LCWS visiting Hershey Park in Hershey, PA
“Clear eyes, Full hearts, Can’t lose”
This motto from the television series Friday Night Lights could not be more applicable to the Lynchburg College Women’s Soccer team. On November 16th the team traveled to Mechanicsburg, Pa. to play in the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA National Tournament. The team faced off against Johns Hopkins at 7pm on a frosty field at Messiah College. After a tough battle and a couple of unfortunate plays, Lynchburg College fell 3 to 1- experiencing their first loss in 44 games over the past two seasons.
As the team exited the field, plenty of tears were shed. But these tears were definitely not tears of regret. This team had battled through blood, sweat, tears, and broken bones to fight for every inch of the soccer field in every minute of every single game this year. We live free of regrets. The tears that were shed were tears of passion and sadness for seeing such a miraculous season, such a miraculous effort come to a close.
If you are familiar with our team, then you are familiar with the fact that we are more of a family than anything else. There is an indescribable bond that melds each member of this team together. During our time spent in Pennsylvania, each player and coach wrote what they were most thankful for regarding our team. The overwhelming theme was family. Here are a couple of excerpts:
“LCWS gave me the best four years of my life. LCWS gave me a group of girls that turned into my 2nd family. LCWS taught me to push myself to limits I never knew I could.” Audrey Moore (Senior/Clifton, Va.)
“I am thankful for LCWS because they are like the sisters I never had. Each girl brings so much joy to my life when I am around them. I am glad to have a family I can count on when I need them.” Nikki Rhodes (Senior/Stephens City, Va.)
“I am thankful to be able to play with such amazing and hardworking girls. The opportunity to play with these girls has shown me what being a part of a team really means and how important it is to never give up.” Nicole Kopsidas (Freshman/Rockville, Md.)
Closing the season 21-1-3, tallying 103 goals, winning the conference championship, and being one of the final sixteen teams in the nation left standing is amazing; these are absolutely remarkable accomplishments that label this team. However, even more valuable than all of those accolades is the family behind them that embodies the quote, “Clear eyes. Full heart. Can’t lose.”
