UTRGV Women’s Soccer Team eyes WAC Championship

With 24 players returning and three newcomers for the 2021 UTRGV Women’s Soccer Team, Head Coach Glad Bugariu told The Rider the sky’s the limit for this year’s squad.

The team achieved a 10-7-2 record overall (7-6-1 conference) last season, the third time in program history to finish with at least 10 wins.

“To be fair, it was quite a big challenge,” Bugariu said. “We had 17 new players, as well, so it was a freshman-heavy team. But, really, it came down to the players and their work and understanding what we want from them.”

The Rider asked the coach how the experience of the returning players will help this year’s squad.

“Sometimes one of the best recruits is continuity and having players return and having a large group of players return,” Bugariu replied. “It’s basically like having an extra player because they understand each other, they’ve played with each other, so it’s a big advantage.”

Among the newcomers are two transfer players: graduate midfielder Victoria Mayo, of Western Kentucky University, and junior midfielder Ana Recarte-Pacheco, of Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. In Mayo’s last season with Western Kentucky in 2019, she made 14 appearances. Recarte-Pacheco made four appearances for TAMUCC. 

Bugariu said he expects them to contribute to the team right away.

“They’re quality players,” he said. “We know them and we think they’re going to make an impact.”

Bugariu said this year’s team is “very balanced” and believes they have at least two players in each position that could possibly start.

“It’s going to be an exciting preseason,” he said.

Of last year’s 10 wins, eight were away from home, the most in program history. 

The two impressive stats, however, came with a blemish, a 2-4-2 home record that Bugariu wants to improve.

“We’re very proud of that away record, but we want to make sure we win our home games,” he said. “That’s really something we’ve done very well here in the past, and last season was a little disappointing because we didn’t win as many home games as we would have liked. That’s our main priority, to win our home games, make sure we win in front of our fans and continue to make sure this place is a fortress.”

Last season, the defense allowed 19 goals, the second-fewest in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) and also recorded seven shutouts.

“We’re never guaranteed to score a goal, so we want to make sure we don’t concede one,” Bugariu said.  “We spend a lot of time in our defensive organization and what happens in the moments when we lose the ball, so we hope to continue that trend in the future as well.”

Maile Lunardi, redshirt junior goalkeeper who made 17 starts last season and 81 saves, told The Rider it feels great to be back for her fifth season with UTRGV.

“I’m happy to be back [but] I’m sad it’s my last season, but very excited to get started,” Lunardi said. 

Asked how it felt to have this defensive stat last season, she replied, “It was awesome.”

“My defense works extra hard and we work as a unit,” Lunardi said. “And it’s something I’m really proud of to see, and we will continue to do it this season, too.”

She said more communication across the backline is how her team is looking to maintain its strong defensive presence.

“We all play for each other,” Lunardi said. “Everyone has each other’s back, so I think that works really well.”

This summer and preseason, she has been working on more communication.

“Being louder, being vocal … being more confident so my defense feels more confident in themselves,” Lunardi said.

Asked about her expectations for the upcoming season, she instantly replied, “WAC Championship. I want to get a WAC ring, so I have high expectations for us, and I think we can do it.”

On the offensive side of the fútbol, last season’s leading scorer and assist leader, Emily Zapata, a junior forward, is back for her fourth season with UTRGV.

Zapata led the team with six goals and four assists in 18 appearances last season.

“We’re working on getting the team together with the new players,” she said. “It’s always a new thing every time we come back, but I’m pretty excited for the season. I think we have the ability and everything to try to get that ring that we want.”

Asked what she has been working on to improve her 

stat line for this coming season, Zapata replied, “Working on my shots more, try to get the ball more and try to work as a team and make those assists and goals to break my record.”

She believes the team can win every game as long as they work hard and together.

“We already know how we play,” Zapata said. “It’s the two, three new players that we need to figure out, but we’re going to get there.” 

The season consists of 20 matches and started last Friday against the University of South Dakota. Results were not available at press time.

 Zapata said she is looking most forward to competing against the University of Texas at Austin on Sept. 12.

“We’ve always tried to challenge ourselves,” Bugariu said. “Over the last three to four years, we’ve played a number of Power Five teams. We even had a win against the University of Miami in 2018. You know, we want to make sure we put our name out there and compete with the very best and on the day [of the game], you never know.”

The first home game for the Vaqueras is at 7 p.m. Friday against Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi at the UTRGV Soccer and Track & Field Complex.

“That’s a team that has a Power Five-type stadium, Power Five-type locker room and they now say they have the best recruiting class in their history,” Bugariu said. “So, it’s going to be a very tough game and if you look, historically, those games are extremely difficult.” 

He said it’s the only true rivalry the UTRGV Women’s Soccer Team has.

“There’s great animosity there and it shows on the field,” Bugariu said.

Lunardi said she loves playing against
Corpus.

“It’s always good competition for us, so I’m excited to play them, excited to beat them,” she said.