The final days of exhibition play for the soccer team are helping solidify a squad mostly comprised of non-seniors. The team will conclude preseason matches Saturday night when it hosts the No. 23 Oklahoma State University Cowgirls.

“(The preseason) is a matter of getting the players more comfortable with each other,” head coach Dan Abdalla said. “It is a gauge to show where our players are.”

The team’s first exhibition game against the Stephen F. Austin Ladyjacks ended in a scoreless tie Wednesday. After a first half that only saw a combined four shots from both teams, the soccer team was able to outshoot the Ladyjacks 13-5 in the second half.

“Things are starting to come together,” Abdalla said about the team’s preseason. “Our team chemistry is coming together and players are beginning to understand their roles on the team.”

Abdalla said he uses the preseason games as a way to tell how far the players have progressed since last season.

Saturday’s game against OSU will be a good tune-up for the team before the Aug. 31 regular season opener in Austin against the No. 9 University of Texas Longhorns, Abdalla said.

“It is important to get this game in, especially because we are a young team,” Abdalla said. “This will help us get a better understanding of where we are now because we are going to have some challenges right off the bat.”

This preseason is especially important to the team, which is made up of 13 freshmen and only four seniors. Even with the relative inexperience from the majority of the team, Abdalla said the team is meshing well in this point of its development.

“The new players are mixing in well with the returners,” Abdalla said.