By Matt Weiner (@mattweiner20) – Spear Reporter| Photo via Janai Jesse of SJSU Athletics
SJSU women’s soccer joined in a circle, arms intertwined and heads bowed following a 2-1 defeat to Air Force. The group reflected on the game and then trudged in unison to midfield and clapped for friends, family and fans who came out for SJSU’s senior day.
That clap was as appreciative as it was somber.
On top of losing on a day marred by nostalgia and pre-game pageantry, it officially axed the team’s hopes of reaching the Mountain West Tournament. Which makes it official: SJSU women’s soccer won’t win back-to-back Mountain West championships for the first time in program history.
“This is the story of some programs. If you’re going to be successful you have to go through hard times,” said head coach Tina Estrada, who led the Spartans to a Mountain West title a year ago.
On last year’s senior day, SJSU defeated Fresno State 1-0 to clinch a regular season co-Mountain West championship. Stonewalling the Bulldog’s offense foreshadowed the Spartans legendary Mountain West title run where they didn’t allow a single regulation goal in the tournament.
During that run, not a fingernail remained as the Spartans won the semi-final and championship in shootouts. A stonewall in her own right, freshman goalkeeper Bente Pernot was crowned the Mountain West Tournament Most Valuable Player (2022).
But telling the story of SJSU’s vaunted defense from 2022 would be incomplete if it didn’t feature Jada Wilson – the 2023 Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year and 2023 All-Mountain West First Team.
However, 2022 was Wilson’s final year. Expected to fill that massive void was Washington transfer Tasia Kravitz.
Unfortunately, Kravitz sustained an injury and the Spartan’s backline suffered. In its underwhelming finish to 2023, SJSU didn’t secure a shutout in seven of its last eight games. A stark contrast to last year, when SJSU secured three in its final four games.
Having a star play graduate and the heir to that star player endure a serious injury is a surefire way to follow up a conference title with a bottom-of-the-conference finish.
The disappointing 2023 season is understandable. That doesn’t mean it’s easier to endure.
Following the game, Jennah Loggins, who was one of the five graduating seniors, dabbed at a blend of sweat and tears. “Things don’t always go as planned,” she said.
Second-year head coach Estrada is now on a mission to prove the Mountain West Championship she won in her inaugural season was no fluke.
Estrada, who replaced Lauren Hanson – a two-time Mountain West Conference Coach of the Year and longest-tenured SJSU head coach in program history – had already spent three seasons as an SJSU associate head coach. So much familiarity in the local recruiting scene could bode well for building a dynasty. This upcoming offseason will mark Estrada’s first recruiting class filled with players only she’s recruited at the helm.
“We’ve got a lot of difference makers coming in next year. I’m excited about that,” Estrada said.
When asked if the disheartening loss was better for the program in the long run, Estrada brought up SJSU’s “bad” 2021 season. That year, the Spartans didn’t make the Mountain West Tournament and lost its final three games. “It really motivated the group that was still here to get it back and they came back – granted we were still healthy,” Estrada said.
Junior midfielder Bella Flocchini, who was a key piece of last year’s title run, watched the Cadets smile, cheer and brace one another after they completed a stunning comeback, capped off by a goal in the 86th minute of regulation.
“I’ll personally use that for next year as motivation,” Flocchini said.