Lancers should again have one of SWC’s top soccer teams

Despite still having some question marks, Lafayette girls soccer coach Tim Walters still thinks his team will keep with the successful tradition built in Wildwood.

The Lancers were 16-3-2 last year and tied for second in the Suburban West Conference with Marquette with a 7-1 mark.

Lafayette will have a dynamic presence at forward in senior Christine Hibbler. Hibbler, one of the top field hockey players in the state, scored four goals and passed out five assists last year.

“She goes about a zillion miles per hour. She can create a whole lot,” Walters said. “We’ve been working with her about changing speeds more often.”

Offering a nice contrast will be sophomore Colleen Cole, who netted four goals and passed out an assist as a freshman.

“Colleen is more of a control player,” Walters said. “She can shoot with either foot and plays with a lot of confidence.”

Also returning is junior midfielder Abbie Angevine, a strong striker who netted six goals last season. Another scoring threat is junior Jessica Hanson, a hard-nosed player with four goals and five assists last year.

Junior Mary Jehling returns at midfield and classmates Lindsey Carr and Caroline Bartelsmeyer return to the back. Senior Blair Young and junior Megan Schneider are good man markers in back.

Sophomore Kelsey Claymon has banged up last season but will be back at midfield this spring. Sophomore Jordynn Martin got some nice experience at forward last year.

In between the pipes, the Lancers will be young with two sophomores and two freshmen all competing for time.

“We will be competitive. Even though we will question where the goals will come from and if we can keep them out of the net,” Walters said. “But I think we can do both. We have a good enough mix up and down the roster. It think the hardest part will be keeping people happy.

VILLA DUCHESNE compiled a 14-5 record last season and were 4-0 in the MWAA Red Conference.

Coach Tim Twellman brings back some quality returnees that could make this season even more eventful.

Seniors Katie Marx and Emily Smith will shore up the back. Heading up the offense will be classmate Lori Mannion in the midfield while senior Annie Campbell is back up front.

Campbell was the team’s leading scorer last season with eight goals and seven assists. Mannion chipped in with five goals and three assists.

A strong junior class is led by Sarah Paletta (defender), Emma Dwyer (midfield), Annie Basler (midfield), and Elise Ciapciak (forward). Dwyer and Ciapciak each scored four goals apiece last season.

A year wiser and better are sophomore Mary Catherine Webb (midfield), Katleya Frost (defender), Megan Hillemann (midfield) will be big contributors this year just as they did last year.

Hilleman netted five goals and passed out five assists. Webb racked up four goals and three assists.

Another sophomore, Hanna Benben, returns in goal and Twellman is expecting another solid campaign from her. Benben had a 0.92 goals-against average and tallied 120 saves.

“These players bring a real determination to succeed. Form scoring goals to defending we should be OK,” Twellman said. “We are young and should be able to compete quite well.”

The Saints open the season on Sunday against St. Pius.

“We try not to look ahead past our first game. That is really all we are working towards,” Twellman said. “We play in a very strong district with St. Dominic, Duchesne and others. It is as a strong district but we will compete.”