CLEVELAND, Tenn. - The waiting is over! Both the Lee University men and women soccer teams have spent hours getting prepared and the coaches have viewed their teams in scrimmages as they evaluate the talent for Thursday's regular-season openers.
Coach Derek Potteiger and his Flames will be trying to rebound from a disappointing 4-7-6 overall record and 3-4-4 GSC mark when they host Emmanuel University, 8-4-3, 7-4-1 SAC at the Ray Conn Sports Complex. Second-year coach Lee Hughes will take his Lady Flames, 7-5-6, 6-2-4 GSC to Hickory, N.C. and face a Lenoir-Rhyne University club that was 13-2-5, 8-0-2 SAC. The Bears reached the DII National Tournament and were eliminated by Lander University (S.C.) in double overtime.
Coach Potteiger said his Flames have certainly been looking forward to the opening game. "We have been putting in a lot of work to prepare. I have been really happy with our progress over the last couple of weeks and though we are far from our best, I am excited for the guys to have the opportunity to show where we are at this point."
Potteiger added, "I would imagine every team is feeling this same way, and so the real test is going to be whether we can use that emotion and excitement to push us to execute at a high level. This game is going to be decided by only a few moments, and ultimately which team can be efficient and opportunistic in those situations; and I'm hoping we are ready for them!"
The coach admits injuries can never be completely avoided in preseason and are a part of the game. "What is important is whether those disappointing moments can become useful opportunities for your team and I think that has been the case for us. "We never want anyone to miss even one session, but when that has happened over the last couple of weeks, someone has always stepped up and that has been really encouraging for us as a staff.
"I really like our team - both as players and people – and we have proven to have some legitimate depth this year and I am hoping that can help us over a long season," Potteiger stressed in his closing remarks.
After the Flames open with Emmanuel, it is right back to work on Sunday when they host University of Findlay (Ohio). The Oilers were 12-4-5, 8-2-4 GMAC. They won the conference tournament and advanced to the second round of the DII National before falling to McKendree University (Ill.).
Tough Schedule for Lady Flames
"We are certainly excited to get going," said Coach Hughes. "We have a tough schedule, but we planned it that way. We want these games to push us to be our best. Nothing changes for us in preparation, taking it day by day. We are just looking to get better each day."
Coach Hughes lost some key players from last year's squad, but he returns three players who were named to the All-GSC preseason team. Grace Berry, Avery Sides and goalkeeper Abby Whitcomb will make the defense strong again while Berry is capable of scoring goals and dishing off assists.
The Lady Flames battled Lenoir-Rhyne to a 1-1 draw at the Ray Conn Sports Complex to open the 2024 home season. Coach Hughes took his team to Florida for a pair of rugged contests before Lenoir-Rhyne came to town. The results were the same, 1-1 ties at Eckerd College and the University of Tampa.
Lee was 0-0-3 before a 3-0 GSC win over the University of West Alabama on Sept. 20, but another draw made it 1-0-3 overall and 1-0-1 in GSC play. The new college rule that there would be no more overtime in regular season play was a key factor for the records for both the Lee men and women in 2024.
After the Lady Flames visit Lenoir-Rhyne they will open the 2025 home season against Tusculum University on Wednesday (Sept. 10, 5 p.m.) but then it is back on the road for another rugged test at the University of North Georgia. The conference action begins at the University of Alabama in Huntsville and at the University of West Alabama. Four out of five September games are away from the Ray Conn Sports Complex.
