Miller, Bradford helping out Huskies’ cause
Funny, but Jennifer Miller wasn’t even sure if she’d dress for all the games, let alone get on the soccer pitch.
Lo and behold, she actually leads her team in minutes played.
“Yes, believe it or not, Jenn has logged the most minutes of the whole team — it just goes to show how important she is to our back line,” said University of Saskatchewan women’s soccer coach Tom LaPointe.
Miller has exceeded her own expectations as the Huskies head into the Canada West women’s soccer playoffs Saturday against Trinity Western in Langley, B.C.
As a rookie, Miller figured she would have to bide her time and wait for an opportunity.
Instead, she has racked up a team-leading 1,080 minutes of playing time.
“It’s completely shocking for me,” said Miller, a 5-foot-11 defender from Saskatoon.
“The first game, when I saw I was starting, that was a surprise. Being a rookie, I didn’t expect to even be dressing some of the games.
“I definitely didn’t expect to be playing this much being a rookie coming in.”
Miller has started all 12 games in Canada West play. She has one assist and myriad tackles.
“A really athletic girl and very gifted, she also has a really nasty mean streak in her if she gets pushed or pulled the wrong way,” LaPointe said. “She’s been a really good asset for us.”
While Miller has enjoyed a starting role, fellow rookie Jessica Bradford has also logged her share of minutes. She, too, didn’t expect to play a lot in her first year because of the depth and talent on the team.
“Playing as much as I have is good because I did get that experience for years to come,” said the 5-foot-7 Bradford, an Aden Bowman grad who captured a national club championship title last year alongside Miller.
LaPointe says Bradford is “tough as nails.” “When we put her in, coming off the bench, she does a really good job for us,” he said of the midfielder, who has three assists and five shots on net.
Playof fs are exciting, admits Bradford. Because it’s her first year, she really doesn’t know what to expect.
“But I feel that we’re going to have a good chance,” she predicts, adding keys to success include playing as a team and supporting one another.
“If you make a mistake, you make up for it.”
Miller also says she doesn’t know what to expect other than it should be a good game and good battle. The keys, she agrees, are working together as a team and staying positive. That means not tackling herself.
“I know some games I get super-negative on myself and that affects my game, so staying positive is the main thing that I have to focus on.”
Trinity is the defending national champion.
“For us, we know we’re heading into the lion’s den,” LaPointe admits. “It’s kind of like David and Goliath. We have a game plan. We’re going to follow it and we’re going to see what happens.
“(The key to success) is what got us here, which is defending. (If) we need to play with them, create a counter-attack and do set plays, we’re in the game.”