TEN QUESTIONS WITH...

Last year, UB women’s soccer team registered nine shutouts overall. This season, your team’s goals against average in conference play is just a shade above one goal allowed per game. What enables your team to be so successful from a defensive standpoint?

Our defense makes a commitment every time we step on the field to play and work hard. We work well at balancing and covering for one another. Communication is a big key in a successful defense, also. Last year Linnea DiNallo directed our defense, and now we have sophomore Robin Aparo stepping into her role. She has done a great job so far.

What type of communication is there between yourself, other defenders, and your goalkeeper?

Emily Cox (our goalkeeper) is the main vocal point of our team. She sees the whole field, so her part in communication is essential to being successful defensively. As defenders, we talk to one another making sure everyone is marked up and doing their job. We also try to direct the midfield and offense, since at times we see things that they can’t right away.

How important are this weekend’s home Mid-American Conference games against Miami (Friday, 7 p.m.) and Ball State (Sunday, 12 p.m.)?

These games are extremely important. We’re coming off an exciting win against Bowling Green on Sunday and are hoping to ride that momentum into Friday's game versus Miami. I know for the returning players Miami will be an emotional game because of our loss to them in semifinals of last year’s MAC tournament. I think the fact that it’s a night game at home will definitely get us motivated to play hard. Our main focus is Miami right now, but we're not underestimating Ball State. Both these teams are doing well this season.

Your team has outscored opponents in the second half by a resounding margin. Why are you a “second half team”?

I wish we weren't such a “second half” team. It adds more stress to us by being that way. I wish I knew why we’re like this, because then I’d fix it – but I can't. I don’t know why, but it takes us a while to gain momentum. As soon as we all get in sync, we work together and make it happen. Now, we need to make that a whole game mentality.

As a defender, you don’t get to put up any offensive statistics. So what can you take pride in at your position?

I take pride in getting a shutout for our team, but for Emily (Cox) especially, because she works just as hard as we do and deserves a shutout every game. Also, shutting my mark down is something I make my personal goal. Every game we get a scouting report of the opponent and are given the numbers of their potential threats on offense. As defenders we make it our job to shut them down the whole game, and that’s all you can really ask for.

Do you ever wish you had the opportunity to play more of an offensive role?

I think I do help play a role offensively, as does any other defender. Coming out of our defensive end, we help to start up the offensive attack. A key part in our attack is the outside marking back's run weak side, so we can distribute the ball to the midfield and the attackers. I'm content in my role to defend and getting the chance to make things happen offensively, too.

Thus far, your team has had a lot more success at home than on the road. What explanation would you have for that?

A lot of factors play into our success at home. Definitely the home field advantage and our home fan base gets us pumped and excited to play. Traveling is not an excuse to use in not playing well on the road, but it does play a factor. Riding long hours on a bus, sleeping in a different bed, not knowing the field you’re going to play on are just little things that can add up to the winning or losing of a game.

How much does playing tough competition, such as Boston University and Syracuse, help you out down the road?

I think you’re only as good as the competition you play. We need to play those top teams so we can see how we stand, and make adjustments to be just as good as them. Syracuse was a wake up call for us. We knew we had to pick it up, and I think losing that game made us work harder at what wasn’t effective when we played them.

Walk us through an average practice of the UB women’s soccer team.

After warming up, Coach (Jean-A. Tassy) usually sits us down and talks to us about things we need to work on, and then incorporates that into a drill. We play small-sided games, usually with some limitations, such as two-touch, so we gain speed of play. Then, we often do some inter-squad scrimmaging so Coach can see some of the things we did earlier in practice, incorporated into the scrimmage.

What is it like having last year’s UB Female Athlete of the Year, Paula Listrani – whom you played with for two seasons – back as an assistant coach this year?

Paula has been a big help this year. She’s also been a role model to the incoming freshman, as well as the returnees. When we do the small-sided games in practice, Paula usually plays and helps us keep the work rate up. This way, even though she’s not on the team she’s still impacting the younger players because they get a chance to play with her. When you work with a good player it raises your level of play and makes you become that much better.