Experience leads Skyhawks into 2021 season
WEST POINT, Ga. (Aug. 25, 2021) – Led by the return of all 11 starters from last year's squad, the Point University women's soccer team kicks off their 2021 campaign Thursday at home against Faulkner at 5 p.m.
Entering his 21st year at the program's helm, head coach Randy Douglas believes that consistency and play execution will help his team's position come postseason.
"I know this team will play hard for each other and they are in a position to be very busy in November if we can be consistent," said Douglas.
Upperclassmen leadership returns
With all eleven starters from last season returning, Douglas says that the team feels they have unfinished business and are looking for redemption this season.
Kelly Carlisle headlines the 11 starters from last year's squad as she enters her senior year at Point. Carlisle was the only Skyhawk to earn Appalachian Athletic Conference All-Conference recognition last season, as her efforts earned her a spot on the All-AAC second team. Carlisle started and played in all eleven games at forward for the Skyhawks during the 2020-21 season and had a team-high of five goals.
Also returning with Carlisle at forward is senior Keiry Bonilla and sophomore Tamia Jones. Bonilla led the team, along with fellow senior Carmen Kager, in assists with four apiece. Bonilla took a team-high of 34 shots with 20 on goal last season.
Jones helped the Skyhawks to two of their victories this season by scoring the game-winning goal twice. Both of Jones' game-winning goals came in back-to-back games, the first against Columbia International in the late minutes of the second half, and the second goal came against AAC foe Tennessee Wesleyan in the opening minutes of overtime.
The Skyhawks also return all three of their captains from last season in Vanessa Lara, Nathaly Villalobos and Josseline Rodriguez. Douglas describes all three of his captains as steady and reliable players.
Leading the Skyhawks' defensive front will be senior Jasmine Mathis, who Douglas believes has the ability to be an All-Conference recipient. Douglas adds that the incoming class has a lot of potential to come in and contribute heavily to the program.
A look at last season
Last season, the Skyhawks finished in 10th in the AAC with an overall record of 4-7-1 and an AAC record of 4-5-1. In October, Point had a four-game win streak and finished the month 4-2 with wins over Bluefield (2-0), Brenau (1-0), CIU (2-1) and Tennessee Wesleyan (2-1).
Due to the heavy presence of the COVID-19 pandemic last season, Point played a conference-only schedule and only the top four teams in the AAC advanced to the conference tournament. Point competed in two nonconference matches in the spring of 2021.
According to the AAC Coaches' Preseason Poll, Point is projected to finish the 2021 season 10th in the conference. "Preseason polls either put a target on you or motivate you," said Douglas. "No one is going to target a team picked 10th, so we will use it for motivation and look to improve each day and each match."
On the schedule this season
With a return to a more normal schedule this season, Douglas feels that the team has been able to bond in ways that the restrictions of last season made it difficult to do.
"We were able to take a few days and have a retreat at a Bible camp in Alabama and I really feel that the team began to bond that weekend," Douglas says. "Last year, it was really strange watching players come in from different directions and basically, the only time they saw each other was on the practice field. It's very difficult to have a team play together as one when they can't be together away from the field."
The Skyhawks will play 18 games this season with 10 at home, eight on the road and 14 conference matchups. Point's four nonconference opponents include Faulkner, Middle Georgia State, Thomas and Georgia Gwinnett. The Skyhawks will kick off AAC action on Sunday, Sept. 12 at St. Andrews and their first home conference matchup will be on Saturday, Sept. 18, against Milligan. Point's most notable conference matchups inside River Bowl Stadium this season will be against AAC in-state rivals Brenau on Oct. 6, Montreat on Oct. 16 and CIU on Oct. 20.
The Skyhawks face a tough road schedule this season, as they travel to face No. 23 Reinhardt and Truett McConnell, who received votes in the 2021-22 NAIA Women's Soccer Coaches' Top 25 Preseason Poll. They will also travel to play Tennessee Wesleyan on Sept. 22.
"We are going to see five teams that made the NAIA national tournament this past spring (Middle Georgia, Thomas, GGC, Reinhardt, and Truett), including two teams from our own conference," said Douglas. "We will look forward to playing everyone, but the in-state conference matches always have special meaning."
Attendance and streaming
Fans are allowed to attend all home games this season. All games will be streamed live, and live stats will be available.