Given the results of Farkhod Kurbonov’s first season at the helm of Saint Mary’s soccer, it seemed the program had a long way to go before even sniffing a .500 record. The Belles went 0-13-3 in 2022, scoring just eight goals in 16 total games.
A year later, Kurbonov and the Belles look to build on the tremendous improvement that was the 2023 season. Saint Mary’s posted an 8-8-1 record last fall, rocketing its scoring average from 0.5 to 1.71.
Of course, it’s easy to score more goals with a player like Margaret Slove on the roster. The freshman midfielder found the back of the net 10 times in her first college season, qualifying for the All-MIAA Second Team.
“Margaret did a phenomenal job during the season and was definitely one of the forces that moved our team forward,” Kurbonov said. “It’s very hard to score in double digits in college soccer but to do that as a freshman is even more impressive. With the experience she received last year, I cannot wait to see what she is capable of this coming fall.”
Saint Mary’s also made major defensive advancements, posting five clean sheets and allowing three goals only twice. Sophomore defender Izzy Sherman, who made just two starts as a freshman, started 16 games in 2023. With two assists on Senior Day against Alma, she received MIAA Defensive Athlete of the Week honors.
“Izzy is the prime example of what hard work and trusting the process does to student-athletes. She is always positive, enthusiastic and friendly to everyone on the team and the staff,” Kurbonov said. “She was not only our regular starter last year, but also a great leader on and off the field.”
Another sophomore played every minute of the season in goal for the Belles. Caroline Miklavcic posted a save percentage of .737 with 1.18 goals against average, perhaps showing even larger growth in her communicative abilities.
But the direction of the program certainly could not have changed the way it did without senior leadership. Defender Holly Skrip and midfielders Lindsey Adent and Kaitlyn Day started a combined 47 games for the Belles, anchoring the team’s turnaround.
“Obviously, it’s a big difference to go from our first season results to the second, but that shows the growth and development of the team and going in the right direction,” Kurbonov said. “We brought [in] a very quality group of freshmen who made an immediate impact and since we kept almost all of them, this fall the team will be even more ready to compete and show their talents on the field.”
“Commitment and buying in [to] the program got us where we were last year, and I believe it’s only beginning. Everyone is ready for the 2024 season and working even harder to tackle it,” she continued.
