Gators women’s soccer off to fast start with victory over ranked Highline

The Green River College women’s soccer team is off to its best start since the program’s inception in 1994.

In the first 10 games, the Gators were 6-2-2, including a 2-0 victory on Sept. 24 over Highline College – then ranked No. 2 in the Northwest Athletic Conference.

“When we came onto the field – it was Highline’s home game – you could just feel the aura with the girls,” said coach Stu Snow about the game at Starfire in Tukwila. “They came in with a swagger and a confidence that just was not going to be something Highline was going to control. From the kickoff, they stepped up and took everything and just made it as difficult as they could for Highline to get anything established. A couple of lucky balls later, we had two in the back of the net.”

Last year, Green River finished fourth in the NWAC West Division (5-7-4). The Gators’ best season was in 2011 (12-5-4) when they finished second in their division and made it to the quarterfinals of the NWAC playoffs.

Despite the successful start to the season, the team is moving forward cautiously.

“With success comes notoriety,” Snow said. “With success comes attention. With success comes a target on your back. We have to really put what we’ve done besides us and prepare for what is coming up next. It is a tough one because it’s still in your mind.”

Snow wants the team to stay focused.

“The long-term goals are short term really,” he said. “We have to concentrate on today. Regardless of what our record is or what our stats are, we have not won a game because we have not played our next game. That is where these girls are at mentally. It is not what we’ve done. It is what we are going to do.”

Snow, who is in his eighth year at Green River, attributes the team’s success in part to nine returning players, which is higher than usual.

“It is a big benefit because they have a year of the college experience and a year of the college-level play,” he said. “They have transferred that into our freshman class.”

This years’ squad is comprised of 16 players from the south Puget Sound area, which isn’t always the case.

“In years in the past, I have had girls from Japan,” Snow said. “I have had several girls from Sweden, Norway and Mexico.”

The team gets along well, on and off the field.

“They are enjoying each other,” the coach said. “They are playing for each other. It is just an atmosphere of a family.”

Green River goalkeeper Rachel Fieser was named NWAC’s Under Armour Player of the Week following the Gators’ victory over Highline. Fieser had 12 saves in the shutout.

It surprised the second-year player when she learned about the honor from a friend.

“I honestly didn’t expect it at all,” she said. “I was really happy to be able to represent my team like that.”

Fieser, an Auburn Mountainview High School graduate, enjoys playing college soccer in front of family and friends.

“That’s really special because I feel like if I went off somewhere, I wouldn’t have that support system that I have here,” she said.

Forward Grayce Kovarik is grateful for the opportunity soccer at Green River provides.

“After I did my youth soccer career I didn’t think I was going to play again, but then I realized I had an opportunity to play at Green River,” the Kentridge High School graduate said. “I didn’t really want to go to a four-year university yet, because I didn’t want to spend that money when I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do with my life. I think it is awesome I have the opportunity to continue my soccer career and get my AA (associate of arts degree).”

In her second year on the team, Kovarik leads the Gators with eight goals – double her four goals last season. She scored both of the team’s goals in the win over Highline.

“This year, I just feel like I have more motivation,” Kovarik said. “I want to play for our team and do the best I can for our team, and that is the mentality I go with at every game – just do the best I can and get the best result. … This is probably my last year of soccer, so I am just going to give it all I have.”

The team needs to use its momentum to carry it through the rest of the season, Kovarik said.

“I just think we need to have the same mentality we had when we beat Highline and all the games before,” she said. “We can’t come out cocky, acting like we are going to win every game, but we have to come out knowing that we are a good team, knowing that we can beat them but not being over confident.”

“We know we need to come out and fight for what we want,” Fieser added. “It is not going to be handed to us.”