By Kayla Berns, Staff Writer

The Armstrong State Women’s soccer team consisting of new dynamics and team goals has set the tone for a successful year according to Preseason All-Peach Belt Conference women’s soccer players Morgan Luckie and Taylor Russell.

Luckie leads the team as a junior this year on and off the field. The Charlotte N.C. native, Morgan Luckie, received All-Southeast Region honors as a sophomore in 2013 and earned first-team NSCAA and Daktronics becoming the first goalkeeper in Armstrong history to earn All-Region awards.

Taylor Russell from Alpharetta, GA, also a junior this year, describes this season’s squad as motivated and determined.

Russell said, “This season I’m looking forward to shocking people and putting ourselves back on the leader board.”

Russell is now a two-time All-PBC award winner. She was an NSCAA second team All-American and is off to a similar start this season.

Coach Faulconer identified Luckie and Russell as team leaders who have been key aspects in creating a new feel compared to last season, in terms of cohesion and chemistry. The two junior’s goal are to be playing all the way through December and aspire to win the conference this year. Faulconer is aiming to achieve these goals.

“We didn’t make the NCAA tournament last year for the first time since 2008,” Faulconer said, “We didn’t make the Peach Belt Final Four for the first time ever. We had a good record at 11-4-3, but just didn’t do enough in the end. We were humbled last season, but our slogan for this year is ‘humble and hungry.’ So far after about two weeks, we seem to be living that motto. The key is sustaining that energy during the grind of our season. If we can do that, I think this team has the potential to be as good as any team we have had here at Armstrong.”

The Pirates open up regular season play at home on Friday, September 7th at 3:30 pm against Catawba.