Souderton Girls' Soccer Preview

08/29/21 8:09pm Posted by editor

SOUDERTON GIRLS’ SOCCER PREVIEW

Coach:  Ian Smith – 2nd year as head coach, 3rd year with the team

Assistant coaches: Melissa Lollar (Varsity Assistant), Dave McDonough (Junior Varsity Coach), Gabrielle Pakhtigian (Goalkeeper Coach/JV Assistant Coach)

Last year’s record: 5-5 in Suburban One Continental – disappointed to not make postseason, but happy to have had the opportunity to play during the pandemic with no cases of COVID-19 and no quarantines thanks to the team’s dedication to following guidelines.

Notable losses:

  • Hannah Alderfer (Senior forward on state championship team)
  • Olivia Andrade (Senior midfielder)
  • Averie Doughty (Senior forward on state championship team playing at Bloomsburg University)
  • Lorelei DuBois (Senior midfielder)
  • Ella Kregel (Senior defender)
  • Morgan Molyneaux (Senior goalkeeper playing at Shippensburg University)
  • Leah Mowery (Senior midfielder playing at Eastern University)
  • Gianna Natale (Senior defender on state championship team)
  • Taylor Yoder (Senior defender on state championship team playing at Moravian University)

Key returners:

  • Avery Nogami – senior starter and first-year captain with a work ethic that is unmatched, never backs down from her challenge and puts everything on the line for her team
  • Maggie Fisher – junior returning starter and first-year captain, powerful center back who has an exceptional ability to read the game
  • Kaitlyn DiCandilo – senior starter and first-year captain who directs and controls the midfield, she offers a lot to the team on both sides of the ball
  • Nicole Schulingkamp – sophomore midfielder who will do anything for her team, dominates the midfield with her energy as well as her ability on the ball

Others to watch:

  • Miranda Vasey – Senior forward who brings an incredible work ethic as well as intelligent runs and a powerful strike. She will be a serious threat offensively for the team throughout the season
  • Ava Steidle – Junior center back who will look to step in and fill one of the vacancies left by a senior who graduated last year. Resolute defender who reads the game very well and is already developing a strong partnership with her counterpart Maggie Fisher.

Strengths: Team mentality from top to bottom is exceptional. The team has a clear vision and shares the same goals. As a whole, the team is hungry to get better and prove themselves. The team has a wonderful mix of young talent and senior leaders who are just as talented.

Question marks: Last year Souderton graduated nine seniors, many of which were starting varsity players. A large majority of that graduating class was also part of the team that won the state championship in 2018. Their absence will be felt.

Outlook: “Treat every day as an opportunity to improve individually and as a team. Commit ourselves to a stronger team mentality that is resilient and can withstand the rigor of a long season. The team believes that by committing ourselves to this mentality then the results will follow.”

 

 

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