Soccer finishes disappointing season
Nathan Humpherys
Soccer head coach Andrew Guarneri said he’d be lying if he didn’t admit that this year’s soccer season has been a disappointment.Guarneri is the head coach of both the women’s and men’s soccer teams. According to the MCC Athletics website, men’s soccer has won one game and lost 13 so far this season.
Women’s soccer has had four wins, nine losses, and one tie.
It was difficult to get the players to gel together and acclimated to the new staff because the staff wasn’t brought on until shortly before the season’s start, Guarneri said, adding that many players weren’t prepared for the season when he took over.
Despite the disappointing record, David Belfort, first year assistant men’s coach, said that there has been significant growth on the team, with players choosing to do the right things both on and off the field.
Belfort has seen the freshmen develop into players who will significantly contribute to next year’s season, which he said is encouraging, along with the fact that other team members who will not return to MCC next year are being looked at by universities.
Sports Information Director Todd Bolser said, the women’s soccer team has done a good job of coming together and supporting each other, has a number of standout players, and that recently both teams have been playing well.
Kayla Szeliga, a womens soccer player for MCC, was named Arizona Community College Athletic Conference Player of the Week, for the week ending on Oct. 12.
Bolser also praised Guarneri’s record as a coach, especially at his past position at Chandler-Gilbert Community College, and expressed high hopes for next year’s soccer teams, when Guarneri is able to have more time to construct and train his teams.
Both Belfort and Guarneri said they will be placing an emphasis on preparation for next years teams, making sure that all their players work hard on and off the field, are in shape, and able to walk on the field and play competitively whenever they’re needed.
For the rest of this season, the coaching staff and players are determined to make the most of it.
