Katelyn Clooney
Staff Writer
Springfield College women’s soccer recently battled MIT, which was ranked No. 1 in New England and No. 13 in the nation. During the game’s 18th minute, Krissy Cicalis scored her first goal of the season. It could not have come at a better time, as the Pride won the match 1-0. The sophomore midfielder is looking to continue to have an impact on the team. After four straight games on the road, the Pride will host Babson on Sat., October 5. Springfield College will enter that game as one of the top 25 teams in the country. They are currently ranked No. 24 in the NSCAA National Rankings, following Cicalis’ game winning goal this past Saturday.
The team had a huge win on Saturday against No. 13 MIT. How much confidence did that provide for the team?
We all knew it was a big game going into it and coming out with a win really proved to us that we can compete with some of the best. I think it gave the team a huge confidence boost, which will hopefully carry over throughout the rest of our season.
You also scored the only goal of the game, your first of the season. How great did that feel?
It was an awesome feeling. I always try to contribute my best in each game and scoring the only goal made me proud to have made such an important impact in the game.
As a sophomore, what are your goals this season as a player?
As a sophomore, I want to make sure I am fulfilling my current roles on the team to the best of my abilities. My goal is to become a more important contributor to the team.
The team is now 6-2 and undefeated in the NEWMAC. How do you envision the rest of the season playing out?
I believe we have so much potential to do great things this season. Our team goals are to win NEWMACs again and get past the first round of NCAAs.
The Springfield College men’s soccer team has won its last three games. During their current winning streak, Danny Amato has been dominant offensively. Amato scored three times in the Pride’s last two games, including the game-winner Tuesday night against a very strong Western New England team. Amato, a midfielder, currently leads the team in both goals and points. Despite his success so far this season, Amato says he would like to continue to improve and become more disciplined defensively. The senior would also like to win the NEWMAC Tournament during his final season at Springfield. The Pride, 7-2, will resume conference play as Clark visits Springfield on Sat., October 5.
After a 7-2 start, what are the team’s goals this season?
The team’s goals have remained the same throughout the entire season. No matter what our record is, our main goal is to improve every day. Whether that means winning one more game or winning the NEWMAC Tournament, we pride ourselves in never settling for what we did today when we could get better for tomorrow.
The team is 3-0 at home. After three road games, are you excited to play in Springfield again? Do you feel there is a home-field advantage?
Playing on our home field is a great feeling, and I am very excited to get back out there. Doing our pregame chant in front of all of our fans certainly gives us an edge on the competition and lets them know that they are not in Kansas anymore.
As a senior, what would you like to accomplish this season?
As a senior, I would like to make a run in the NCAA Tournament. It feels like forever since we won the NEWMAC Tournament in 2011 and I would really like to get back there.
What do you think your role on the team is this year?
I think that my role on the team this year is to be disciplined on defense while being a constant offensive threat. As a leader on the team, I also feel that one of my roles is to support my teammates on and off the field.