The third of four 2013 Creighton women’s soccer previews focuses on the back four. Read all the previews here.
The defensive area of the field is where the Bluejays must see the most improvement over last season if Bruce Erickson’s squad hopes to be successful in 2013. In 2012, Creighton allowed 13 of their 31 goals (42%) in the final 10 minutes of halves. Combine that with the fact that they only scored three of their 18 goals (17%) in that time frame, and it becomes pretty clear why the team struggled to win games where they appeared to be outplaying their opponent for the majority of the time.
The coaching staff must incorporate nearly an entirely new defensive unit in 2013, adding to the challenge of improving on last season’s play in the back line. 2012 seniors Gabriela Guillen and Katie Murphy graduated, and two-year starter Madelyn Buckner is moving up to the midfield. The Bluejays will also replace senior goalkeeper Katie Jo Swanson, who played every possible minute in goal last season, with true freshman Danielle Rice (we’ll preview the goalkeeping situation tomorrow).
The only two returnees to the back four from the 2012 squad are sophomore Jill Richgels and senior Kelsey O’Donnell. Richgels earn an MVC All-Freshman nod last season playing opposite Guillen as a right back. She led the team in assists (3) and finished second in points (7) behind senior Brittney Neumann. She was also the team’s primary option to deliver the ball on corner kicks. This year, Richgels will move over to the left side, and with 19 games (18 starts) under her belt she has the most experience at this level of any of the possible options back there.
O’Donnell is a redshirt senior who transferred to Creighton in 2011 after two seasons at Sacramento State. She played most of the 2012 season as a forward, scoring two goals in the process, but due to her size and ability to win balls the coaching staff moved her to center back late last season and thus began the transition of turning that into her full-time position in the spring and fall.
While admitting that it’s still a work in progress, all parties involved have been encouraged by what they’ve seen so far from O’Donnell during the switch.
“She’s still inexperience back there, but I think she’s a very good soccer player and has a good understanding (of the game),” said Erickson. “We’re on her every day to be that main organizer back there and to direct.”
A team co-captain for the second consecutive season, the fifth-year senior feels better in her new role with each passing day.
“I’m getting more comfortable, just with communication and building chemistry with the girls that are playing around me,” said O’Donnell.
The other two projected starters are both true freshman. In the middle playing next to O’Donnell will be Ylenia Sachau, a strong, physical defender out of Germany. Gretna native Emily Roll will start at right back to begin the season. The two have received high praise for their ability and work ethic in the early going.
“[Ylenia] is very composed,” said Erickson. “I think she’s still working on being vocal. There isn’t a language barrier; it’s more about feeling comfortable enough to organize people. The more comfortable and experienced she gets playing with us the better she’s going to be. It’s very, very noticeable even just in these first two weeks.”
Roll, one of just three players from Nebraska on the roster, will be playing the role Richgels handled last season. With Richgels nursing an injury in the preseason, Roll handled the corner kicks in each of the team’s scrimmages. She appears to be a very important key to this team’s outlook, even despite her age,
“[Roll] came in and really set the standard from a fitness standpoint,” said Erickson. “She brings us as much experience back there even as a freshman. She’s one of the major pieces back there.”
In the reserves roles will be sophomore Maddie Trebesch and freshman Grace Cabri. Both figure to be center backs and will spell O’Donnell and Sachau when called upon. Physically, they aren’t any different from the two starters they are behind. Another sophomore, Kyla Booker, helped out in the back during the preseason, but she expects to be back up in her usual center forward position as she works her way back from illness.
According to coach Erickson this is one of the better back lines he’s had at Creighton in a few years. They’ll need to be in order deal with challenges most of the teams in the Big East will present later in the season.