Enthusiasm and experience are two key factors for the Lady Tigers soccer team as the 2024 season begins. Coach Jesus Zuniga has several important contributors back for another go after an inaugural season that ended with an 8-13 record. He believes this year’s team has the capability of turning that record around.
It starts with the level of excitement around the program, and Zuniga said the number of players involved in soccer this spring has him “very stoked. I feel like every day [participation was] double, if not triple what we had last year. You can just see people buying in early,” he said.
In addition to the extra players on the field, Zuniga said early practices were more productive this year because his team knew what to expect. “We hit the ground running right away. You could see from the beginning, having a year under our belt already is going to be a huge difference.”
Last year’s record included several close losses that could have gone either way, Zuniga said. And he thinks his returning players have drawn some lessons from that experience. “I think last year we went into some games thinking we should win, and then we wouldn’t play the way we should have…. So those close games, I think this year, this group will turn those into wins,” he said.
Zuniga will have lots of options as he determines his lineup—not only because there are so many players on the roster, but because so many of them are capable of playing multiple positions. That depth will be an even more important factor after a preseason injury sidelined forward Macey Mitchell. “She was one we were going to really lean on,” Zuniga said, but he notes that he has confidence in other forwards who will step forward in her absence.
Paige Elsenraat’s aggressiveness on the front line will put pressure on opposing defenses. She is “always a safe bet because she’s always willing to crash the goal,” he said, noting that she positions herself well at the back post and does “a phenomenal job of just tapping it in.”
Molly Blades is one of nine seniors on the roster, and she’ll be in the front, too. “I’ve put her up top…as a target forward at practice already. She’s looked really good there,” Zuniga said.
Claire Redman will contribute to the front line as well, and Zuniga has been impressed with her in practice during the preseason. “(Her) work rate’s phenomenal. She’s willing to play wherever, but I’ve seen a lot of success with her out on the wing,” he said.
Senior Kendra Phiri will spend time as a forward, but Zuniga said she does great work in the midfield, and even has the capability of moving back to play defense if needed. Her versatility gives him more options as he seeks to get the Lady Tigers pushing the ball forward aggressively this season.
Cadence Lugar, who had a strong sophomore season last year, will play a big role in the middle, as well. “She has said she really loves being on the ball. She knows how to distribute, (and) she’s aggressive,” Zuniga said.
Kaylee Cornelsen will bring patience and steadiness to her role in the midfield, and Zuniga will rely on those traits. She’s “a smart player, so she’ll probably play a holding mid for us,” he said. “She reads the game really well. She’s not going to do anything flashy…but does all the little things right. That makes it difficult to beat her and it makes her a huge asset.”
Callie Jaquess, who was slowed with an injury last season, is healthy as her senior season begins, and she has impressed Zuniga early. “She has looked exceptional. She knows what to do, when to get the ball off her foot. She knows who to find on passing lanes,” he said.
The defense should be a strength, with the return of Ava Brown and Brooklyn Claxton, whom Zuniga calls a “dynamic duo.” They’ll be joined by Bria Claxton, another player who fought through an injury last year but will be a key player this season.
Mati Carpenter played a lot of minutes as a freshman and will continue to play a significant role for the Lady Tigers. “She is such a smart player that plays out wide really well,” Zuniga said, “whether it’s as a wing or outside back.”
Awbree Berning will be in goal for Republic after getting thrown into the varsity position as a freshman with little to no experience last season. She spent time working on the position during the off-season, and Zuniga said he thinks that will pay off. “The one leader I really want to step up is Awbree Berning, because she sees the field the best,” he said. “I think Awbree’s ready for that challenge. She’s improved from last year.”
In addition to Berning, Zuniga believes he has plenty of players who are willing to step up and provide leadership in one form or another during his second year with the program. “The field’s obviously so big, we have several leaders everywhere,” he said. That leadership and the work ethic of the team has Zuniga ready to get started.
“We might not have the club experience (of other teams), but we have girls that will work harder than a lot of girls I’ve ever coached in the past. So I think that in itself will turn into some results,” he said. “There’s excitement from the ground up, which is awesome.”