Florida kicked off its fall athletic seasons on Saturday with practices for women’s soccer and volleyball. (Eastern Florida image)
BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA — Florida kicked off its fall athletic seasons on Saturday with practices for women’s soccer and volleyball.
Women’s soccer went first, beginning with a 6:30 a.m. conditioning session.
Volleyball followed at 9, each team holding three practices.
Men’s soccer opens practice Monday evening and men’s golf on Aug. 17. No date has yet been set for women’s tennis.
Women’s soccer head coach Jeff Carr stressed professionalism, togetherness and accountability with the ultimate goal of playing for and winning the NJCAA Women’s Division I national championship on Nov. 21 at the Titan Soccer Complex on the Melbourne Campus.
The Titans, who finished 13-1-2 last season, are seeking their fourth consecutive national tournament appearance. They finished as national runner-up in 2012, lost in the first round in 2013 and lost on penalty kicks in their 2014 semi-final.
Asmara Holmes
“This is the start of our journey to win nationals,” said sophomore goalkeeper Asmara Holmes, a 2014 NJCAA second-team All-America.
“We’re all really excited, we’re all really anxious, of course we’re nervous.
“A lot of schools have really good recruits coming in. Schools like (NJCAA Region 8 foes) Broward and Polk they’re going to be a lot different. We have to make sure we train even harder.”
The Titans get started with a scrimmage against Space Coast United at 6 p.m. Aug. 8 at home.
They open their 13-game regular season at 6 p.m. Aug. 29, hosting Andrew College in a game that will be televised live on WEFS-TV and streamed on the Internet.
Eastern Florida plays Broward College and Polk State College three times each to determine which one team advances to the NJCAA District H title game with a national women’s soccer tournament berth at stake.
Volleyball coach Andrea Rasmussen, coming off a 16-16 season in her first year in charge, also stressed accountability and focused the first practice on fundamentals.
Eastern Florida finished third in the Florida College System Activities Association Southern Conference last season with a 4-4 record, one victory shy of qualifying for a shot at the NJCAA Region 8/FHSAA Tournament.
Juliana Torres
“I was thinking about the season the whole summer,” said sophomore middle blocker and right side hitter Juliana Torres.
“I think as sophomores we’re going to give the freshmen the same line of thought that we are going to state and we’re going to fight like Titans to go to nationals.
“This is the goal. Be a team. This year we are going to play like a team. The first practice will give everybody a sneak peek of how it’s going to be. The mood of the practice every day. We have to be strong and push everybody from the first practice through the rest of the season.”
The Titans open with five consecutive road matches before debuting at home at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 1 against Daytona State College, one of 14 home appearances at the Titan Field House on the Melbourne Campus.
Admission to Titans home matches is free.
The Titans open Florida College System Activities Association Southern Conference play at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 15 hosting Indian River State College.
Florida kicked off its fall athletic seasons on Saturday with practices for women’s soccer and volleyball. (Eastern Florida image)Florida kicked off its fall athletic seasons on Saturday with practices for women’s soccer and volleyball. (Eastern Florida image)Florida kicked off its fall athletic seasons on Saturday with practices for women’s soccer and volleyball. (Eastern Florida image)
