Shoreline Community College’s women’s soccer team is undefeated, has some depth and boasts more talent than in years past, coach Mark Szabo said.
Last year, en route to a third-place finish in the Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges tournament, Shoreline only had 11 players.
This year the Dolphins have 15, more depth than they’ve had in years.
“This year we have people to come off the bench and give people a rest,” Szabo said.
But the Dolphins, ranked third in the latest NWAACC poll, often start slow, despite their 9-0 record.
“We’re having a hard time finding the motivation sometimes,” Szabo said. “We’re kind of the big fish. It feels like we have a big old target on our chest.”
But, “when the other teams come after us we respond well,” he said.
That happened Sept. 27 in a road game at Highline Community College. Shoreline fell behind 1-0, but came back with goals by Melanie Boutcher in the 82nd minute and Kathleen McGee in the 87th minute to win.
Shoreline’s strength is in its defense with four of its six returning players in the back. Sophomores Cassaundra Foust (Bothell) and Brittany Chase (Monroe) fill the center defender slots with sophomores Lacey Thompson (Monroe) and Julee Thomas (Inglemoor) on the wings. Kat Donovan is the freshman goalkeeper out of Redmond. The Dolphins field three center midfielders, freshmen Lacee Ross (Snohomish), Alex Navlet (Meadowdale) and Rochelle Hahn (Lynnwood).
Sophomore Amber Vinegar, a sophomore transfer from Green River Community College, Boutcher (Cedar Park Christian) and sophomore Brittany Willis (Snohomish) are the starting forwards.
“We’re improving,” Szabo said. “The girls are learning the system I want them to play. They’re starting to feel more comfortable and confident. They’re starting to score more goals.”
“I think we have an entertaining style of play,” he said.
The Dolphins lost some speed with the graduation of forward Amanda Zueger, one of the best players in the conference (she is playing for St. Martin’s in Lacey), but skill-wise, this is one of Szabo’s best groups.
“We have a group of girls that are willing to push each other and go hard,” Szabo said. “I think they have the talent to compete and beat anybody.”
Shoreline is the clear favorite to win the NWAACC North, although Szabo think it will be challenged by Whatcom, a team Shoreline beat 6-0, Sept. 18. Szabo said Whatcom is a good team, but Shoreline simply finished all its chances to score in that game, something that it hadn’t been doing all year. In the rest of the NWAACC, the contenders appear to be Walla Walla, Bellevue and defending champion Clackamas, which might be down a bit this year, Szabo said.
Do the Dolphins have the talent to go undefeated? They went undefeated with four ties three years ago and made it to the NWAACC semifinals.
“I think they have the talent to do it,” Szabo said. “I wouldn’t put it past them.”
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