In their first year of Division I competition, the Fighting Sioux soccer team has a hectic 18-game schedule, which includes 12 matches with Division I opponents and 14 away matches. This season, FightingSioux.com will feature a blog by captain Lara Traczyk that provides insight on life on the road as a UND student-athlete, as well as give readers a first-hand look at he opponents the Fighting Sioux face. The following is Lara's most recent entry:
It was 2:45 a.m. Thursday morning and my alarm was already going off. The bus left at 3:15 a.m. from the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center and our trip to Buffalo, N.Y., had begun. After an hour bus ride to Fargo and a two hour layover in Chicago, we arrived at our hotel in “the sprinter”, a huge over-sized van, at around one o'clock. The vans we rented were big enough for Erin Pederson (our six foot goal keeper) to stand up in without hitting her head.
The first thing we all wanted to do when we checked in was take a nap. And I guess the goalies, who were all rooming together, forgot to set an alarm because they almost slept through dinner! The whole week we were there was rainy and humid, but that didn't stop us from having a good time. Our first game was on Friday and we beat Drexel 1-0. It wasn't necessarily the best or the prettiest soccer we've played, but we kept our edge over the other team and came out with the win. Lauren Sera saved us on numerous occasions.
We weren't as lucky in our second game against Niagara, which beat us 2-0. They weren't a better team by any means but they capitalized on our mistakes and scored the two goals.
After spending four days in a hotel, playing two games and practicing once we took a break Monday and toured Niagara Falls. We went on the “Maid of the Mist”, a thrilling boat that brings you right into the falls. We were one big group all struggling to keep our blue ponchos from flying over our heads and getting wet. It was quite the experience and we have many pictures and memories to bring back with us.
We played our last game of the road trip on Tuesday against Canisius. This game might have been one of our most frustrating. After the first half, we were up 1-0 and were finally playing like we've been practicing. Our mood changed in the second half as they scored two goals to take the lead. We dug ourselves a hole we couldn't get out of.
This past week has been the longest road trip any of us have been on but it was all worth it. We learned a lot about our team on and off the field and grew closer. Soccer aside, some highlights for me were watching Sarah Thaden do her “berries and cream” dance, tasting some of the best cheesecake ever at The Cheesecake Factory, seeing my friends and family from back home in Ontario, laughing at Sarah Penner with all her random comments and watching Alex Zarling annoy our athletic trainer to no end.
