HUNTINGDON, PA- The 2013 season for the Juniata women's soccer team proved to the most successful in the program's 20 year history. The Eagles went 14-6 to set a new record for wins and scored a team-record 65 goals. The motivation for head coach Scott McKenzie's team in 2014 is to take steps forward and not back.
"A return to the Landmark Conference tournament is certainly an ingredient for a successful season, noted McKenzie. "The Landmark Conference for women's soccer is incredibly competitive. Any number of teams can win the conference and I think we would be in that conversation as one of those many teams that can win it. To win the conference you have to make the postseason first so our immediate goal is to return to the postseason."
The Eagles lost a large portion of their offensive output to graduation but return juniors Emily Green (Marietta, PA/Donegal) and Michaela Lacek (New Tripoli, PA/Northwestern) who both scored five times last season including a pair of game-winners. Defense however is where Juniata will make its mark and senior Shayna King (Easton, PA/Easton Area) will again anchor the backfield. "We need to have good goalkeeping and a steady team defense to apply pressure to our opponents wherever they are on the field and we need to go forward to get ourselves in a position to score goals," said McKenzie.
As for defending the goal, it is up to freshman Kerry Leonard (Cockeysville, MD/Maryvale Prep.) to patrol the net. Leonard stood out in a very competitive preseason for the Eagles and McKenzie feels very confident in his rookie net minder. The team has had a history of great freshman goalies having great first years and McKenzie hopes Leonard will be the next one.
A total of 13 freshmen join this year's squad of veterans. McKenzie says all of his players should make an impact whether it is in practice, the locker room, or on the field. He anticipates that a few of them will break into the starting ranks before too long.
The women open their 2014 season at home against #14 Capital. The Crusaders won 19 games last year on their way to the Ohio Athletic Conference title. Capital made a deep run in the NCAA Tournament as it advanced all the way to the semifinal round. "In order for us to have realistic goals of the postseason and aspirations of winning the conference, we need to play the best, said McKenzie. "Its an honor to play a team like Capital and its going to be an honor to give them our best."
