Lady Raiders return experienced squad
The key word for the Waynesburg Central girls’ soccer team in 2014 is progress.
After a 3-12-1 record last year, the Lady Raiders and second-year coach Joe Kijowski are excited about the experience and the stability they will have on the field.
“We were young in 2013,” Kijowski said. “It was eye-popping for me as a first-year coach and we were really inconsistent as a group. We took our lumps last year, but a lot of those players are back this year and they seem more confident in their play. We basically have our entire team back from last year and I really like the work these girls put in during the off-season.”
In 2014, Waynesburg will see plenty of new faces as they were moved to Section 4-AA after the WPIAL realignment. Along with the Lady Raiders, Section 4-AA will consists of Belle Vernon, Brownsville, Elizabeth-Forward, McGuffey, Ringgold and Uniontown.
“I think Belle Vernon is the top team in this section,” Kijowski said. “They have had a strong program over the years and are well-coached. Elizabeth-Forward and Ringgold are perennial playoff contenders as well. Brownsville is new to us, but we have seen plenty of Uniontown and McGuffey over the last couple of years.”
“Altogether, I think this section fits us well. It cuts down on our travel times and we don’t really have to worry about making any long, extended trips this season. It should be a more competitive section and hopefully we can build some strong rivalries with a couple of these schools.”
As for goals and expectations for the Lady Raiders in 2014, Kijowski expects consistency and being in the hunt for a playoff spot.
“Our goals are to compete in this section every game and battle for a playoff spot,” he stated. “I think we can do that and I think we are capable of doing that this year. We have to stay healthy and play together. The keys to be successful this year are to play better defense and possess the ball more. We have to play with confidence.”
Senior Casey Swartz and juniors Lilly Behm and Sophie Benco will look to add the offensive punch for Waynesburg, while senior Kaley Lehew and junior Brenna Lipscomb will be core pieces to the Lady Raiders’ defense.
Kijowski also expects solid contributions this season from junior Nicole Vennick, junior Sarah Snee and freshman Madison Clayton.
“We have to get contributions from everyone to be successful,” Kijowski expressed. “If you look at the good teams in Class AA, they get goal scoring from a lot of players and rely on strong depth defensively. We can’t play as individuals.”
In between the pipes, Waynesburg will have junior Josie Evans penciled in as the starter.
“Josie was strong for us in net last year,” Kijowski said. “She saw a lot of shots and felt the pressure of being a keeper at the varsity level. She improved every game last year and we are just looking for consistency from her this year.”
The Lady Raiders kicked off 2014 at the South Fayette Tournament and came away with a 0-1-1 record after a 4-0 loss to South Fayette and a 1-1 tie to West Allegheny.
After their section opener on Wednesday versus Elizabeth-Forward, other early season match-ups for Waynesburg will be at Uniontown (Sept. 5), at McGuffey (Sept. 10), vs. Brownsville (Sept. 12) and at Belle Vernon (Sept. 15).