The Runner Staff
The season for the CSU Bakersfield’s women’s soccer team came to an end on Friday as it fell in the semifinals of the Western Athletic Conference Tournament to top-seeded Seattle University, 2-0 at the Main Soccer Field.
“It’s hard to put into words what (the seniors) have done,” said CSUB coach Gary Curneen. “I think the most important thing I can give them is that they’re great people.”
Despite the team not being able to make it further in the tournament, Curneen feels the team has made leaps in the 2015 season and in the WAC Tournament.
“There have been improvements all over the board,” he said. “There have been tangible improvements in wins, goals scored, better performances and there have been improvements in the caliber of player… There have been improvements a whole way from a soccer [standpoint].”
Curneen added that the consistency of the team was improved and the culture within the team was much improved.
To start the tournament the No. 5 seed CSUB Roadrunners beat No. 4 seed New Mexico State University Aggies, 2-1 on Thursday in the first round of the
WAC Tournament. Redshirt-freshman midfielder Alexa Orrante sparked the team with a goal on a penalty kick at the 69th minute. Then, redshirt-freshman forward Aminah Settles gave the team some insurance with a goal at the 75th minute to punch their ticket into the semifinals of the WAC Tournament.
However, once in the semifinals, CSUB fell to Seattle thanks to the Redhawks outshooting the Roadrunners, 15-2.
Senior defender Kiana Kraft scored the first goal for Seattle at the 39th minute and senior forward Julia Moravec scored the second goal at the 83rd minute to ice the game.
The Roadrunners finished their season with a 6-12-3 record and gave the program its first postseason win but also tied the record for most wins in a season at Division I.
Senior defender Taylor Wheeler said it was a great year to end her career at CSUB on.
“Making it that far in the tournament, it was something that any player who has been here has always dreamed of, so it was great to end on and I was just super happy with this here,” she said.
In her final game as a Roadrunner, Wheeler broke the school record for most career starts (80).
“It’s amazing,” she said. “I never thought I would come here and break a record like that. I couldn’t have done it without my coaches, my trainers and just anybody who has supported me.”
Wheeler said that this team is pretty young and has so much potential.
“I’m super excited to see how they are going to do these next few years,” she said.
