The San Jacinto College soccer team will battle the Jacksonville College Jaguars Oct. 14 as the Coyotes continue their quest for a conference championship. This is the second meeting for the two squads this season.

At their first match Sept. 26, the Coyotes prevailed with a score 4-1. Jacksonville is struggling this season, but Head Soccer Coach Ian Spooner described them as a “quality program that is technically sound.”

Although the Jaguars are ranked lower than San Jac, Spooner said he wants to ensure that his team is mentally focused and not distracted by win and loss records.

The Coyotes are off to a strong start this season with a 6-3-1 record, as of press time.

Furthermore, Spooner said they are working toward a conference championship, as well as another trip to nationals, and cites “quality recruiting” as a primary factor for their current record.

Likewise,  he credits the team’s success to the leadership of players Roberto Diaz Fernandez and Ricardo Olaya. Spooner described them as “vocal leaders that make the players feel like brothers.”

“They lead by example, both on the field and in the classroom,” he added.

Meanwhile, staying healthy and physically fit is imperative for a successful run at a conference championship, according to Head Athletic Trainer Carie Mueller, whose job is to keep the team fit and injury-free.

“We’ve been in some pretty physical matches; so a lot of bruises and sore body parts,” Mueller said. “We haven’t had a lot of serious injuries so far. This season, we are well-conditioned and push the importance of staying hydrated, so this had helped us tremendously.”

According to Spooner, the soccer team would like the San Jac community to continue to come out to games and support them in their quest for a championship. He added, “We’ve had a great atmosphere and our games have been well-attended this season.”

The Coyotes will take the field against Jacksonville College Oct. 14 at 7 p.m. at the San Jacinto College soccer field on the South campus.