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IAC GIRLS SOCCER: TIOGA AGAIN VERY LOW IN NUMBERS AS PRESEASON CAMP OPENS (15 PHOTOS) (2019-08-20)

By TIM BIRNEY
Valley Sports Report
TIOGA CENTER - The Tioga girls are once again precariously low in numbers with the opening of the 2019 preseason camp here Monday morning.

"We're down in numbers again. We only have 12 girls, possibly 13," said coach Jim Walsh.

"We thought we would be at 14, but one of our seniors decided to start her working career early. It's a big loss immediately. She was a starter with a lot of experience.

"Like I said, we thought we would have 14, which is a good number for us, so I didn't look to bring anyone up from the modified program," he noted.

"I thought about it, but I think we'll stick with what we have," added Walsh. "We have a good, solid group of 12 girls... they're use to it."

Walsh knows the low numbers will make the season as much a mental grind as it is a physical one.

"It is a mental challenge, for sure," he said. "We did it last year. At least the girls have that experience, and proved they can do it.

"We have the personnel to do it. They are use to being low in numbers, and they're ready for it.

"I think we'll be mentally tougher this season," added Walsh. "We're looking to double our win total this season, and keep our games closer."

Conditioning will play a key part in the preseason.

"Conditioning hurt us last year at times, particularly in the second half of games," said Walsh. "We played some teams tight in the first half, then in the second half the attrition started.

"We were well conditioned, but it's difficult when the other team is subbing regularly, and we're playing with 12," he added.

Walsh said the focus of the preseason has changed a bit this year with a large number of players in their third varsity season.

"We've been doing a little less fundamental work because the girls have had it for several years. We're getting our fundamentals in with our circuit training that we do.

"We're working more on position play, and team concepts - defending, attacking, transition, counter-attacking, and scoring," noted Walsh.

Tioga will scrimmage at NEB Aug. 28, and open the regular season Sept. 3 at Moravia.

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PHOTOS BY TIM BIRNEY.


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