Despite the recent four-game slide for the Massachusetts women’s soccer team, Therese Smith is having the hot foot for the Minutewomen. Smith has a goal in each of the team’s last three contests.
The senior midfielder leads the team in offense with 10 points on four goals and two assists. She started all nine games for UMass and has taken 32 of the team’s 137 shots. Her four goals account for 25 percent of the Minutewomen goals scored this season.
Smith’s hot streak began in Rochester against Oakland when she evened the score at two in the 67th minute. UMass lost the lead and the game in the 82nd minute. Against Brown, Smith would connect for two scores off the help of senior Ashley Hamel. UMass lost the game, 3-2, with Smith scoring in the 21st minute and again in the 39th minute.
Her fourth goal came against Harvard on Sunday when she opened the scoring for UMass in the 17th minute from 20 yards out. She was assisted by Hamel once again. The senior has taken 32 shots so far, with half of them being on target. Smith is averaging 3.56 shots a game with a .500 shots on goal percentage and 1.11 points per game.
UMass struggles in preseason
UMass is struggling recently after dropping its last four matches and putting its record at 3-6-0 midway through the season. The Minutewomen dropped their most recent match to Harvard, 3-2.
After a 1-3 record on their latest road trip, UMass coach Ed Matz and his team were enthusiastic to play on their own turf at Rudd Field on Sunday. Unfortunately for the Maroon and White, it did not get back on the winning side against its final non-conference opponent of the season.
The four-game slide includes losses to Michigan, Oakland, Brown and Harvard. UMass has been outscored, 14-6, over the losing-streak and lost to the Golden Grizzlies and Brown Bears in the final minutes of the contest.
“We should be winning games if the offense is able to put two goals up on the scoreboard,” Matz said. “We need to do a better job on defense and finishing games.”
The Minutewomen have been outplayed in all categories being outshot 69-48 and beat in corner kick attempts 24-12. Fouls have plagued UMass as they have committed 43 over four games while the opposition has 28.
Conference schedule begins
UMass will begin its Atlantic 10 conference schedule on Friday against Charlotte at Rudd Field. The Minutewomen play four of their nine conference games at home, including this Sunday against Saint Louis, then Temple on Oct. 22 and Saint Joseph’s on Oct. 24.
UMass went 5-6-0 in 2009. The team was outscored, 22-12, in 11 contests and outshot, 194-104.
Sophomore Emily Cota will look to improve on last season when she gave up a pair of goals a game. The goalkeeper had 75 saves in 2009.
The Minutewomen look to begin the conference schedule of 2010 on the right foot. Charlotte and Saint Louis blanked UMass, 4-0, last season.
Michael Counos can be reached at [email protected].
