Off the Field with Brooks and McKinsey
Sept. 15, 2005
September 13, 2005<?xml:namespace prefix=”o” ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office”?>
Well, we survived our first road trip of the season. We left Thursday around lunch and didn’t return until 1:30 a.m. Monday morning. This is a typical time frame for most of our weekend trips. Upon arriving in <?xml:namespace prefix=”st1″ ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags”?>Indiana, we went to the Indiana Women’s Soccer team’s practice field for a lite practice to shake our legs out from the plane trip. The field we practiced on was rock hard and very, very bumpy. We realized how lucky we are to have a wonderful practice/game field at the University of Miami. After practice we went to dinner and then to the hotel to check in. Friday morning we ate breakfast and went to the main campus at the University of Indiana for practice. We did some juggling and team games on the Men’s Soccer team’s field, which is a lot nicer than the Women’s and also on campus! After practice we went back to the hotel to shower and then to lunch and the mall. They keep us busy on game days to keep us from lying around the hotel and sleeping the whole day. Our game Friday night was a very hard fought game and the team played well. Kristen Chapman scored her first goal of the season off a corner kick and Tessa Lennala finished off the scoring for the night with scrappy goal off another corner kick.
Saturday we had a more relaxing day to get some studying done and to enjoy all of the great football games on TV. We had another lite practice to stretch our legs out and then went to lunch at Panera, a team favorite!!! We had the whole afternoon off and I was able to get some much needed studying done and watch Notre Dame upset Michigan in Football. Saturday evening we had team dinner and mandatory ice baths in our rooms and then watched more college football. Angie, our trainer, made us fill our bath tubs up with ice and water and sit in the tub for 10 minutes to help get some of the aches and pains out of our legs and to help them recover. Ice baths are the best!!!
Sunday we got an early start on the day because our game was at 11 a.m. We left for the field at 9:45 a.m. packed and ready to go home. We lost to the No. 18 team in the country, Marquette. The disappointing thing about this game was that we didn’t play very well and still took them to overtime. We struggled to get a rhythm and to get everyone involved in the game. We had plenty of scoring opportunities but could just not put our chances away. Lauren McAdam made some stellar saves to keep us in the game. McAdam, Kristen Chapman and Paulelett Ricks-Chambers were voted to the All-Tournament Team. We finished 2nd in the tournament behind Marquette.
After getting back very late Sunday, I got a few hours of sleep and then had 8 a.m. class Monday morning. Monday is my longest day with my classes going until 9:30 p.m. Tuesday we didn’t have practice to allow us to get some school work done and to get prepared for the end of the week. We have a very busy end of the week with a game versus FIU on Wednesday, and then traveling Thursday for our game Friday versus Auburn, and traveling Saturday for Sunday’s game versus South Carolina.
Stay tuned for updates next week after another busy week in the life of Miami Soccer.
September 13, 2005
I feel incredibly lucky to stop and get a break to write up a journal because my life has been non-stop this last week. I’ve had jam packed days of school, practices or games, study hall hours, and staying up to the wee hours of the morning working on papers that I probably procrastinated on, but at least they’re done.
After our big win against Princeton last week, we practiced Monday, had Tuesday off and practiced Wednesday.
Thursday was the day I had been looking forward to since the season started because it was my first away game. We traveled to Indiana to play in the Hoosier Classic against IndianaUniversity and Marquette. We faced IU on Friday and beat them 2-1, making our record 4-1. It was great to beat a team on their home field, furthermore it was their first home game and our first away game.
On Saturday we had a practice to keep our legs loose and got some study hall hours out of the way. On Sunday we played Marquette and unfortunately lost 1-0 in overtime. It was an extremely upsetting loss because they were a ranked team that we were just as good as if not better than them.
The loss made the travel home a bit miserable, but just like any loss we have until midnight to dwell and then we need to focus on improving and the next practice or game.
I finally arrived in my dorm at around 2:30 a.m. and finally got in bed at 3 p.m.
Overall the tournament was a new and fun experience but I found myself getting a little homesick while we were on the road, and no not homesick for Miami but I really missed California and my friends and family. I realized this was the first time I’d traveled with a new soccer team in about seven years because I’ve always been with my club. The girls made the transition extremely easy because they were so open and accepting. Off the field I had a great time hanging out with them at night and getting know them all a little better.
Tomorrow we face FIU, a team we beat last year and a team we will beat this year. I’m excited to play because it’s a night game and I get rush playing under the lights. Anyway, I hope to see you out there cheering for us because FIU is only a few miles away!
