Lady Bulldogs look to build on experience

After making it to the state semi-final game last season, Lady Bulldogs soccer coach Roland Benedict said he’s excited to see what the team can do this year.

“We have more experience this year, so if we just play to our maximum potential with hard working, attractive soccer, good things can happen,” he said.

Last year the Lady Bulldogs finished the season 10-4-1 overall, falling to Billings Central just a game away from the state championship.

Benedict said this is the first time since he started coaching where he’s been around the same class all four years of high school, and he’s been happy to see a distinct style of play develop.

This year, Benedict said the goal is to hand over some of the reins to the players, letting them make strategic decisions on field instead of trying to draw everything up from the sideline.

“Really putting the onus on them to solve the problems against the team we’re playing to have success and dictate and manufacture what we want out of the game,” he said. “I want to make them play like college players instead of high school players who are being coached.”

Benedict pointed to the rematch with Billings Central on Sept. 10, along with matchups against Columbia Falls, Polson and Laurel as big games to look forward to.

The Bulldogs open the season at Bigfork on Aug. 30.