By Courtney Diddell, Reporter
With nationally-ranked goalie Jordan Ginther back from her yearlong hiatus, the Lady Knights varsity soccer team is hoping to have one of their best seasons ever.
Last season was the best win in Kaneland history, with the Lady Knights won 15-3-5 record and taking second place in the KHS Classic.
Though the team has lost two key players, Emily Heimerdinger and Sophia Blank, who both graduated, Ginther’s comeback makes the team hopeful for another good season.
The high-scoring Heimerdinger led the team with a total of 33 goals and 19 assists last year, along with the second-highest scorer, Blank, with 17 goals and 8 assists. With the team down two of their best players, Ginther’s return from her national team, where she is ranked the numer one goalie in the nation, will strengthen the defense.
“She’ll keep us in some games. She’s a special kid that only comes once in a lifetime,” Varsity Coach Scott Parillo said.
Senior Katie Taylor, who was last year’s third-leading scorer with five goals and six assists, thinks that Ginther’s return will make it easier for the team to win.
“When she left, we had to work harder than what we did when we had her,” Taylor said.
Other key players will include senior Abby Bend, who had four goals and five assists last season; junior Brooke Harner, who was a strong defensive player; and sophomores Delaney Stryczek, who had four goals and three assists; Brittany Olson,who had five goals and four assists; and Amber Winquist-Bailey, who was also a strong defensive player.
The team’s first tournament of the season is coming up on April 5, when Kaneland girls’ varsity soccer team will play in the West Aurora Tournament against West Aurora, East Aurora and Westminster Christian.
Freshman Madison Jurcenko said that West Aurora will be their toughest game, and Taylor agreed.
“I’m looking forward to playing West Aurora because they are always giving us the most trouble,” Taylor said.
Last year, Kaneland took third place in the tournament, and this year, they are striving to take first by working on their defensive drills and working as a team.
The team is working hard to make this a strong season.
“My goals for the year are to be highly competitive and just have fun,” Parillo said.
“I think our record can be really close to last year’s if we work as hard as we did,” Taylor said.
