After their exciting sectional win last year, the rising girls soccer team is back and ready to face all of the new changes coming their way.

The biggest change this year is the addition of new head coach Ms. Lacey Hersman. 

Hersman is starting her first year as head coach after four years as assistant coach, and when asked her thoughts on her new position she said she was “excited” about her new role.

“We have a lot of strong talent stepping in, coming from returning players and incoming freshmen,” she said. “Our keys to the game will be communication and hustle, focus on the end goal, and showing up every single game.”

The team has a strong starting lineup, including seniors Abbey Scheil, Emma Agresta, and Kathryn Madriz, juniors Sydney Horton, Nora Jordan, and Micah Waugh, sophomores Erin Reilly and Fi Kelley, and incoming freshmen Mackenzie Kruer and Summer Fishel. 

Hersman has big changes coming this year for the team, the most significant being the “Heart of the Lion” trophy. 

“We pick a player from varsity and JV that exudes heart and hustle. We wanted to show that you don’t have to be a scorer to make an impact,” Hersman said.

 Some of the most recent winners are Scheil, Agresta, Waugh, Kruer, and Fishel.

At their home game against Columbus East on August 21st, Roncalli students lined the bleachers watching the girls’ excitement, an aspect Hersman was looking forward to spectators seeing. 

“There’s such joy to see on the field. There are 18 players who all push each other and are excited for each other’s accomplishments,” Hersman said. 

“It’s just a big group of friends,” junior Micah Waugh said. “We all go out there and push each other to do our best, and it’s just so much fun to play and be a part of this team. I really love it.” 

The girls’ varsity and JV schedules can be found at roncalli.org.