The Lady Bisons soccer team continued its successful season with a 3-0 win over East Central University (ECU) on Oct. 10, behind a hat trick from freshman midfielder Bethany Sutherland. The squad, led by six seniors, is tied for 1st in the Great American Conference (GAC) and has not lost since Sept. 6.
Senior midfielder Audrey Adkison said the recent streak of success has been exciting and satisfying after the work they have put in.
“This summer, everyone came in ready to go and we had a great preseason,” Adkison said. “We have a lot of experience, we have great freshmen, and everything has come together.”
Senior defender Larkin Hatcher said she attributes the team’s success to its selfless mentality and desire to win.
“I think it’s our attitudes more than anything,” Hatcher said. “The team wants to win and wants to play for each other, and the last few years we have not always had that.”
The group of six seniors, which, along with Hatcher and Adkison, includes goalkeeper Kaitlyn Miller, defender Ellie Buttram, and midfielders Ashley Sampson and Melissa Minnich, has not won a GAC regular season or tournament title in its tenure. Hatcher said she thinks this is the year that will change.
“We have already reached the goals we set for the season, and we’re only halfway through conference,” Hatcher said. “It’s a great feeling knowing that we’ve worked so hard, and it’s finally our year to actually produce some results.”
Adkison said she knows how important it is to keep improving through the final stretch of the season, which features a home game against GAC co-leader Southwestern Oklahoma State University.
“We have to work every practice to improve, because teams are going to come at us harder the second time around,” Adkison said. “Hopefully we will keep it up and peak at the right time.”
The Lady Bisons look to extend their streak on Oct. 17, at 1 p.m. against Southern Nazarene University in Bethany, Oklahoma.
