Terrier Tribune: Shannon Keefe Chapter 1 – Women’s Soccer

August 1st is a day I look forward to each year. Not only am I reunited with 29 of my best friends and finally back on Boston University’s beautiful campus, but the calendar flipping to August also marks the official beginning to a new soccer season.

Last year, our season came to a screeching halt on November 3, 2017 with a 1-0 loss to the reigning Patriot League Champion Bucknell Bison. They beat us en route to capturing the Patriot League postseason tournament for the second year in a row, sending us on the next plane home to Boston. Our season was over.

At the end of the school year, the team talked about the importance of preparing over the summer, so when August 1st came around we were ready to work. Our captains, Pietra Sweeney, Libby Closson and Dorrie Varley-Barrett, along with the entire senior class were, and still are, determined to lead us to a Patriot League championship. Anything short of that is unacceptable.

The first day of day of preseason is “testing day.” Beep test in the morning, 300 yard shuttles in the afternoon. Personally, the beep test is my least favorite activity as well as the toughest individual experience as a college athlete. As a forward, 300 yard shuttles comes more naturally to me because it’s more similar to what I would do in a game. But once that first day is over, all stress is relieved and we can finally move on to the fun part – practice.

With 10 freshmen on the team, I thought it was going to take a while before they were comfortable playing with the rest of the returners, but they fit right in. Our team this year looks like we have been playing together for much longer than five days.

We have our first scrimmage against Quinnipiac on Friday, and this weekend we leave for our annual trip to Camp Merriwood in New Hampshire. Camp Merriwood is an all-girls camp on a beautiful lake with no cell service where we do tons of team bonding and of course, enjoy Moose Tracks ice cream. It’s really nice to get a change of scenery and just focus on being with each other. Everyone who works at Camp Merriwood is so supportive of BU women’s soccer and travels to watch us play. Whether it’s in person or online, they never miss a game!

After we get back from Merriwood, we have one day of practice before we leave for our first game of the season against the University of Michigan!

It’s a privilege being the team that kicks off the 2018-2019 school year, it’s something my teammates and I take very seriously. We have the ability to set the initial tone for our season and for the athletic department as a whole, and that’s pretty special.  I am really excited about what this team can accomplish this year, it’s going to be one for the books!