The 2022 season for Texas State women’s soccer came to an abrupt end after a 0-1 loss to James Madison University on Nov. 4. The teams competed in the first round of the Sun Belt Tournament in Foley, Alabama, and after the game that ended the Bobcat season, James Madison went on to place second in the tournament.
Senior defender and captain Kamaria Williams said that the season as a whole was successful despite the heartbreaking end.
“We had a really good winning season and it’s been better than it has been previously,” Williams said. “[The loss] was disappointing. It was sad because that was for sure my last game, but it was a bittersweet moment. All the seniors, we were crying but we were also laughing at the same time, we really didn’t know how to feel toward the end of the game.”
Several Bobcats had individual successes this season. Madi Goss, a sophomore midfielder, lead the team in goals, scoring nine total, and graduate defender Juana Plata led the team in assists with five. Sophomore goalkeeper Katelyn Chrisman had 57 saves.
Head coach Steve Holeman said that the team wanted to have an identity throughout the season as the most hardworking team, and he believes the players accomplished that.
“We have an incredibly hardworking team. They’re committed, they’re passionate about the game, they want to win and — starting from day one in preseason — they came in super fit which is a reflection of all the hard work that they did over the summer to prepare for preseason,” Holeman said.
The returning players are already reminiscent of their last year with the seniors, but they anticipate what is next for them after seeing how well they did in 2022.
“I feel like this year was probably our best year chemistry wise and I feel like our team was really good this year so I’m definitely going to miss the seniors,” Goss said. “But I’m looking forward to seeing what the incoming players can bring and then also just seeing how we all find a new chemistry for the team because obviously, it’s going to be different, but just seeing how we’ll do next year.”
The team has begun to put in work to ensure that its 2023 season is an accomplished one. The Bobcats have workout routines ready and the players are preparing themselves mentally for next year.
Junior midfielder Wimberly Wright said keeping a positive energy for the team is a key to past and future success.
“Keeping your composure, keeping the positive energy for everyone else playing, I say that’s a large part. If everyone can get into the same mindset, we would benefit a lot,” Wright said.
This was Holeman’s first season coaching the Bobcats, and the team had five more total wins than it did the previous year.
Holeman brought 27 years of experience to the Texas State soccer program. Since joining the program in March, Holeman has dedicated a lot of time to ensuring that the relationships between the players were strong on and off the field so the team was successful.
“I feel like a lot came from [coach Holeman] coming in,” Williams said. “I feel like [he] implemented the chemistry a lot better, kind of forced us in a way to be more involved with one another and just getting to know each other…When [Holeman] first got here he made us do a lot of games, so I feel like [the games] definitely improved a lot of the stuff off the field and on the field.”
The efforts made by the players and coaches garnered a historical season for the program. The Bobcats will be in season again during the fall 2023 semester.
Players, coach Holeman reflect on winning season
Ashton Knight, Sports Contributor
December 1, 2022
Texas State junior forward Olivia Wright (20) dribbles the ball past a Huskies defender in a game against Houston Baptist, Sunday, August 28, 2022, at Bobcat Soccer Complex. The Bobcats won 2-1.
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