Fighting For Each Other: How the Blue Hens Faced Adversity in 2018

After the completion of a recent game, a slew of young girls lined up to get the autographs on behind the stands of Grant Stadium. In the background, a mother started to get emotional about the scene unfolding before her.

"It's just so cool to see them interact with these girls that they look up to so much," she said to the crowd around her.

Modern culture has become so much about wins and losses, but this year, the University of Delaware women's soccer team has showed yet again the power of collegiate athletics.

This fall has not been what the Blue Hens had planned.

"Not a single person in our program expected to be sitting with the record we have right now," Head Coach Mike Barroqueiro said. "But this season has taught us so much more about the type of people we have in this program and the lessons that they've taught even us as coaches about dealing with adversity and never giving up."

The Blue Hens opened up camp in early August with a roster of 28 healthy bodies. Two season-long injuries happened during the opening week.

Three more happened over the following 10 days.

Delaware entered CAA play earlier this month with 16 healthy field players.

"We've definitely faced our share of adversity this year. It got to a point that it almost felt like someone was trying to sabotage our season and the mood in the locker room definitely had some low points," sophomore Olivia Schuck said. "But even before the season started, we talked as a group about playing for each other and playing for a deeper purpose than just us as individuals."

To say the Blue Hens have done that is an overwhelming understatement.

"I can't be prouder of the character that this group has shown day in and day out," Barroquerio said. "In order to build a culture, it takes the right people and we have the right people in our program. We have people that care about each other and are passionate about representing each other as a team and a program. They've done exactly that in every practice and every game. I can't give them credit enough for the attitude and fight they have displayed."

Nine of Delaware's 15 games this season have been decided by one-goal or less, including seven of the past eight entering this weekend's final two regular season matches.

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"We all want the same thing out of each game and that's to get a good result and play as hard as we can for 90 minutes. When you care for and trust the people playing around you, it makes the game so much easier and makes it mean so much more than just about you," junior Jillian Vassallo said.

Even the injured Blue Hens have found their role and made it about the team instead of their injuries.

"We can't worry about injuries happening. We have to stay focused on the task at hand and do whatever we can to help the team," Vassallo, who suffered a season-ending injury three weeks ago. "As injured players, we have to do whatever it takes to keep a positive attitude and help our teammates as much as possible since we're unable to be out on the field. We have to be that support from the sidelines and find our roles in helping this team continue to get better."

With two CAA games remaining and several opportunities left to chase a CAA Tournament berth, the Blue Hens only seen one option ahead of them: to keep fighting.

"Our motto throughout the past few weeks or so in particular is to just keep fighting. Every practice, every game, every time we step on the field. Just keep fighting. Fight for those around you, fight together and give it everything we have," Schuck added.

"Something special is happening in that locker room and as a coach, this is why you do what you do," Barroqueiro said. "It's about so much more than wins and losses. The things this group has dealt with this year and the way they have responded. It's an incredible thing to be around and I couldn't be prouder to be their coach."

Sounds like that group of young girls picked the right group to look up to.

University of Delaware Athletics

Fighting For Each Other: How the Blue Hens Faced Adversity in 2018

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