They were the best players in the state, their coach said.

Jen Bronson. Lauren Lopez. Kelly Attayek. And Leigh Riordon.

“That recruiting class really was unique.”

They'd played with and against each other in club soccer. Their club teams excelled regionally and nationally. And they each chose UNCG.

This fall, their soccer careers are coming to an end. They entered the final season with an almost-unheard-of mark of having never lost a conference regular season game. Their record over three years: 29 wins, two draws, no losses, on their way to three regular season championships.

But that's history. The challenge in front of them: making their final year the most memorable one yet.

All eyes on goal

Is it fair for fans to talk about streaks? To talk of another title? Fact is, the players do.

Coach Eddie Radwanski '97 and the team gather just before the season's first game each year to talk about goals and objectives. As the team decides on them, he writes them down on the board.

“They have ownership of that.”

But the seniors were eager to talk about goals well beforehand.

Last season ended in heartbreaking fashion. The team lost in the SoCon Tournament; only the tournament champion is assured of going on to the NCAA Tournament. They knew they were “on the bubble,” having defeated only one ranked opponent. The regular season SoCon title might not be enough. The entire team gathered at Old Town to watch the NCAA pairings show. Their name was never called.

Kelly Attayek.

It left a sick feeling in their stomachs, said Attayek — and has been a powerful incentive.

They all want to get back to the NCAA Tournament. And to have a chance at that, they need to do very well in the SoCon.

“We want to keep that streak going,” Bronson said. “And get those four [championship] rings.”

Before practices began, the players decided to work out together — what they called a pre-preseason. In the midst of that conditioning, all the players traveled to the Lopez family lake house on Lake Tillery — just the players and Lopez's parents. No coaches. It was a time for the players to relax, talk about the season and about what they could accomplish — and simply bond.

Some went boating with the parents, some just lazed around on the dock, Leigh Riordon recalled. And they played games, like hot seat, where everybody has to answer questions. “I mean, nobody knows if you're telling the truth or not — but you might as well 'cause we're going to figure out anyway,” Riordon explained. “It made us a little bit closer.”

“This year, it's been the closest since I've been here,” Bronson added.

Jen Bronson.

On Saturdays, they usually all gather for dinner at a player's place — often at the house where most of the juniors live — and hang out, maybe watch a movie, then have a team meeting. Are coaches invited? “No.” Bronson laughed at the thought. “It's a lot more fun I guess with just the girls, gives us a chance to say what we feel about the game.” They talk about what needs to happen.

At games' end

This is their last season. Their last long bus rides. Last times walking shoulder to shoulder off the field, sweaty and fatigued. Last times hearing those cheers from the stands — and from their teammates.

“Realizing it's our last year together, we've definitely made more of an effort to spend time together,” Riordon said. The seniors grab lunch or just hang out, whenever they can.

This year, there's a lot more friendship and intermingling between the classes. “Everybody wants to be there,” she said.

Leigh Riordon.

“My freshman year, we were close with the seniors, and once their time was up, they would come to the game or our practices and they'd say, “You don't know how much you're going to miss it until it's gone.’

“And I'd say, ‘Ah, I've got three more years of this,’ you know. And it goes by …” Riordon paused. “I feel like I was a freshman yesterday, it goes by so fast.”