Seniors go out winning

The Gators kicked butt. It was cold, foggy, miserable and they still kicked butt.

Unfortunately, it was the last game of the season. For five seniors it was also their last chance to play for the SF State women's soccer team.

And play they did -- Erica Carter, Shannon Chamberlain and Tiffany Rose each had one goal, all off of assists from junior Nicole Manning, and Kristin Gill and Cynthia Curiel both played excellent games.

Curiel, "Chuckie" to her teammates, attributed Saturday's win against Cal State Hayward in part to the fact that it was the last game of the season.

"Everybody just wanted to get out of here and party. People are more concerned about what goes on after the game than during the game," she said.

She said that may account for the Gators' less than sparkling 8-12 overall record. With the win, the team moved to an even 5-5 record in the NCAC for a fourth place finish.

"I wish I had been more focused," Curiel said. "Now I plan on concentrating on school, but I'm not done playing."

Curiel will continue to play on city-league teams, leaving the school rivalry to the underclassmen.

Carter said the rivalry with Hayward was part of the reason the team did so well.

"We wanted to come out and kill them. It was the last game, and five of us weren't coming back."

Though the Gators had the homefield advantage, Hayward struck first with a goal not even five minutes into the first half.

Only 45 seconds later, however, Carter scored with a header for the Gators from a cross pass by Manning.

Hayward scored again, but after that the Gators took over with four more goals, two of them by freshman Kathleen Denson.

Carter said she was happy to end the season on such a high note, but that it was also a bittersweet occasion.

"I'm really going to miss Chuckie, T-Rose, KG and S-Pup," she said, laughing at the nicknames everybody has been given. Carter is known as E-Dog.

[ Golden Gater Online November 2, 1995 ]

[ back to top ]