The Riverside Brookfield High School girls soccer team has a number of returnees, and senior forward Hazel Hall believes she has already made great strides.
“I want [for] Team unity, team bonds. We want to be really strong as a group,” Hall said.
“[RBHS coach] Ibek Halic always says that we start as teammates, then become friends and finally become family. We really try to maintain this motto throughout the season. ”
The Bulldogs (3-2) have seven seniors and four of the five 2023 All-Metro Suburban Conference honorees (seniors Niamh Larson, Maddie Visiles and Hall, juniors Ella -Caputo, sophomore Lucy Dollens) There should be great memories for the Bulldogs. Hall and Larson also received honorable mentions in all categories.
Also returning are seniors Kate Newberry and Cassidy Erb and juniors Isa Hernandez and Laurie Jessewin. Senior Andriana Nikovic, junior Abigail Yurkovic and sophomores Abigail Ford, Michelle Panduro, Audrey Raymond and Sofia Sanchez were also promoted during the season. The new students are senior Annabel Krueger, junior Katie Doyle, and sophomore Mariana Gillon.
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Riverside Brookfield's Maddie Viciures (13) takes on Nazareth's Rayden Almer (8) in a non-conference game on Friday, March 15, 2024 in Brookfield. | Steve Johnston -
Riverside Brookfield's Annabelle Krueger (1) watches activity near the goal during a nonconference game against Nazareth on Friday, March 15, 2024, in Brookfield. | Steve Johnston -
Nazareth's Hannah Hesser, 26, and Riverside Brookfield's Hazel Hall, 17, compete for a loose ball during a nonconference game Friday, March 15, 2024, in Brookfield. | Steve Johnston -
Riverside Brookfield's Ella Caputo, 10, heads the ball past Nazareth's Izzy Stonic, 28, during a nonconference game Friday, March 15, 2024, in Brookfield. He slotted it into the goal, giving the Bulldogs a 3-0 lead. | Steve Johnston -
Riverside Brookfield's Niamh Larson, 11, tries to outrun Nazareth's Evelyn Shifferman, 5, during a non-conference game Friday, March 15, 2024, in Brookfield. | Steve Johnston -
Riverside Brookfield's Ella Caputo, 10, celebrates with her teammates after a goal against Nazareth during a nonconference game Friday, March 15, 2024, in Brookfield, Illinois. (Steve Johnston/Riverside Brookfield Landmark) -
Nazareth's Lucy Djukovic, 16, tries to get past Riverside Brookfield's Lucy Dolens, 8, in a non-conference game Friday, March 15, 2024, in Brookfield. | Steve Johnston -
Riverside Brookfield's Cassidy Erb, 14, and Nazareth's Nicolette Weiss, 12, chase after a loose ball during a nonconference game Friday, March 15, 2024, in Brookfield. | Steve Johnston
The Bulldogs defeated Montini Catholic 3-0 at the Glenbard South Invite on Monday and defeated Nazareth 4-0 in Friday's home opener. In the Reavis Tournament, the Bulldogs beat Argo 6-0 in the opener on March 12, but lost 8-0 to Lockport on March 14 and 2-1 to Leyden on Thursday. Ta.
Larson, Hall and Viciures are team captains. In the fall, Larson became the starting placekicker for the RBHS varsity football team, becoming the first female player to do so.
“We're senior-led,” Haric said after Argo's win. “They've been working with me for four years, so they have very high expectations, and rightly so.”
Last season, RBHS finished 16-7-1 and 11-4-1, placing second in the MSC and reducing the field to four teams in 2024. The Bulldogs lost 4-1 to eventual section champion Hinsdale Central in the RB Regional Final.
The top scorers in 2023 are Hall (17 goals, 6 assists) and Larson (15 goals, 8 assists), followed by Caputo (3 goals, 9 assists), Viciures (2 goals, 6 assists), Panduro (4 goals), Yurkovic followed (2 goals, 2 assists), followed by Newberry and Ford (2 goals each).
Most of the scoring this season has come from Larson (5 goals, 3 assists), Caputo (4 goals, 4 assists) and Hall (3 goals, 1 assist), who had a hat trick against the Argos. Newberry scored against Nazareth.
“I think we have key players all over the field, so I don't think we're going to really struggle in any spot,” Larson said. “I think it's going to be a very good season.”
Experience allowed the Bulldogs to experiment with a 3-2-4-1 formation, with one forward and Dorens anchoring the defensive line.
“As a team, we know our individual strengths and how to come together, and I think we do that very well,” Viciures said.
“Put Lucy on the defensive. [is a strength]. She works really hard and she will play a very important role, especially as we run our new formation. In the middle, we work together very well. ”
Last season, Dorens transitioned from outside to central defender alongside all-section graduate Jessica Schernau after graduate standout Lena Lembke suffered a season-ending injury.
The defense got a big boost from multi-sport athlete Krueger, who will serve as goalie for the first time. Krueger, a volleyball player and gymnast at RBHS, began training indoors during his club season.
“We have some really good players who can fill their roles.” [defensive] We’re in a very good position,” Dolens said. “It’s going to be an adjustment. [But] I think we can become stronger.”
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