The Nicholls women’s soccer team heads into the 2013 season looking to improve on their five-win campaign in 2012.
This season, the women’s soccer team will play a record of 11 home games where they will look to improve on their record in Thibodaux since their one-game win as the host team.
Coach Dylan Harrison, entering his fifth year as Nicholls head coach, believes that the team’s depth will play a vital role in the Colonels being tougher to beat at home.
“I think one of the big things that has improved is our depth, not just having numbers but having the quality so even when we make changes, substitutions or anything like that, we are making change and influence the game,” Harrison said. “We expect them to come in and make an impact. It’s going to be something exciting because it’s a long season. Games are long as well. So to have somebody come in that’s fresh that we know can make an impact late in games is going to hopefully put us on the good side.”
The Colonels add eight freshmen to a strong returning core of players that includes 16 upperclassmen.  Also returning are joint-top scorers senior Annie Newell and sophomore Spencer Valdespino who both found the back of the net five times last season.
Valdespino, who was selected first team All-Louisiana and honorable mention All-Southland Conference, has put in time over the summer to improve on her goal tally in the upcoming season.
“I only scored five goals because they were mostly outside of the 18-yard box. I could have had more if I practiced on my 1-v-1s because last year I missed a lot of those,” Valdespino said, “So, this summer I practiced, just me, open net, in the 18-yard-box, so hopefully I can score more if I get those down pat.”
Heading into a fresh season, expectations are high for the Colonels who intend to make a strong push for more wins in the Southland Conference.
“I think my expectations are the same as a lot of the players, to come in and compete,” Harrison said. “A big one for us is that we really have an opportunity to do well in the conference and that’s where a lot of our goals are, is in the conference. Winning some conference games and giving us a chance towards the end of the year to make it in the conference tournament.”
The Colonels open their season with home games against Southern on the 23rd and South Alabama on the 25th this month.