By Dylan Lux / The Jambar
To kick off the spring season, the Youngstown State University women’s soccer team found itself back in action for a matchup against Point Park University on March 21.
The game against the Pioneers was the first of five spring games the women’s soccer team will compete in — including a matchup with Power Five opponent, the University of Pittsburgh.
Youngstown State hired Rich Wall as the next head coach of the women’s soccer program in early January. The 2023 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference West Coach of the Year has coaching time in the American Athletic Conference, Mid-American Conference and Sun Belt Conference.
Wall said the spring games are helpful for him as a new coach to learn about his team and understand the strategy he wants to implement.
“We’re learning a little bit about what we can do from a tactical standpoint, and really where the pieces fit together,” Wall said. “[Finding out] how deep we are and the overall cohesion and quality of the team.”
In the match against Point Park, the Penguins scored three first-half goals from freshman Teagan Wahle, as well as sophomores Kailey O’Brien and Eva Sunjevaric.
The Penguins only allowed one Pioneer goal in the contest, and it came near the end of the first half.
The score would remain 3-1 until the 85th minute, when junior Chloe Weiland found the back of the net off an assist from junior Marissa Masano.
Two minutes later, freshman Hannah Wahib scored a goal to make the score 5-1 in the 87th minute.
To wrap up the scoring, junior Taylor Berry got one past the goalkeeper in the 88th minute to finish the game at 6-1 in favor of the ’Guins.
Coming into the matchup, Wall said he wanted to build up both mental and physical strength in his new Penguin squad.
“We’re trying to build a DNA of resilience and high pressing from a defensive standpoint,” Wall said. “It generated at least one of our goals today.”
There were also elements to YSU’s game plan that Wall was trying to understand and implement ahead of the fall season.
“We’re also trying to develop a progressive possession attack,” Wall said. “We want to get better in the counter attack — faster striking, more decisive in our movements and in our decisions.”
As for the long-term goal with his new squad, Wall said he just wants the team to “keep getting better.”
The ’Guins will go on the road for their next spring game, as they’ll head to Pittsburgh to play the Panthers at 6 p.m. March 29.
