SAINTS AND WINNERS: Flagler women's soccer navigate pressure of being elite program
ST. AUGUSTINE – The pressure is mounting for Flagler women’s soccer.
In truth, it has been this way since head coach Ashley Martin took over in 2014 and transformed the program. Under Martin, the Lady Saints are 106-37-17.
The team went 23-1-1 and made it to the NCAA Division II tournament semifinal in 2019. And ever since, it's had a target on its back that has only grown.
“This year’s team has done a fantastic job of dealing with the pressure that comes with being in a winning program,” Martin said. “It’s very difficult to be the biggest game on everyone’s schedule, every year. To be able to handle that pressure is tough.”
This group of women has thrived in overcoming tough losses and getting back to winning, he said. The Saints had to do that this year when they fell to conference opponent Clayton State and lost the regular season title in the Peach Belt Conference. Before that game, Clayton State was 0-6-2 and had scored just two goals all season. They beat then-20th-ranked Flagler 3-0.
“You can’t write that sort of a script,” Martin said.
Flagler Lady Saints change approach after Clayton State upset
After that upset, the team’s mentality and approach shifted. The Saints became more cognizant of the targets on their backs.
They now prepare for every opponent – weak or strong – the same way. And as the postseason looms, the Lady Saints are embracing the pressure and sharpening their focus, understanding they can be beaten at any time.
The Peach Belt Conference tournament began Thursday with Flagler College serving as host of the women’s tournament.
The Lady Saints opened the tourney with a double-overtime, 2-1 victory against a Young Harris team. The victory set up a matchup against North Georgia at 1 p.m. on Saturday.
Flagler cruised in its regular-season tilt against Young Harris 6-0 last week. Again, big target. Big pressure. Teams turn up the level of play against elite teams like Flagler.
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Senior defender Shannon Matthaei has heard people say she is lucky to be on a good team and a part of a great program – not understanding the work that goes into success, she said.
“Winning is hard,” Matthaei said. "We still have to work at it every day. The passion and drive we have on this team is really special and different from a lot of other teams.”
Passion and drive have pushed the Lady Saints to an 11-3-2 record, including an 8-1-1 conference record.
They are a favorite to win but that is meaningless to the laser-focused, battle-tested Lady Saints who’ve experienced all of the highs and lows of soccer, including a heart-breaking third-round loss in penalty kicks to Lenoir-Rhyne in the NCAA tournament last year.
“We work on our PKs – I can tell you that,” junior Liz Hall said. “We want to make sure we don’t have to do those PKs again. So, we work our hardest during the game and during those final minutes.”
Flagler played the aggressor Thursday against Young Harris and had the advantage in shots (31 to 5), shots on goal (15 to 2) and corner kicks (16 to 2). Sophomore Andrea Fernandez came up with the winning goal in the 93rd minute on a free kick.
“Pressure in, focus out,” and “Find a way to win” are two of the Lady Saints’ mantras. They’ve embraced these gospels, hoping that by believing in them they can return to the Final Four and beyond.
Hall and Matthaei were on that 2019 team and hold on to the memory of that special season – wanting nothing more than to get back to that place.
“There can’t be anyone on the fence about whether we can do it or not,” Hall said.
This article originally appeared on St. Augustine Record: College soccer: Flagler College starts PBC tournament as favorite
