June 5, 2009
ANNAPOLIS, Md. - NavySports.com recently caught up with Navy women's soccer head coach Carin Gabarra to discuss the team's progress through the spring season and find out how the Mids are shaping up for this fall.
What are your general thoughts about how the spring season went? Did you accomplish what you had set out to?
Every single game we played this spring really could have gone either way. We ended up with a 1-1 draw versus Virginia, an NCAA Sweet 16 participant last year, and beat Towson in our last two matches, but again, each match could have been won as easily as it could have been lost. It should serve notice that the line between victory and defeat is razor-thin and takes attention to detail and focused preparation.
That being said, I believe spring ball was definitely productive for us. We'll have a bit of a different look after graduating such a large senior class, but I am very confident in the leaders we have turned the team over to.
Are there specific areas you focused on this spring?
We spent much of the spring focusing on our attack, more specifically generating higher quality scoring opportunities and getting more players into the attack. From that standpoint, we accomplished that goal. We didn't see the conversion of those opportunities that we need to be successful on the scoreboard, but we certainly have taken the first step in that direction.
Another area we played around with was the defensive shape of our midfield. Our players were able to see and learn a couple of different schemes and the nuances associated with them. We don't yet know how we will play our midfield this fall, but we should be better prepared as a result of the work we got in this spring.
What are the points of emphasis to work on when the team starts fall practice?
Beside fitness of course? The organization of our defense and the mentality of our attack are two areas we really stress once we get back together.
Do you have an idea of what the strengths of the 2009 team might be heading into the fall?
We always expect the strength of our team to be in team defending. To play for us you have to defend both individually and as a group. Our commitment to defending has been the staple of our program's success since its inception and we expect it to remain that way.
Rising senior defender Shelly Moeller enters the fall with a chance to earn an unprecedented third Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year honor. What can you tell us about her game and how it has evolved over her first three years?
Shelly is a personality player that impacts every game she plays in. She stands out in each match. She really brings an imposing presence to the back, one which forces opposing teams to have to game-plan around and look for ways to minimize her impact. She deserves to be recognized among the best at her position and has truly earned the honors which have come her way.
Just like any player, Shelly has her things she can improve on and we expect her to do just that. She has the opportunity to finish her career with a number of individual records and team accomplishments. Having said that, I think she would trade in every accolade for another NCAA tournament match or two.
The team received great contributions from its sophomores this past season as Carissa Youker, Christine Calderon and Anastasia Abid all emerged as major contributors in the Starting-11. Is there anyone among the Class of 2012 that you see following a similar path this upcoming season? It really depends on who is fit and healthy. No matter what the talent level, one can't emerge without health and the commitment to fitness.
Annie Kendzior and
Katelyn George both have the potential to be the best at their positions in the conference if their health and mentality can match their skill.
Kate Herren and
Amanda Serfass both also continue to learn and improve, and I think this fall will be an important year in their development.
What can you tell me about this year's incoming freshman class? A couple of newcomers will definitely have a chance to start right away, while the opportunity will certainly be there for several others to have a chance to play in matches. It's always tough to predict how things will shake out - you'll just have to stay tuned. We expect there to be some great competition.
The 2009 Navy women's soccer season kicks off on Friday, August 23 in Spartanburg, S.C., with a match against the University of South Carolina-Upstate.
## GO NAVY! ##
