Photo: Frankie Debari
BY: KYLE MAIER, SPORTS EDITOR
Forged by fire through multiple non-conference battles against Power Four opponents, the St. Bonaventure University women’s soccer team now moves to Atlantic 10 play Sept.19 with a game at George Washington.
In late August, the Bonnies traveled to the Lone Star State, where they faced Big 12 universities Baylor and Texas Tech. Less than three weeks later, SBU played Syracuse University of the Atlantic Coast Conference this past Sunday.
These three programs, with a current combined record of 16-5-1, each defeated Bonaventure convincingly on their home fields.
But despite the three early-season losses, head coach Donny George saw the value of competing against such high-level competition.
“The first goal is to provide a memorable experience for my players; competing against some of the best players in the country is something they enjoy,” said George. “The second is to prepare us for A-10 play. We have some great programs in our conference. Trips like Texas and Syracuse provide us opportunities to learn and grow.”
Sophomore midfielder Mika Marolly voiced her own insights from the challenging stretch of matches.
“Playing the best teaches you humility,” said George. “How mistakes can be made and rectified, how you handle yourself through pressure, how you and your teammates can help each other get better on and off the field and how you’re going to deal with losses and learn from them.”
With conference play approaching comes the opportunity for the Bonnies to compete for a postseason berth.
Marolly emphasized how work ethic and passion for the game both on and off the pitch can earn Bonaventure a chance to play for an A-10 title.
“If we stay hungry and work as hard as we have been and focus on staying switched on in every moment of every game, we could give ourselves a great chance at snagging a spot in the A-10 playoffs,” said Marolly. “I think a combination of willingness to get better, work ethics, consistency and heart will definitely get us there.”
George established that SBU needs to maintain consistency and confidence heading into a pivotal sequence of conference games.
“The team needs to stay on track, sustainable conference success is going to take work,” said George. “Being confident and applying what we are learning everyday, whether that’s in practice or in games. With such a young team we also need to strive for consistency in as many moments as possible.”
The 2024 Bonaventure roster has an influx of youth, with 11 freshmen donning the brown and white for their first season of A-10 play.
Graduate defender Sydney Howard expressed how she looks to be a role model to a class of new faces.
“I think the biggest impact I can make on the team with conference play approaching will be setting a good example and being a role model for the younger players,” said Howard. “It can be really intimidating, so my goal is to help our young girls make the transition with ease and be a shoulder to lean on if they need it.”
Bonaventure faces the George Washington Revolutionaries Thursday in Washington, D.C. at the Mount Vernon Athletic Complex. The match begins at 3 p.m. and can be streamed on ESPN+.
maierkj22@bonaventure.edu
