For Tiana Ahue and the rest of the women’s club soccer team, catch-up is the name of the game.
“Most of the teams we’re playing are on semester schedules so we are at least a month behind,” she said.
That fact doesn’t bother the senior middle-back from Hawaii. When asked about the outlook for the season, she enthusiastically stated that the team’s chances are bright.
“We have a really good chance of doing really well,” Ahue said. “There’s a bunch of new girls on the team, plus a lot of returners so the mix is nice.”
In fact, the real issue isn’t even the team’s play on the field. It’s the communication off of it.
“Sometimes it’s difficult getting everyone together and to listen, but it’s fun. That’s part of the challenge of playing and coordinating,” she said.
She mildly understated that. Working with more than 15 girls and their schedules is a nightmare, but through the hassle of dealing with practice times and working out departures for the games, it is still soccer.
The team’s focus is entirely on the regional tournament, which starts on Oct. 26 in Arizona. The regional will feature teams from the West Coast, mostly from California, in a 12-team format with the top two receiving bids for the national championship tournament.
Last year at Regionals the club team finished fifth; not bad, but Ahue knew they could’ve done better.
“We had a weird habit of dropping the first game of a tournament and then ending strong, but I hope we can do better this year with that.”
With at least two games left (depending on last-minute drops in games), the women want to build some momentum going into the trip to Arizona, where, with some good play, they can make a push for a bid to Nationals. This is Ahue’s last year on the team, and nothing would be sweeter than a chance to play for a national title.