By Sara Belsole
Nothing hurts more than losing to an unworthy opponent. That is exactly what happened on Oct. 16, 2006, as the lower-ranked Barry Buccaneers defeated the Spartans 1-0. The first, and only, conference loss of the year. Mistakes led to a late first half goal, and even though the Spartans fought hard, they just fell short.
“It was really disappointing,” Senior Katie Callahan said.
“It really opened our eyes because we were undefeated until that point,” Senior Alison Penland added.
We have always had a rivalry with the Buccaneers. A few years ago, they were ranked first in the conference and were the team to beat, as Tampa continued to build their program. But in 2005, the Spartans showed things were changing with a 7-2 demolition of Barry.
“When we beat Barry two years ago, it was one of the best games of our lives,” Callahan said.
But last year, the tables turned yet again. We allowed Barry to believe they were once again superior.
“Why wouldn’t they step up to show that they deserve to be number one?” Penland said.
This year, Barry (ranked seventh in the conference) will face us once again. It is the Homecoming game. It is our time for revenge. We will not lose at home, and we will show the Buccaneers that their win last year was a fluke.
“As a senior, I really want to show Barry what’s what,” Callahan said. “I think we are ready. They are a different team this year, but we know what we need to do.”
For us newcomers, it is our first time facing the Buccaneers. We are well aware of the long history with the Buccaneers and are ready to contribute this year.
“I know this game means a lot to the upper classmen,” Freshman Lauren Hammond said. “I will play my best for the seniors.”
A few things will be different this year. We will be playing a different formation and filling in some spots due to injuries. Our starting center back, Alicia Wyman, will not be playing, which is a huge disadvantage. However, we have many players ready to step up and make a difference. Everyone is ready to bring their A-game and show Barry that we belong at the top.
