Q&A with Sinead Farrelly

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This week the Virginia women’s soccer team looks to make a late season charge as it stands at 6-5-3 (1-4-1 ACC) with two weeks remaining in the season. Virginiasports.com caught up with junior midfielder Sinead Farrelly to discuss the challenge ahead, beginning with this week’s games at Duke and Wake Forest.

Question: The results over the past few weeks haven’t been what you would have liked. How important is it to keep a positive attitude through a stretch like this?

Farrelly: I think it is the most important thing. The moment that one person gets down on themselves, or the team, it can pull everyone down. We know that our season comes down to these next four games and the only way we can have success in them is if continue to believe in ourselves. So far, everyone has kept a great attitude and kept together.

Question: Do you think this is a case where if you could get one big win, it would get the momentum going for a stretch of success?

Farrelly: I think getting one result would just give us a lot of confidence. Right now we are confident that we are playing good soccer and are confident in our ability, but we just haven’t gotten the results. If we can get a win, I think that could give us some momentum.

Question: Being one of the veteran players on such a young team, how are you helping the newcomers through this stretch?

Farrelly: The biggest thing is just instilling a sense that every game is important. When you are a first-year, you have your whole career ahead of you. When you are a junior, and especially a senior, you realize that you don’t get too many chances over your career. I think we are trying to have them grasp that you need to play every game like it’s your last. That is something that will help us over these next few weeks.

Question: The team hasn’t had a lot of success on the road this season. How do you get back on the winning track as you travel to Duke and Wake Forest this week?

Farrelly: It doesn’t really matter if these games are on the road or of they were at home, they are crucial for us. If we don’t do well in these games, we aren’t going to have a postseason. That is something that hasn’t happened here in a long time and we don’t want to be the ones that stop that streak. It isn’t like we are putting any extra pressure on us, we are just focused on what we need to do.

Question: Last week at North Carolina, you scored your fifth goal of the season, which matches what you had in each of your first two seasons. Has been getting more involved in the offense something you have focused on doing this year?

Farrelly: I don’t think that my approach has changed. Coach Swanson helped me realize that I needed to do more in the attack and be selfish and take shots when I get good looks. Maybe that is just sinking in now and I am doing that. I think another part is that now that I am a veteran, I feel like I have to lead by example and added scoring is probably a result of that.