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Athletic’ Rangers looking to improve on 2007 performance |
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Thursday, 28 August 2008 |
By JIM FULLER
Express Sports Editor
Lake Region varsity girls soccer campaign begins next week and first-year head coach Brad Urie is looking for big things from his young team.
“I saw an opportunity for Lake Region to win and I wanted to be a part
of it,” Urie said Tuesday. “I’m not sure that Lake Region has had such
a group of athletes.
“We are very athletic – right from the first player to the 18th player. Even on the JV team.”
Although they are athletic, Urie wants his girls to develop their skill
level which will hopefully translate into an improvement on last year’s
4-10 record.
“We’re pretty physical,” he said. “We’re not going to get run off the field.
“We just need to improve our skill.”
Urie said the team played a little too much “kick and run” in a recent scrimmage with United Christian Academy.
“I’d like us to build up our offense,” Urie said. “I’d like to transition (from defense to offense) better.”
Urie said he would also like his team to be “quicker to the ball” and win more balls “at the point of attack.”
Urie not only thinks this year’s defense will be improved – he wants them to participate in the offense more.
“My four fullbacks are not going to be standing back in front of the goal,” he said. “We are going to be more aggressive.”
Lake Region returns versatile junior Abbey Lalime from last year’s
team. Urie said of Lalime: “There’s not many stronger than Abbey.”
Lalime will work with sophomore Paige Wells up front. “She (Wells) works her tail off and she’s very aggressive.”
Seniors Jaime Allard and Alishia Goad will also work up front, providing “a big part of our outside offense,” Urie said.
Another senior, Lealoni Coathup, will provide leadership at midfield, Urie said.
Three more seniors – Teresa Coathup, Dayna LeBlanc, and Rachel Miltner
– will play as outside fullbacks and provide much needed experience on
defense.
The juniors, in addition to Lalime, are Theda Bathalon (providing depth
at midfield); Hannah Kinsey (outside midfielder and a player Urie said
will often be the fastest on the field); Natalie Pion (halfback and
fullback); Ashley Schneider (back-up goalie and fullback); and Phylicia
Stebenne (halfback and forward).
Urie expects Danika Gallup, a sophomore stopper back “to be part of
the offense and the defense”, while fellow sophomores Kamala Birch and
Carly Perron will play at midfield and sweeper back, respectively.
Freshmen Kylie Atwood (the second fastest player on the team) and Stephanie Merchant (the starting goalie) round out the squad.
“She’s a very strong athletic girl,” Urie said of Merchant. “She has good hands. Good instincts.
“We’re going to be young in a lot of key spots. We may have some
growing pains,” he said, before quickly adding, “but not too many.
“November 1 – Division 3 finals,” Urie said. “That’s a goal of ours already.”
The Rangers open their season Tuesday at Lyndon.
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