After falling short to Hinsdale Central in double overtime at the Sectional game last year, the girl’s soccer team is determined to go farther than they did in 2023. The ultimate goal is to get back to the state finals and improve from last year, head varsity coach Bill Lanspeary said. 

The team was off to a great start as they won seven games and tied one with zero losses as of late April. The tie was made with Glenbrook South, the sixth ranked team in the state. 

“We’ve been playing very well against some really good teams,” Lanspeary said. “We try to stay pretty competitive.” 

This year, there are 11 returning seniors, and multiple other players who have been on the team for two or three years. These team members have shown a lot of leadership and have a substantial role in driving the team towards success, Lanspeary said. Since so many players are returning, many know how defeating it felt to lose in the Sectional final last year which has helped motivate them throughout the season, Varsity player Peyton Israel ‘24 said. 

The team possesses strength in its variety of talented players such as Division I college commits Izzi Wirtz ‘24, Josie Pochoki ‘24, and Caroline Mortenson ‘25. The high ability of all of the athletes on the team this year gives them promise for a great season.

The girl’s individual contributions are always an important factor in how the team plays overall. Everyone always tries to put in 100 percent effort, Israel said. The players setting high expectations for themselves has evidently led them to success as a team.

“They play hard together and hard for each other,” Lanspeary said “They set a high bar for themselves.”

It is just as important for the team to have a positive and supportive environment as a whole. This year the team seems to be especially close, Lanspeary said. They have done a lot of team bonding, and have also gone as a team to support other in season LT sports such as boys volleyball and girls lacrosse.

“I think it’s important to have a strong bond with my teammates because we do a lot of things outside of soccer,” Mortonson said. “We are friends on and off the field which helps us play well together.” 

“We’ve had teams in the past that haven’t clicked as well as this team has, and in those seasons, we think we could’ve gone farther if the chemistry was better,” Lanspeary said “The comradery is one of the most important things for the team.”

As the team heads into the postseason and playoffs, they hope to continue to strengthen their bond, stay healthy and most importantly, play good soccer, Israel said.

“Soccer has given me my best friends on and off the field and as seniors we want to end the season well one last time,” Israel said.

PHOTO CAPTION: Team runs down field as they try to defeat Hinsdale Central (Walsh/LION).