at my brothers' practices I would sit on the sidelines and practice, and my mom would spot me, so I wouldn't fall on my face. Then finally I could do it, and I thought I was the bees' knees because I could do something my brother couldn't."
The Chanticleers continue their conference schedule on Wednesday when they host Presbyterian at 6 p.m. They then travel to Rock Hill on Saturday for a matchup against Winthrop
