LITTLE ROCK - Both the last conference match of the season and the final home game of the 2020 for Little Rock are set to take place this Thursday, Oct. 29 with a 5:00 p.m. kickoff time. The late afternoon matchup will also celebrate the senior class of Bergros Asgeirsdottir, Doro Greulich, Peyton Laughley and Morgan Smocovich with a special presentation at halftime. Please note that while fans are encouraged to come cheer on Little Rock in person, social distancing guidelines must be followed.
Coach's Thoughts on the Senior Class
Each of the four seniors have stood out and made their mark on the program not only in this year but throughout their career, and are poised to continue to do so for the remainder of the season.
A solid member of the back four, Asgeirsdottir has also tallied one assist this year. "Bergros is Miss Consistency," said head coach Mark Foster. "She's a wonderful player that works hard every day, leads by example, and sets great standards for others. She's truly the ultimate team player."
Greulich made her return to the pitch this season to lead the team with three goals. "Doro is one of the most talented players to ever play in the Sun Belt but she's an even better person," said Coach Foster. "She's shown tremendous character overcoming two torn ACLs and playing this year through a torn meniscus."
This year, Laughley has accumulated the most minutes and starts of her career for a breakout season. "That's something Peyton's given her all for and we're delighted to see her achieve some of her goals," said Coach Foster. "She also has done a wonderful job creating the culture we want on the team and being a leader."
Smocovich rounds up the talented group with a goal of her own this year. "Morgan is one of the best players in the league in her position," said Coach Foster. "She's also a nursing major and she's combining long days at the hospital doing clinicals and then coming and playing fantastic for us on the pitch."
Overall, all four are top student-athletes that epitomize what #LittleRocksTeam stands for. "We really appreciate these seniors for buying into me and Audra," added Coach Foster. "They all have extremely bright futures ahead of them and will leave the program in a better place than where they found it."
A Glance at the Matchup
After delays, cancellations and postponements, the Trojans have finally made it to the end of the 2020 conference slate.
"As hard as this season has been, shutting down and canceling games, it was tough," remarked head coach Mark Foster. "There were times when we thought, is this the right thing to do? But now that we've got here and we can reflect, I really do think it was the right thing to provide a safe environment for these ladies to let them do what they enjoy. I think it's been good for their mental and physical health being back to doing what they love. We're really thankful that we've had a season and that we've gotten this far."
The game against ULM (0-8, 0-7 Sun Belt) will be the perfect opportunity to send off the senior class and prepare for the Sun Belt Championship.
"It'll be another tough game since ULM has been much improved, more committed, and much more organized this year in their defensive approach," said Coach Foster. "Although they haven't won they've done a good job of making games competitive, and that's what we need right now to build up our confidence and match fitness."
Coach Foster is especially excited that Little Rock will get the opportunity to have another game under their belt before heading to Foley, Alabama for the
Sun Belt Tournament, which begins next Monday, Nov. 2.
"Obviously we've had a season, but it's been much shorter than usual," he added. "I'm delighted they get to play another game right before playing in the first round on Monday. We've told the team, let's give it everything for two weeks. And when we give it everything and it clicks we're a really good team."
For the latest information on Little Rock Soccer, make sure to check out LRTrojans.com. You can also find the team on social media at @LittleRockSOC on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
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