Coach Lincoln sits down to discuss the 2024 season and the upcoming postseason game as she heads into her first postseason with APU.
For the first time since 2016, APU’s Women’s Soccer team heads into the postseason hoping to go all the way and bring back a National Championship. During the regular 2024 season, the team finished with a 12-3-1 overall record. At the beginning of the season, I sat down with Head Coach Brooke Linclon for a preview into the season covering their trip to Columbia and how they expect the season to go.
The biggest change she wanted to make was being scored on in the last five minutes of the match. In the 2023 season, opponents had 1.11 goals scored per game on average and APU wanted to bring that down to .7 opponent goals scored per game. Currently, the girls have a .75 opponent goals scored per game. From the regular season, the Cougars have scored 34 goals which is less than the 2023 season, however, Coach Lincoln recognizes that this season’s schedule was more challenging than the last.
A notable name, Jaci Maze, is seen as one of the primary faces of this program. Lincoln recalls signing Maze saying she had originally offered her a walk-on position but retracted it saying she was not where they needed her to be. A few minutes later in Downtown Glendora, Lincoln hears a loud thought deep in her soul telling her she needs her. “I had already decided to call her back and offer her in the middle. I called her back 30 minutes later and told her that I feel very strongly that you are supposed to be on this team.”
The three time captain tore her ACL twice while in college and is in her first run for a championship. Maze is recognized for leading the team with 10 goals scored and three assists. Maze even had a hat trick in her hometown and a perfect hat trick on her senior night scoring three goals in a row, one with each foot and a header.
Another big name to thank for bringing in more goals is junior forward Avery Guiel. Guiel was named part of the PacWest second team. Lincoln says “85% of our attack and opportunities [to score] have gone through Avery. When she is on the field, we are extremely dangerous”
This will be the entire team’s first time in the postseason but Lincoln has had two experiences back when she coached with Asbury University. Lincoln recognizes that the personnel is different every season and the team makes adjustments for each season but she’s still always going to be the same attacking mindsetted coach. Lincoln says “I’m coaching players to become the best version of themselves and that doesn’t change regardless of what team you’re coaching.”
Thursday is the first game of the Division II Women’s Soccer Preliminary Round in Pomona, Calif. and APU will play Western Washington University, a team that APU has seen five times since 1994 going 1-4. APU only recently got their first win against the Vikings this year in Sept. at a home game winning 1-0. The win helped strengthen the team’s schedule and boost their spot in the Regional rankings.
Western Washington has won the National Championship twice, once in 2019 and once in 2021. “They have experience, their coaching staff has experience, they know what it takes to make a run in the postseason and this is uncharted territory for us.” Coach Lincoln says “We’re playing for the crest on our jersey and if given the opportunity to talk, we’re gonna talk about the gifts and talents the Lord has given us and make his name known.”
The team will be approaching this playoff game like any other. Preparing, training and watching game film like normal because they recognize that they deserve to be there. Lincoln says “No one gave us this, no one gifted us the opportunity to be here. This was a goal we set for ourselves at the beginning of the year.” For the last three years, the goal of the season was to get to the postseason and each season prior has led to this moment. Lincoln reflects on the past seasons saying, “Last year’s team opened the door for us to make us really believe that it is possible and this year has been the reason that’s actually walked through the door, we have earned to be here.”
Game Day is Thursday Nov. 21st at 1pm and will be hosted at Cal Poly Pomona, a short 20-minute drive from APU’s main campus! If you can, come out and support!