Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG - As the women's soccer team approaches its season and home opener this Friday off the heels of its second preseason scrimmage last Friday, here is another Q&A with the Hokies' head coach Charles "Chugger" Adair to catch up with the team's preparations for the 2018 season.
Tech will host a four-team tournament this weekend, Friday, Aug. 17 and Sunday, Aug. 19. Georgia and #22 Georgetown start it off on Friday at 5 p.m. before Tech plays San Diego in the nightcap at 7:30 p.m. Sunday features an 11 a.m. tilt between the Bulldogs and Toreros, while the Hokies face the Hoyas at 1:30 p.m.
Q: What were your takeaways from Friday's scrimmage at Liberty, a 0-0 tie?
CA: "I thought we showed some good improvement with our defensive pressure and our ability to make it more difficult for teams to play. We stepped up well and did a good there. Now, the next step is, once we win that ball how do we transition forward and create chances to score goals. I think we created a lot of chances, and I would have liked to see a few more balls go in the net, but I think it was a good evening for us. We got through two scrimmages relatively healthy and got two shutouts, which we are happy with, so just continuing to build on that moving forward."
Q: The team went away over the weekend, how did you think that getaway went?
CA: "I think for us, it was good to get away and not have soccer. I think that's part of establishing a culture and getting to know one another off the field, which was good. We did a nice dinner at the Odle's (Olivia Olde's house), where they hosted us in Charlotte which was great. Then we went whitewater rafting at the U.S. National Whitewater Center in Charlotte and then did a scavenger hunt, which they call an adventure race, within the park, which was really fun. It created a little bit of a competition between groups and the staff was able to join in it a little bit and then we did some whitewater rafting, so it was fun, good team-building, good bonding. It was just a good opportunity to get away without worrying about soccer."
Q: What is your plan right now heading into Friday's home opener?
CA: "The mentality is that we are getting ready and prepared for opening night on Friday against San Diego, which is a very good team. They are going to present a huge challenge for us right off the bat. It's actually a big weekend, with Georgetown as well, so we have to be ready and hungry to get a result and start a season off on the right foot."
Q: Is there a starting rotation beginning to form? Are there still spots up for grabs?
CA: "This week, we are still going to be fine-tuning some spots. We need to solidify some of the rotation. There has been a lot of depth within this group, so it's harder to pick a starting rotation. We'd like to get some of our kids back healthy, who haven't been able to play yet in the preseason. That's a big challenge for us, getting those kids back. We've got Lilly Weber coming back into the fold, which is good, because she missed some time with a twisted ankle. We just have to continue to phase those kids in as much as we can."
Q: With the U-20 Women's National Team not advancing to the FIFA World Cup knockout stage, what is the plan for Mandy McGlynn's return?
CA: "We will have to see how Mandy is. She's going to get back in here as soon as she can. She'll need to get a physical and see where she's at moving forward. We've had some communication with her, but we don't really know all she's been doing (in terms of training). We've been following her and the team and have been talking to her a bit, but we'll need to know all of the training that she's been doing will be important and determine what we do going forward. It's a bummer that the US team is coming back so early, to be honest, but it will be nice to have her as an option moving forward."