Defending Our Turf

And we are on a roll! The past two home games we stepped up our game and have gone 2-0!!!  We beat RPI 3-0 with beautiful goals from Sarah, Mad Sac and Anissa with assists from Christen and Ash! Our next game was this past Saturday vs. Saturday during family weekend so we had a great turnout with lots of supportive fans!  Thank you to all the moms, dads and siblings out there who made the trip up! We all appreciate everything you do! We battled Skidmore until the end. Cait and Christen assisted Cass and Anissa's goals to push us past Skidmore to win 2-0 in the final minutes of the game! It's been an exciting past couple of games and I feel like we get better and better every time we step on the field :) With that being said, we hope to continue our success on the field tonight at 7pm tonight for our last match before SUNYAC play vs. Middlebury! So tell everyone to be there!! We want those bleachers to be packed out!! Also, a special happy birthday shoutout to our wonderful teammate Anissa!!!! We all hope you had the best day and get a win to celebrate tonight! She would really appreciate if everyone came out to the game tonight and see her score a goal for her birthday :)

With conference play coming up this weekend (I know I know this is going by way too fast), I just wanted to introduce the 3 ladies that have guided and supported this team to success since last spring ... Our captains Cass, Kelly and Ash! :) Here's some questions to get to know them a little bit:

Cassidy Clavet- Returning Capitan - Senior

Kelly Siry - Capitan - Senior

Ashlie Guinness - Capitan - Junior

1. What do you think is the greatest strength of this years team?

Cassidy: I think our greatest strength is our technical abilities combined with our desire to win.  We're able to play a strong technical game and play our best with having the ball on the ground at      our feet.  When you have that as well as the want to win, there's not too much that can get in our way.

Kelly: Our technical ability and our work ethic.

Ashlie: I believe the greatest strength of the team this year is our chemistry.  Last year we lacked this chemistry.  We are off to a great start.  Everyone trusts and fights for everyone.  It's awesome to be apart of a team where you know every single person has your back on and off the field. 

2. When did you start to play soccer and why?

Cassidy: I started playing when I was four.  My older brother, Corey, had played and I always wanted to be just like him when I was younger.  So as soon as I was old enough my mom signed me up!

Kelly: I started when I was five because my parents basically put me into every sport you could play.

Ashlie: I remember playing from the second I started walking.  My father was a big soccer fan and just couldn't wait to get me involved since my older sister didn't really love it.  Soccer has been a big part of my life and I thank my dad for pushing me as hard as he did.  I am on the women's team here because of him!

3. If you had the opportunity to spend the day with any celebrity/professional athlete who would it be?

Cassidy: It may be cliche but I would love to spend a day with Alex Morgan.  She's become such an inspiration to a lot of people, especially female athletes.  I actually just found out she was cut from her club team when she was 13.  This just goes to show that even in the face of adversity she never gave up, and still reached her ultimate goal.

Kelly: Athlete-wise I'll go with Abby Wambach or Aaron Rodgers.  If I chose a celebrity it would be J. Cole. 

Ashlie: NICK JONAS!! Or Sydney Leroux ... Either or :)

4. What is your main goal as we begin conference play?

Cassidy: My main goal heading into conference play is to keep everyone on the same page and to keep challenging ourselves and each other everyday.  We have such a talented, coachable team that I know will peak at the right time during SUNYAC play.  I can't wait to see what's in store for us because as long as we stick together, no one can stop us.

Kelly: Continue to defend our home turf and win SUNYACS!!!!

Ashlie: My main goal for the team as we begin conference play is to keep pushing as hard as we can.  We have a very hardworking team and I believe if we put our hearts and souls into each game we will come out with the outcome we want.  As Mercedes says, "We gotta want it!"

5. If you had to eat one type of food for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Cassidy: Chinese food! Especially lo mein!

Kelly: Totally a tie between Chipotle and pizza.

Ashlie: Mashed potatoes. Definitely mashed potatoes. 

6. Describe this team in one word.

Cassidy: Hardworking

Kelly: Determined 

Ashlie: Competitive

Again, we play tonight at 7pm vs. Middlebury so come out and support!!!  Just one of our little pregame pump up songs we enjoy :) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4Vr8-ZP3NQ&list=RDl4Vr8-ZP3NQ

    

We're Coming Home, We're Coming Home, Tell All of Plattsburgh We're Coming Home!!

First home game day yaaaaaaaa!!!! We are so excited to finally play at the field house after a long few weeks of being on the road! This evening at 7pm we will take on RPI! Last season when we played this team it was a good battle and a good game to watch, so be there or be a square :)

This past weekend we made the long roadie out to Elmira and came up with a big 4-0 win that was much needed!  With a scoreless first half, we got our game together and scored 4 goals in a matter of approximately 10 minutes.  Cass, Anissa x2 and Mad Sac scored some lovely goals with assists from Dev x2 and Mad Sac! Well done ladies! On the way home we made a pit stop at Olive Garden for a little team dinner.  I never had Olive Garden, I have only seen the commercials on TV. Everyone ... they really do have unlimited breadsticks!!!! Pretty sure my table got at least 6 orders .... What?! We knew we would run it off later :) They were just soo good! The long bus ride home got a little weird with people taking embarrassing snapchats/selfies, Ash Guinness made a hammock looking bed out of her body pillow, some great movie choices and we all made it home in one piece!

Heavenly!!!!

                                           

Lookin cozy!

Bus Inventions!

With our first SUNYAC game almost a week away, I decided why not do a little interview with our wonderful Head Coach Tania Armellino!  Having a wonderful coach leads to having a wonderful team and a wonderful season!  This is Coach Tania's second year at Plattsburgh State and here is a little bit about her:

1. What is your main goal for our team as we are entering conference play?
"To be in the SUNYAC finals! Getting there is so doable and our team has been working so hard."

2. If you weren't a soccer coach, what do you think you'd be doing for a job right now?
"I would be a lawyer because I am certified. Or maybe a sports agent because I focused on that while I was in law school!"

3. What was your favorite soccer moment of all time?
"That's a hard one!  There are a lot of good ones!  One of my favorite I loved most was coming back from 2-0 against Oswego last year.  To tie it up when you're down is a hard thing to do.  It was so exciting!  The most exciting moment at Plattsburgh so far!  It shows everything you worked so hard to do.  It's so easy for anyone to be "ehhhh" and we didn't.  We were relentless and there was so much effort and determination!"

4. What is your favorite song?
"So many good ones! I would say Piano Man by Billy Joel.  It makes me happy!"

5. What is your coaching philosophy?
"I want the players to love the game, enjoy the process and keep the love of the game in a competitive environment. For me, everything else follows."

6. Who's your favorite soccer player and why?
"EASY! Fabio Cannavaro.  He was a outside back, like I was, and played for Italy in the 2006 World Cup.  He was a shorter defender and won FIFA Player of the Tournament.  This award usually does not go to defenders!  For a shorter player, he was great in the air and read everything on the field so well.  Also, his good looks are a plus!"

Yup I would agree too Coach! :)

7. How would you simply describe the 2015 Plattsburgh State Women's Soccer Team?
 "True passion and one of the most hardworking teams I have ever been apart of."

We can't wait to keep up the hard work, passion and determination to continue throughout the season! AGAIN, come support the Lady Cards tonight at 7pm at our first home match against RPI! Bring your family, friends, dogs, cats and your cheering voices! Let's get it ladiesssssssss!!! :)

When Things Get Tough, We Get Tougher

This past week us Lady Cards were thinking about soccer 24/7 with three big games.  First, we took on a physical game against Keene State, which we won 5-2.  The scoring started with our senior captain Cassidy and than there was no stopping us.  Sophomores Mad Sac, Sarah Haight and Cait Gagen all had there first goals of the season as well! Whatever the sophomores ate that day, they should share some with the team :) Totally was the Panera .......  To finish off our first game of the season, Cass scored her second goal of the game! As the first roadie game of the season, we all had positive attitudes to continue working hard at practice for our upcoming big weekend for the North Country Classic.  On Saturday we faced Saint Lawrence and Sunday we played Clarkson.  Despite the high temperatures of the weekend, we put good effort and work ethic on the field.

The Saint Lawrence game was a battle from the beginning.  Going into the second half, we knew we had to score first.  After a ball from Mad Sac, Sarah Haight finished to put us up 1-0.  As our momentum and energy carried throughout the game, we did not get the result we all had wanted but knew what we had to fix for our game the next day.  The morning of Clarkson game we all knew our role to come out strong against Clarkson.  We connected well through passes, swinging the ball and did a lot of good movements on and off the ball which we practiced the past week.  Anissa Hartman took a strong shot to tie the game 1-1 in the first half.  Although coming up short with a score of 2-1, there was lots of good vibes coming from everyone knowing we have a long journey ahead of us.

Our team wants to win and it's up to us to get the outcome we want.  We all have the same goal/dream and we know what we need to do to get there.  One thing I absolutely love about this team is how everyone picks one another up when we need it the most.  Although this past weekend was rough, it was a learning experience for all. The great Carli Lloyd once said, "I think you get a little out of winning and more out of losing because it's about the struggles.  It's about the obstacles. It's about overcoming them." Win together, lose together, we are one family :)

Our next game is this evening at Union at 7 pm and we have another upcoming game this Saturday at Elmira at noon! We got this Cards!!! :) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=baKWZDPNgiE

I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream For Game Day!!!!!!!

As you can see I am a big fan of corny captions, but hey who wouldn't be screaming for our first game day?!?! The Plattsburgh State Women's Soccer team has our very first non-conference game AND roadie today vs. Keene State tonight and I don't think we could be more excited! Yes, getting Panera on the way is exciting too but it's competition time!  This past week we have been practicing, working hard and getting ready to face our first opponent.  Through the fitness, tough practices and a couple of dance offs, we have finally made it to the day we have been working for since last season.

To let go of the nerves of the big game day, this past weekend all the sports teams at Plattsburgh State came together for some pizza and of course the freshmen talent show.  Our freshmen did a little number to High School Musical and although we didn't take home the trophy this year, they had great costumes for their parts! Check it out :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7a04v1hZmU

To all you newbies/freshies who will learn about road trip really quick here is some things you will love/ hate and to do and not to do: 1. Free food on roadies is always great 2. Bring a pillow pet. You will not regret it 3. If you make the bathroom smell, the whole bus will smell and no one will like you 4. You say you will do homework and you will get distracted. Just let it happen 5. On long rides, you will get delirious and weird things will start to happen and last but not least 6. If you fall asleep in a weird position, with your mouth open or snoring, there will be a million snapchats of you and you will most likely end up on this blog :)

Okay so now on a serious note, Coach Tania said a quote last week and it's been replaying in my head over and over ... "If you want it, you have to sacrifice." Coming into my junior year, I've seen and experienced a lot of ups and downs with this team, but at the end of the day we are always a family after all we have been through.  This season will be all about sacrifice.  Sacrificing our bodies to not give up a goal, sacrifice any body part to get the ball in the net, sacrifice our time to get better and sacrifice all that we have to have a winning season.  As student athletes, we are asked of a lot on and off the field, but once we are playing in the SUNYAC final, I think we can all agree those sacrifices will be well worth it.  We all want a SUNYAC Championship so bad, but it will not be easy to get. Through sacrifice, sweat, time and hard work, we know we can get there and today is the day where our journey begins. So ladies, let's do what we have been working towards for the past few months. Let's win it for each other, our coaches and our seniors.  It's our seniors last first game today . Think about that for a second and put those feeling into today's game. They have dedicated four years to this team and deserve nothing less than a SUNYAC championship this year. (sorry I'm getting excited!!!!) So let's take it one game at a time because greatness starts today!

If you're in the area we would love to see our cheering fans at Keene State tonight at 6 pm!  If not our mens team has their first home opener tonight at the field house at 7 pm vs. Clarkson so catch that game if you can! The women's team has a busy weekend ahead while we participate in the North Country Classic playing St. Lawrence on Saturday at 3pm in Canton and Clarkson on Sunday at 2 pm in Potsdam! We hope everyone can make it and support the Cardinals! And of course an inspirational video to pump us up for game day!!! Caution: it gave me some chills ;)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBof531vE2g