Entering the Big 8 Conference Tournament on Nov. 4 in Stockton the Lady Bear Cubs were locked into a three-way tie for third place. All the team needed to do was beat the Fresno City College Rams to gain a playoff berth, but Fresno pulled out the win 10-7 advancing the Rams to the playoffs.
Heading into the season head coach Jill McCormick possessed a team full of freshmen and faced a very rigorous schedule.
“In our first 15 games we played the top ten teams in the state,” McCormick said.
The team finished this season with an overall record of 9-15 and 4-3 in conference. This season marks the first since 2007 that SRJC did not qualify for the NorCal playoffs.
Throughout the year there was plenty of great play from some promising new faces. Freshman Gabi Slavid from Terra Linda stepped up and led the team in scoring.
“It’s always exciting when a freshman player comes in and is a leading scorer for your team,” McCormick said. “Sometimes it’s a hard transition going from high school ball to college ball so for her to come out and be an offensive weapon like that has been really great.”
Another promising freshman, Brooke Wolford, originally slated to be the back up goalie behind Becca Woodruff, earned a starting spot at field position due to her excellent play. “She [Wolford] worked her way up to being a starter now and she was a big surprise for us this season,” McCormick said.
Brianna McFadden from Vintage High School in Napa also played solid defense this year. “She’s one of our key defenders,” McCormick said. “She’s our guard, she’s the person who deals with the other team’s center.”
The Lady Bear Cubs’ were anchored this season by sophomore team captain Becky Bennigson and sophomore goalie Woodruff. Bennigson is a well-rounded player who provided the team with leadership and experience. “Becky Bennigson has just been all around solid player and a leader,” McCormick said.
Returning from a great season last year earning a Big 8 Conference All-Tournament appearance, Woodruff carried the team early in the season through some tough games. “We looked to Becca to be our last line of defense and sometimes our first line of defense as far as early in the season,” McCormick said. “She’s definitely one of the best goalies in the north this year. She’s done great in the cage for us this season and that has been key.”
There were eight freshmen on the roster this year who gained invaluable experience from the leadership of sophomores Jill Vickers, Kristen Rydberg and Bennigson. Next season’s team should make a successful run for the NorCal playoffs.