Ragin' Cajun Positional Preview Part 3: Midfielders

With the 2017 season upcoming Ragincajuns.com will be doing a positional preview. For this week, the midfielders and forwards will be spotlighted.

LAFAYETTE – The middle of the pitch is where a team's attitude and tempo of the game is set and as things begin to break down it's important to have experienced players there to maintain a team's discipline while crushing a team's spirit by making quick, smart decisions with the ball.

For the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns women's soccer team the midfield is where the team's largest collection of experience sits and with a handful of returning seniors and starters from last year's team, the midfield should be one of the strongest parts of the Cajuns team this season.

Head coach Scot Wieland has several experienced players to choose from when he's putting his starting 11 together for every match, "Quick intelligent decisions, while quickly changing the point of attack, coupled with a strong work ethic is what we want from our midfielders," said Wieland. "To be a center midfielder you need to have a little bit of an attitude which makes it a little different from other positions on the field."

Two key players returning to the mix with the attitude that coach Wieland is looking for are seniors Taylor Kennedy and Cassandra Reyes. Both women were injured last season and missed most the 2016 season, but have returned for this season stronger and biting at the bit to get back out on pitch bringing with them a hunger to get back at it.

"I'm very grateful to be back from my injury," said Kennedy. "You step out on the field and are just excited. In the past, I'd get hard on myself when I would make a mistake and I could be taken out of my game but now just getting out there and having fun is what's most important."

Kennedy brings with her three years of starting experience, with 26 starts and over 2,600 minutes logged in a Cajuns uniform, while Reyes logged 500 minutes in her junior season after transferring from Cerritos College. While at Cerritos she became one of their more experienced midfielders starting 18 games scoring six goals, including a goal during their postseason run in her freshman season.

"Sitting out for a year was weird for me. You'd just be sitting on the sideline or the bleachers and you'd just watch the team from afar," said Reyes. "What was sad was that you're not really involved with the team as much, but this season I've made up for lost time with my teammates and I'm just happy to be getting out there to play soccer again."

The experience doesn't end there with the Cajuns returning senior Haley Boroch, who's put together over 630 minutes during her time here. Coupled with juniors Sarah Kozlowski, Lexi Turner and sophomore Melanie Groves who are all coming back into the fold this season.

"With the midfielders on this team having more experience it helps us adapt to different situations," said Reyes. "And because of that the younger players can look up to us and follow the examples we set on the field."

In just two seasons as a Cajun, Kozlowski has started 30 games putting 2,695 minutes together in a Cajun uniform patrolling the midfield. While Turner herself has started 10 games in her time at Louisiana, logging just over 1,000 minutes. Groves has been a contributor as well starting in five games while piecing together 516 minutes during her freshman season as a Cajun.

"In the center, you're involved with a lot of aspects of the play so we need to be loud communicators," said Kennedy. "We make sure that the entire team is staying together because of the position you play in, making sure that everyone is in their right spot."

Making sure the depth is there throughout the season, coach Wieland went out and added junior transfer Alexis Miller and recruited freshman Ally Busalacchi, who comes across the country from El Cajon, California where she was involved in several deep postseasons runs while leading her high school's defenders in scoring.

Miller, who transfers in from Folsom Lake College, is no stranger to Division 1 level soccer having spent her freshman year at New Mexico State, before transferring out after a season in the Mountain West Conference.

"You're in a position that makes you like the quarterback of the team," said Miller. "You're not just staying in one position, but instead you play everywhere. If you have possession in the midfield then you have possession of the whole game. And the attitude of playing strong and going into each game with the strength you need just brings a whole bunch of energy to the team."

While at Folsom Lake College she recorded eight goals along with adding 10 assists and brings with her the experience, attitude and composure playing in the midfield that coach Wieland is looking for in all his midfielders.

"It's important that when our midfielders get the ball from our defenders or wingbacks going forward, that they have the composure to not just turn and dribble but instead to relax and switch the field," said Wieland. "The key for them is to quickly move the ball and keep the team's tempo up, while adjusting to anything that comes their way, since things can switch quickly on the soccer field."

With such an important part of the pitch being patrolled by experienced Cajuns, the attitude and composure that coach Wieland is looking for is in the capable hands of solid players who will bring with them a strong presence and hunger to be a factor throughout the 2017 season.

"It's important to have someone who can take control of the game to keep the momentum going," said Miller. "I think that because we're older, stronger and more confident in our midfield we will be successful this season."

Ragin' Cajun Positional Preview Part 3: Midfielders

Players Mentioned

Haley Boroch

Ally Busalacchi

Melanie Groves

Taylor Kennedy

Sarah Kozlowski

Alexis Miller

Cassandra Reyes

Lexi Turner

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