The Yellow Armband: Great Halloween, Special Shoutout, Reflection
11/4/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Nov. 4, 2015
The University of Michigan women's soccer captain's blog, "The Yellow Armband," is back for the 2015 season! Captains Maddie Clarfield, Corinne Harris, Christina Murillo and Christina Ordonez will alternate blogging weekly during the 2015 season. In this edition from Harris, she recaps a great Halloween weekend that included a Big Ten Tournament quarterfinal victory and also gives a shutout to the team's dedicated fans and reflects on a competitive Big Ten season.
Hello Michigan Fans!
I hope that your Halloween weekend was as good as ours! On Saturday, we traveled to Chicago to play Northwestern in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament. The Chicago natives on the team (myself included) were very happy about getting to play in our hometown. The weather was perfect for soccer on Sunday, and after a hard-fought match we came out on top. The final result was 1-0, and Nicky Waldeck put in a great goal about five minutes into the second half. I am so proud of the way that our team fought and battled for the entire 90 minutes.
Also, I have to give a quick shoutout to all of the parents, family, and fans who showed up and have been supporting us all year. We had another great crowd at Northwestern, and I know I speak for the entire team when I say that it means so much to us to have your love and support.
We are looking forward to carrying our momentum into Penn State. The last time we were in Happy Valley we did not get the result we wanted, and we know that we can do a lot better. You don't always get a second chance to play a team after a disappointing loss, and the team is really excited.
This week of training is about getting ready for our next game. We approach the postseason much like the regular season -- one game at a time. The difference is that in the postseason each game has the potential to be your last. This really raises the level of intensity and focus both in practice and in games. A lot of what teams accomplish comes down to who wants it more and who is willing to do what it takes to win. I am really confident in this group of girls and look forward to seeing what we can do!
Left: Nicky Waldeck celebrates her game-winning goal in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals with Abby Kastroll. // Right: Corinne and fellow senior captain Christina Ordonez share a celebratory hug after beating Northwestern to advance to the Big Ten Tournament semifinals.
Lastly, I want to take a second to reflect on the regular season. This year, the Big Ten was (in my opinion) the strongest that it has been in my four years on this team. Every game was a tremendous battle, and either team could win. Our team has grown so much since we arrived for preseason in August. Each girl on the team has developed both as a soccer player and as a human being, we've continued to grow closer as a family through many ups and downs, and we've achieved some pretty cool things along the way. We are now fighting each game for the opportunity to get to continue playing as a group, and I can't think of any better motivation.
Until next time, Go Blue!
#31 Corinne
