The State High girls’ soccer team has a team goal of more goals in 2021.
Last season, the Lady Little Lions finished with a 1-12 record and were ousted from the District 6, 4A tournament in the semi-final round.
What happened? They simply couldn’t put the ball in the net.
The solution? Create more scoring opportunities.
“The team struggled to score goals last year, and we’ve already been working hard to change our style to maximize our talent in attacking positions,” said State College Area High School’s new soccer coach, Todd Roth, who brings with him 15 years of coaching experience within the district. “We need to focus on creating more scoring chances, and to take advantage of the opportunities we get. We have some dangerous goal scorers that we’ll get into the right spots to put pressure on defenses and to score some goals.”
The 2021 squad will be without graduated seniors Evie Lenze, Holly Feese, June Glenney and Emmie McDonald, but does return key letter winners in Olivia Graham, Kate Lundy, Abby Edelman, Abbey Clifford, Kaylee Schaefer-Hood, Kate Rowland, Claire Vollmer, Kellyn Roth, Emma Corby and Grace Lundy.
Roth said in addition to that returning experience, his team is “loaded with depth,” which he says will be crucial for success moving forward in 2021.
“We have several talented players at key positions and will be working to create the best mix of players,” Roth said. “We have a solid defensive unit and a core group overall that understands and plays solid team defending on all areas of the field.”
He said because the group of girls has successfully played together in the past as a junior varsity unit, it has become stronger individually, and more importantly, stronger as a team compared to last year’s squad.
“The team is determined to rebound from a tough season last year,” Roth said. “We had a strong summer of conditioning and preparation and we can sense the positive mindset and confidence growing. These girls have something to prove and are willing to sacrifice what it will take to be the team we want to be.”
Roth will be assisted by coaches Jenn Todd and Katie Dry and volunteer coach Jeff Garrigan.
State College opens the season by hosting Chambersburg at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday at the high school north field.
