By Ron Smith
August 29, 2023
 
(SANTA BARBARA, Calif.) The hydro flasks tell the tale.
 
In a year in which Westmont athletic programs begin play in the PacWest and NCAA Division II, the women's soccer players have summed up their thoughts about the transition with a sticker on their water bottles that reads – "New Competition, Same Culture."
 
As an NAIA program, the team had a storied history of success. The Warriors claimed five national championships and still ranks as the winningest program in NAIA history with 521 victories over 41 seasons. Westmont produced four NAIA Players of the Year and 58 NAIA All-Americans.
 
That level of success was the result of a team culture that remained strong over four decades and through 12 different head coaches. Under head coach Jenny Jaggard – who is entering her fifth season at the helm of the Warrior program - that culture is expressed through the team's four core values of leadership, teamwork, excellence and fitness.
 
As the Warriors move into PacWest play, the culture, values, traditions and history comes with them into a new era.
 
"In some ways we feel no pressure because we're the new kid on the block," said Jaggard. "Then in the other way, we're a team with a culture, a team with legacy, and we want to keep the legacy moving in the right direction. That's just how you have to play as a competitive athlete. We are self-applying pressure, just to see how far we can push it this year. I think we're in a good place."
 
When asked about the nature of the 2023 squad, Jaggard described the team as "high energy" and "unified."
 
"I have never seen a team gel and buy into our standards so quickly," said the coach. "They have been open minded as we try out new ideas, new shapes, and a lot of new players in combinations. "They're just being really good teammates."
 
This year's team, which features 23 returners and seven newcomers, is characterized by its depth.
 
"We have a lot of depth in terms of fitness because the majority of the players have done the work over the summer and they are ready to put themselves in a spot where I would consider playing them in a countable game," assessed the coach.
 
"In terms of the soccer piece, I think there's definitely some areas in the field where we are way deeper than normal, which is really nice. We can rotate bodies a little bit and keep them fresher. It also allows us to push the idea that when they are on the field they should make those minutes count."
 
The depth has also allowed Jaggard to experiment with different formations for this year's campaign.
 
"We are testing out different shapes," said Jaggard. "We might even use one shape on defense and another on offense. I think as we evaluate who is rising and fully embodying the type of game that we're trying to play, that is going to be the final indicator of what shape we end up playing.
 
ROSTER
 
GOALKEEPERS
With the graduation of two-year starting goalkeeper Kailey Meyer, the position of Warriors' chief net tender is up for grabs. Returning to the team this year is junior Maya Pablos.
 
"Pabs obviously knows her back line," said Jaggard, "so, she is a little bit more organized with communication and preventing some shots from even being taken. She has improved her ability and is doing a good job of being able to push off, extend full out, and make some of those bigger saves. I think she is better at reading those moments."
 
Two freshmen join the goalkeeper squad this season – Ellie Ludwig out of Temecula and Katie Lannon from San Pedro.
 
"Ellie's strength is distribution with her hands and feet," noted Jaggard. "She also is able to fly when she needs to make a fast response save. Katie has a little bit more height and seems a little more comfortable to stop the quick ones that are at a closer range. She does a good job of keeping her body there and planting her feet so she can defend some of the higher balls."
 
DEFENDERS
At the center back position, fifth-year season Taylie Scott – one of three team captains - returns to anchor the Warriors' defense.
 
"She's just a veteran player, but she is someone who has opened up to some of the new ideas," said Jaggard of the All-American. "In order to play the new shape we have been trying, she has to do something different than she has done in the past in the possession phase of the game. She has been really open to it. So, I'm excited to see how that opens up her game in a whole different way. Everyone knows she is a rock and we know her one-v-one defending is stellar."
 
Also competing for a center back position are sophomore Makenna Meyers and redshirt sophomore Alyssa Zahiralis.
 
"Makenna is an excellent one-v-one defender," said Jaggard. "In the scrimmage against UCSB, she did a phenomenal job 50-50 and coming up with the ball against a player that was much bigger than her.  She has improved in her ballhandling ability and that is going to help her be more comfortable with the ball at her feet and a forward sprinting at her.
 
"Alyssa is one of our best 50-50 ball players. If we are doing an exercise and serving balls into the box, Alyssa will win almost every ball with her head. She is an aerial beast and that is a huge strength for a center back."
 
At left defensive back is junior Shayna Scott, another of the team captains.
 
"Shayna is embracing the leadership role," noted Jaggard. "She is leading by example and came into training camp fitter and more confident than I have ever seen her. 
 
"She has all the pieces. Shayna is a good one-v-one defender and a good one-v-one attacker. She is also dangerous on free kicks. She understands the game and is like an additional coach on the field."
 
Looking to play at the right defensive back position are junior Jillian Geist, sophomores Elise Hyde, Ainsley Martin, and a sophomore transfer from Jessup, Kennah Shaffer.
 
"Jill's one-v-one defending has gotten a lot more consistent and I feel like I can trust her judgment when she's out there," said Jaggard. "She's knocking on the door right now."
 
"Elise has grown a ton and has a lot of good tools," offered Jaggard of the team's tallest player. "Being six foot has its advantages. She has a cannon for a leg and can score from distance. She can also throw in a ball to the back post.
 
"Ainsley is coming off an ACL injury after owning that spot to begin her freshman year. She is athletic, she's tall, she's quick and she can get up and down the space."
 
"Kennah is probably one of the fastest people on the field. She's got a lot of tools and is a really hard worker. She's a smart player and has the ability to adjust to what we are asking her to do."
 
MIDFIELDERS
One of the spots where Westmont's depth stands out is at the holding midfield position with senior Daisy Alvarez and junior Ande Siegel.
 
"I have two sixes that I really like," said Jaggard, "but that is an awesome problem to have. I think that they're both very talented players. I've got a tough decision to make about whether we're just rotating and subbing them or whether we try to build a system around two of them.
 
"Daisy is a little more aggressive and that can be really awesome. She likes to play tighter combinations and play through the midfield. Ande is a more subtle player and good at finding more and more dangerous balls that split in behind our opponent's back line or in behind their midfield line. She will probably release and play a wide player more often. There are pros and cons to each."
 
The coach's dilemma doesn't get any easier at the attacking midfield position.
 
"Right now, we are trying to play with two tens and I actually think I have multiple sets of true tens," asserted Jaggard.
 
"Amelia is a very dangerous player," noted Jaggard of sophomore Amelia Villa. "She is extremely strong on the ball. You pretty much have to foul her to take the ball away. She is talented on both sides of the ball. The defensive work she does is unbelievable."
 
Freshman Sydney Reese has also caught the coach's attention at the number 10 spot. "I see so many leadership qualities in her. She is a connector on our team and she is a hustler. She's like a badger. You've just disturbed the badger hole and the badger is going to latch on and not let go.
 
"Someone I am really proud of is Grace Wilhelm," continued the coach. "Her game is really developing. She is fast enough reading plays defensively to really lock things down for us. Offensively, she holds the ball for us and connects. Her game has matured so much.
 
"Another player that is starting to blossom is Annalise Romero. We call her 'Hollywood.' She's extremely artistic, plays multiple instruments and is a singer. She has built up her fitness and confidence and you can see her skill set and her artistry in her play on the field. When she gets on the ball and has time to dribble, she is creative. Defensively, she has learned her role and is doing a really good job."
 
Two more players adding to the attacking midfield depth are freshman Mia Stuart and sophomore Emily Jordan.
 
"Mia has some good skill sets and is a talented attacking player," expressed Jaggard. "What blows my mind about her level is that she has just come off two years of not playing in high school due to medical reasons. She is an athlete and she has some absolutely beautiful soccer ideas. She is going to be a pretty soccer player.
 
"I am so impressed by Emily. She is coming off an injury last season but comes in physically fit due to lifting over the spring. She has exhibited phenomenal growth. She understands her role in her position and is playing really smart, solid soccer. I know she's going to work hard defensively. When we get her the ball, she's going to keep it"
 
FORWARDS
Returning to the forward position is junior Amarys Machado, also one of the three captains.
 
"Amarys is one of the most physically strong players I have ever coached," advanced Jaggard. "She can be a very valuable target player for us who brings the ball down, holds it for us, and plays it off to one of the attacking midfielders. She is a wonderful human being, a fantastic leader and has a sweet heart for this team."
 
Returning as a fifth-year senior is Grace Duckens.
 
"Grace is a linchpin, defensively," said Jaggard. "She's a very skillful, phenomenal player on the ball. She can juggle the ball 10,000 times with her eyes closed. I know that I can rely on her to close down the opponent defensively. There's a lot of work behind the scenes that she doesn't always get credit for.
 
"Offensively, I am hoping to set up a system that allows her to enjoy this fifth year scoring more goals because she's definitely capable of doing that."
 
Entering her sophomore season is Sierra Martin.
 
"I think that we've got a true finisher in Sierra," predicted Jaggard. "It's a skill set you've got to have on every team. You've got to have somebody that you know is really good at putting themselves in positions where they get those opportunities and whom you know is relatively consistent about being able to put them away. I think that she's developing into that for us."
 
Four additional players at forward are freshman Angelina Garcia, senior Monica Pizano, redshirt sophomore Olivia Gabelein and sophomore Brooke LaRee Garmon.
 
"Angelina is an exciting one to have a look at and just try to figure out where she fits in this," said Jaggard. "She is feisty, she is fast and she has pretty good defensive concepts. She has a good cross and is pretty aggressive on the back post for a smaller player.
 
"Monica has a really good service from wide spaces. That is kind of her bread and butter. Probably her best attribute is to push the ball, use her speed and then send in crosses.
 
"Olivia is just coming back off an ACL tear. She is also physically strong and has a good shot when she finds her balance.
 
"Brooke LaRee has a great left foot. She has some pace to her and a little craftiness. She has put on enough muscle that she can hold her own and not turn the ball over. I really like her left-footed service."
 
THE SCHEDULE
 
After playing a series of exhibition games, Westmont begins regular season play on Thursday, August 31 at Cal Poly Pomona. The Warriors will play their first seven games on the road. They will not play at Thorrington Field until Saturday, October 7 when they take on Fresno Pacific.
 
PacWest play begins on Saturday, September 30 when the Warriors travel to La Mirada to take on the Eagles of Biola.
 
"We're going for it," said Jaggard of competing in the PacWest Conference. "We're still striving for excellence. This team has never walked into games and said, 'We're going to play not to lose'. We're going to play to try to win."
 
After hosting Azusa Pacific on October 15 as part of Homecoming activities, the Warriors will head to Hawaii for games against Hawaii Hilo (Oct. 19), Chaminade (Oct. 21) and Hawaii Pacific (Oct. 24).
 
Academy of Art and Dominican will visit Westmont on October 30 and November 4 respectively. Then on November 8, the Warriors will travel to Point Loma in the final regular season road game of the year.
 
On Saturday, November 11, Westmont will host Concordia on Senior Day.
 
"I don't want to go into this season with the mentality of, 'Let's just weather the storm this year'," said Jaggard. "You know, we're going to go in and try to cause some chaos in the PACWest and see what happens."
 
Let the chaos begin.