Girls soccer
No. 24 Emerson
Last year’s record: 13-8
Final ranking: unranked
Marquee game: vs. Park Ridge (home opener), Sept. 5
Best assets: The Cavaliers have a balanced attack with a lot of flexibility up front and in the midfield.
Their sophomores know they have to play multiple positions and were receptive to this last year.
“I’m not sure how we’ll line up yet, but we have a lot of options,” coach Matt Lachman said.
The team has many hard workers with the ability to score goals. Sophomore forwards Devin Riker, Melanie Whited and Erin Bartel will get a lot of opportunities to score thanks to senior midfielder Nicole Johnston’s playmaking skills.
Biggest concern: Emerson has to rebuild its defense. The Cavaliers are replacing two defenders and their goalkeeper. Senior defender Rachel Murphy and sophomore goalkeeper Cassidy Germann will be responsible for keeping things organized at the back. Since the Cavaliers have a small program with no junior varsity to rely on, conditioning and staying healthy also are major concerns.
— Dave Meisel
