Women’s soccer coach frustrated despite win

Striker Bianca Jakisa helped the Tigers narrowly surpass Acadia 2-1. (Chris Parent photo)

With seven games under their belt, the Dalhousie women’s soccer team is among the top three teams in the AUS. But that’s not enough for head coach Jack Hutchison.

Although the Tigers beat Acadia 2-1 on Sept. 29, Hutchison was not pleased with his squad’s effort at all.

“I think two things need to change for me. One, the girls got to find a little heart, play with a little passion, and number two: they just can’t keep making mental mistakes,” he says.

Hutchison gathered his team after the game and loudly criticized them, causing fans at the opposite side of Wickwire Field to take notice. Dal’s coach knows if something doesn’t change quick with his squad, it will be an uphill battle for them to defend their league crowd.

“Today we almost lost to a team that, I’ll give them credit, worked very hard,” he says. “But quite honestly that shouldn’t have been a match.”

Dal’s Rieka Santilli agrees.

“We need to be sharper,” says the fifth-year veteran. “We weren’t [playing] our best even though we did pull off the win.”

The Tigers struggled to get anything going offensively throughout the game. Midway through the second half, it looked like the result would be a split decision. That is, until Doriana Homerski clinched the victory, firing the game-winner with 11 minutes remaining.

The Tigers have a week and a half break until they head to Saint Mary’s to take on the Huskies. The last time the cross-town rivals met up earlier this season, the game was a scoreless draw.

Dal then takes on the UPEI Panthers Oct. 13 at home, a team that is tied with Cape Breton at the top of the conference table.

Hutchison is skeptical of how his team will perform with six games left on the schedule.

“How we’re going to go forward is a matter of them doing what they have to do. A few practices where we discipline the mental mistakes and try to get them to maybe look better organized,” he says, “but I really don’t know.”