North Carolina State University Athletics
Women's Soccer Hosting Chinese National Team in Exhibition
8/9/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Aug. 9, 2010
RALEIGH, N.C. - The NC State women's soccer team is scheduled to host the under-18 Chinese National Team in an exhibition game Tuesday night at Dail Soccer Field at 7 p.m
Admission is free and parking is available in the parking deck across the street from Cates Avenue.
The game will be a nice conclusion to the opening week of a busy preseason schedule that started last Tuesday with physicals and team meetings.
The Wolfpack got its training officially underway bright and early Wednesday with the annual fitness test that was conducted on NC State's Derr Track.
The results were very positive for head coach Steve Springthorpe, who begins his second campaign in Raleigh.
"To have, give our take, 80-percent of our healthy players pass the test was much improved over last year, so that means were in a better place.
"Im happy with how the team has looked coming out of the summer. We've had the majority of our team here (on campus) for summer school.
"I think the summer workouts accomplished the task of getting them ready. So early in preseason we seem to be at a higher, better fitness level then we were last year."
The coaching staff has many new faces on board this season. Springthorpe described them as an "army" during Saturday's team photo day.
"The freshman have come in and played extremely well. Anytime your bringing in 11 new players, you wonder who will fit wear, who is going to be ready. The majority of them were ready to go and have made an impression on the coaching staff early on."
And lets not forget the returning corps that features the three top scorers that combined for nearly 60-percent of the Pack's points in 2009.
ACC All-Freshman team member Kara Blosser (20 points) led the club last year with nine goals and figures to be right back in the attacking mindset again from her midfield position.
Up front will be junior Tanya Cain (11 points) who added four goals a year ago.
One major change to the club a week into preseason is the position swap of junior Paige Dugal. NC State's second-leading scorer last year with 19 points and eight goals has been moved to the back line with the graduation of defensive stalwart Katie Ruiz.
"Playing her as a back increases our chances of success," added Springthorpe.
With that change it will be crucial to find a way to replace the scoring chances Dugal has provided over her first two seasons.
"Whether its through a freshman, or whether its through Tanya scoring a few more goals...maybe Blosser adds to her nine and a freshman scores seven or eight goals," explained Springthorpe. "I think we have more attacking options than we did last year."
Normal fatigue has also crept into the team. Something that isn't uncommon with the extremely short time-frame coaches are working with to get ready for the season.
A few strains and bruises have cropped up, but its something Springthorpe is used too and hopes his players will be able to fight through normal soreness during pre-season training.
"We just have to build ourselves back into a healthy mode for the (season opener) 20th, thats the plan at least to be fit for the opening game and have an understanding of how we want to play."
The first chance to see the style of play that Springthorpe's bunch has to offer will be Tuesday night in the aforementioned exhibition.
"An exhibition is a time to give everyone an opportunity to play and showcase themselves. Put them in an environment that's a little more competitive than practice.
"We'll play different formations. Play different people in different place and see what we can put together."
