A single goal separated the Southwestern University Pirates women's soccer team from the Trinity University Tigers and a Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) Championship, losing 1-0 in the final match of a largely successful season. 

"People think of failure as a bad thing. But I think you have to be able to fail and take those lessons to make yourself better and stronger because of them," Head Coach Linda Hamilton said. "To be competitive and fall just a little short, I think they recognize they're getting better and realize it's the work they do away from the season—their competitiveness and desire to improve—that makes the difference.

"Last year, they were happy to be in the game but now they want more." 

The returners came into preseason in shape and ready to go after a strong spring and this year's first year class brings an infusion of more athleticism and skill. With two SCAC Championship appearances in the past three years and this year's championship hosted here in Georgetown, things are falling into place for a strong postseason push. 

"'No excuses, no limits,' is something Felix and I talked about heading into this season," Hamilton said, explaining this year's mantra. "We want to just take out any external factors that might prevent us from being successful, things we can't control. 

"We want to block out any reason we can't be successful and only think about the reasons we can." 

Nine players with 12 or more starts return this season, though future starts are not guaranteed. 

"I think one of our jobs as a coaching staff is to out-recruit each year's class, which isn't an insult to the previous year's class," Hamilton said. "The last few years we've established a good base with players who put us on the map and now possibly have the best balance of strong, experienced players and talented, athletic newcomers.

"Whoever starts one game, their job is to keep earning it. Those who don't, it's their job to work hard to take those starting spots."

It's an ethos developed during Hamilton's own playing days, when United States Women's National Soccer Team Head Coach Anson Dorrance elevated Hamilton and a golden generation that included Mia Hamm, Julie Foudy, Kristine Lilly, and Joy Fawcett to the national team as high school teenagers at the expense of five senior players. 

 The group eventually went on to win the first Women's World Cup. 

 "If you're playing the best, you're going to get the spot. And if you're not, there are plenty of talented women ready to take it." 

For Hamilton, building the program is a never-ending process in which the base of talent is ever-improving. Still, this season has the feel of a culmination of sorts with this senior class being the last year for the first class Hamilton recruited. 

"I'm indebted to this class," Hamilton said. "They came in and gave us a chance to put all these building blocks together. This group helped transition our program and they're used to winning more than not, so they want to keep that tradition going and pass it on to the next group of Pirates." 

At the heart of the senior class is the defensive trio of Mary Cardone, Mallory Harkins, and Romie Reyna. 

Cardone and Reyna were First Team All-SCAC defensive players while Harkins was Second Team All-SCAC. At goalkeeper, Cardone led the SCAC in save percentage (.839), earning All-West Region Second Team. She was also the Southwestern University Dr. Carla Lowry Female Athlete of the Year. 

The trio helped lead a defense that pitched 10 shutouts in the Pirates' 11 wins, taking leadership roles on the team.

"It was a successful year defensively. Mallory, Romie and I put the younger players under our wings," Cardone said. "It's about communication and working together so we know what each person is going to do and figuring out what's best." 

"Romie and Mallory, with Mary behind them, are a force to be reckoned with," Hamilton said. "I think they're the best center back combination in the conference and they complement each other so well. 

"Mallory is great in the air and has the ability to get forward and Romie is so solid and smart and gets into defensive shape early. It really sets us up for this season." 

Leading scorer Hallie Rutherford returns for her sophomore season, earning Second Team All-SCAC in her first year with six goals, flanked by junior Maya Fuller, who received All-SCAC Honorable Mention with four goals. 

"We're faster than we've been, more athletic," Hamilton said. "We also have a better general understanding of our style with all the continuity we've had. 

"Now it's time to start climbing and ascending to try and break the ceiling Trinity has put on the conference the past decade by taking care of business and letting the results speak for themselves."