Pirates Host VCU In Preseason Scrimmage Tuesday
August 06, 2018 | Soccer
GREENVILLE, N.C. – After just a week on campus, the ECU soccer team will take the field for the first time in 2018 as the Pirates welcome VCU to Johnson Stadium. The two teams will square off in an exhibition match on Tuesday night at 6:00 p.m.
ÂThe Pirates came together for the first time when they reported to campus on July 31. Head coach Jason Hamilton and his staff held their first team meeting on Tuesday night in advance of practice getting started on Wednesday morning.
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"We are very excited about this group, we have some very talented players and we can't wait to see how they mesh together," Hamilton said. "The group returning from last spring are motivated and have picked up right where we left off continuing to grow. We feel the group of transfers have added some athleticism and are raising the team's overall soccer IQ. We have some freshman who have given us confidence that they can come in and compete right away. Depth is so important, and I think that is the biggest difference from last season." Â
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The team got the first official day of practice started bright and early with the fitness test before holding the first training session Wednesday evening.
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Day 1. pic.twitter.com/khkuQXv3wi
— ECU Women's Soccer (@ECUwsoccer) August 1, 2018
"As with any team, you have some who came in fit and ready to compete, while others still have a ways to go," added Hamilton. "That is the tough part about our sport and not being able to coach them in the summer. We know that the better we get the bottom half of the group as the season goes on, the better chance we have to win games down the road."
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Along with the training sessions on the field, the Pirates have been hard at work in the weight room as they prepare for the season.
The team continued to compete together on the field throughout the weekend, but with a new coaching staff as well as 16 newcomers joining the roster, time was also put aside for team building activities. Saturday saw the squad compete in friendly games of soccer tennis. After a training session on Sunday morning, the team spent the afternoon traveling to WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary to watch the North Carolina Courage take on the Portland Thorns.
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Team outing to watch @TheNCCourage take on @ThornsFC pic.twitter.com/42oE14dHv0
— ECU Women's Soccer (@ECUwsoccer) August 5, 2018
"The team is really coming together which was important for us with so many new players," said Hamilton. "They are all encouraging each other and building relationships. We have spent a lot of time on culture and team building over this first week and it is showing. We've heard a lot of good things about the energy and positivity in the locker room. Being a close-knit group will be crucial to our success on the field."
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ECU is 3-6-1 all-time against VCU in official meetings, the last coming in 2010. The two squads did meet for an exhibition match at the start of the 2017 season.
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The match is scheduled to begin at 6:00 p.m., on Tuesday evening in Johnson Stadium. Admission is free. Â
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