By Carly Klingensmith

With a 4-1-1 record, the Macalester women’s soccer team has started the 2009 season off with a bang. The Scots are ranked 16th in the Adidas/NSCAA Divison III Women’s Soccer National poll. Their victories were against Luther, St. Scholastica, Wisconsin-Platteville, and Loras. Although the team lost a heartbreaker this past Wednesday to Concordia College, one of the top teams in the conference, the Scots remain optimistic in their outlook of the season.

Captain Kelsey Speer ’10 expressed satisfaction with the play of the team thus far.

“We are all incredibly excited with the way that the season has started out this year,” Speer said. “It has definitely been a joint-effort between a strong freshman class and returners coming back and playing better than I’ve ever seen them.”

Coach John Leaney has high hopes for this team as well, and has set a few goals for the season.

“We want to keep winning every game,” Leaney said. “We want to continue to be the only team that has made every conference playoff. I am an old fashioned coach so winning the conference is very important to me. An ultimate goal would be a place at Nationals.”

One particularly exciting moment of the season thus far was tying 11th ranked Wartburg 1-1.

“Scoring first was a huge confidence booster for us,” captain Maddie Mette ’10 said. “We could have beat them, it was a tough game.”

This season seems to be shaping up differently from previous seasons for a variety of reasons. Coach Leaney attributed the somewhat disappointing outcome (a first round MIAC playoff loss) of last season in part to injuries.

“Last year our hopes were high, but dashed straight away when [ All-American] Grace King ’09 tore her ACL,” Leaney said.

Captain Maddy Cochrane ’10 also believes that this year the team is more cohesive and has a new, more positive attitude.

“I think what defines this season from others is our revitalized positive attitude as well as a great freshman class and many upperclassman who worked hard training all summer, all of which are contributing to our increased fitness and excitement for the game,” Cochran said.

With five seniors leading the way, the team also saw a large influx of freshmen. With the new additions, Leaney expressed his excitement about the future growth of the soccer program.

“We have 18 freshmen,” Leaney said. “The program has a great future based on this class. Three are contributing significantly so far either by starting or coming straight off the bench.”

In the upcoming weeks, the women are facing some of the top teams in the MIAC including Augsburg and Carleton. Leaney believes it will be a tough schedule.

“Augsburg and Carleton are rivals for the conference championship so we don’t really get a break in the upcoming weeks.” Leaney said.

But Cochrane is confident that Macalester can handle the competition.

“Honestly if we play to the best of our ability I think we should win all of those games,” said Cochrane.

Macalester’s next home game is Sept. 22 versus St. Marys. Also notable, is the Scots Kick Cancer game on Oct. 9 against Wisconsin versus River Falls.