Published: October 29, 2007 11:28 pm      

After 6-win season, Cougar women optimistic of future

Mountain State University’s rollercoaster of a first women’s soccer season hit its high 19 minutes into its match Friday against Asbury.

The Cougars, beaten 6-0 by the Eagles in a previous meeting, took a 1-0 lead on an Erica Alderman goal in the opening game of the KIAC Tournament.

“We were able to take it to them and we scored first,” coach Kelly Borck said. “The look on Asbury’s faces was absolutely priceless.”

While the Cougars did fall 2-1 in double-overtime to the eventual champions, the season-ending loss could not curb their high spirits.

“It wasn’t a ‘loss’ for us,” Borck said. “It was a win to score first, and seeing how we had improved was a big deal for us.”

MSU (6-10), playing its first season of collegiate soccer, opened the campaign with six consecutive losses.

Undeterred, the Cougars rebounded to capture its next six matches.

“Teams always underestimated us,” Borck said. “That was a big motivator for us to take it to them.”

The team began to jell, particularly after it was joined about a third of the way through the season by Manuela Acosta from Bogota, Columbia.

“Manuela’s capabilities and work ethic really helped us out,” Borck said. “She and Paige Butcher supported Erica in the finishing chances we had. She was a huge addition.”

Alderman, a sparkplug freshman from Woodrow Wilson High School, scored 22 of the Cougars’ 27 goals.

“Erica has come a long way,” Borck said. “She began to mature as a player as a person.

Alderman, goalkeeper Christina Baker and midfielder-defender Jessica Hupp earned all-KIAC first team honors.

Butcher and Acosta are on the second team.

A 3-1 victory over Bluefield College Oct. 10 gave Borck a personal goal she’d been shooting for — one more win than the men’s team had recorded last year in their first season.

“The girls wanted it as bad as I did to prove a point,” Borck said.

MSU hit a tough stretch following the six wins, dropping its final three regular season matches.

That made it important to finish on a high note in the KIAC tournament.

“We went into the game with Asbury knowing we had absolutely nothing to lose, and (with an) opportunity to show we’d improved,” Borck said. “I don’t think I had ever seen the girls as excited for a game as they were for that one.”

The entire team will return next season, and Borck is looking to recruit at least 10 more players.

The future looks bright for the Cougars.

“The girls say they want to finish at least second (place) in the conference,” Borck said. “That’s a big goal since they’re adding two schools (Cincinnati Christian and Midway College).”