In addition to varsity soccer, students at St. Edward’s University have the opportunity to participate in and support men’s and women’s club soccer teams on campus. Club sports differ from varsity sports in that they are student run and, for the most part, funded by club members, although these club sports do receive limited funds from the university.

Both Men’s and Women’s Club Soccer play competitively against schools in the Texas Collegiate Soccer League.

Women’s Club Soccer

The women’s club soccer team started off its first season of competitive play with one tie and one loss. Founded in fall 2010 by junior President Shelby Cole, the club practiced together for one academic school year as a probationary organization without competitive play or funding from the school before becoming a recognized organization by the Office of Student Life.

Though the club was active last year, the girls had trouble getting numbers at practice because they didn’t play competitively.

“This year we actually have something to work for. Everyone is kind of in line and ready to make sacrifices,”  said sophomore and team Captain Nicole Wellman.

Women’s club soccer lost their first game 1-3 on Sept. 11 against UT Arlington. Junior Jamie Pierce scored early on to give the Hilltoppers the lead. The team held strong until UT Arlington scored their first goal at the end of the first half. UTA scored two more goals in the second half.

The team traveled to Huntsville to play Sam Houston State on Sept. 16. The game ended in a 1-1 tie.

“We were up 1-0 until the last ten seconds of the game,” Wellman said. “It was really unlucky.”

Junior Nancy Freeman scored the team’s only goal against Sam Houston in the middle of the second half  with a one-touch swing off a cross.

“It was really good placement in the upper 90,” Wellman said. An upper 90 shot describes a ball shot in either of the top two corners of the goal where the posts meet at a 90 degree angle.

“They were good, but they didn’t have as good of skill,” Wellman said of Sam Houston’s play. “We’re still in the early stages of team chemistry and getting used to each other. The game against Sam Houston just shows that we can play together and play well.”

The Hilltoppers were scheduled to play Texas Christian University at home on Sept. 18. Both teams were present, but the referees never showed due to a scheduling conflict and miscommunication. TCU declined St. Edward’s offer to scrimmage despite the missing officials.

Women’s club soccer has five more games scheduled for the season. The team plays two away games next weekend against Texas State and UTSA. Their next home game is against Lamar at 3 p.m. on Oct. 1 on the lower soccer field.

Men’s Club Soccer

Men’s Club Soccer started off the season with two losses and one tie.

The Hilltoppers played their first game against the University of Dallas Sept. 3 on the hilltop. Though the game ended with a final score of 1-2, University of Dallas, the score did not reflect the way the team played overall.

“We hit the crossbar, like, four times,” said senior Ian Benavidez. He attributes the loss to bad finishing.

The Hilltoppers played their second game against Stephen F. Austin in Nacogdoches. The game ended in a tie with no score.

Men’s Club Soccer is working on organizing their defensive line.

“Our defense is makeshift right now…we have a lot of freshmen and we’ve had to move our returning players back. We’re trying to move people around,” Benavidez said.

The team lost 1-4 to Sam Houston on Sept. 17. Men’s Club Soccer President Daniel Lafuente said only five of the regular 11 starters were at the game.

“We had a lot of payers missing due to injuries and other reasons,” Lafuente said. “Did the score reflect the game? Yeah, but it didn’t reflect  the team.”

Despite a rocky start, the team is confident about the rest of the season.

“It is looking good for us in the second half of the season, especially because we play everyone in our conference,” Lafuente said.

The Hilltoppers have six games left in their regular season. At the end of the season, the top two teams from each conference will advance to regionals.

The team plays the University of Houston Sept. 17 at Houston. The next home game is scheduled for Oct. 1 against Lamar at 5 p.m. on the lower soccer field.