By Chris Parker
Hillcrest girls soccer is hoping for a turnaround season with eight starters and 12 total letter winners returning.
The Lady Hornets finished 2-19 last season with 10 total goals scored.
Junior Yeniva Gonzalez returns up top at forward looking to increase her scoring total. She has nine goals scored in 38 career games. Gonzalez earned second-team all-conference and first-team all-district honors last season.
Hillcrest head coach Roy Hardy Jr. will look for his midfield to control possession better this season.
“In the midfield, we struggle to do both supporting the defense and offense which then translated in us losing the time of possession,” Hardy Jr. said. “We must not lose the ball so quickly in the midfield if we want to be successful and do a better job up putting our forwards in scoring opportunities.”
Yesenia Martinez (senior), Hope Davis (senior) and Kendyl Tolliver (junior) return in the midfield.
Addison Grant (senior), Amari Gray (senior) and Tori McCullough (senior) return at defender. Grant was named honorable mention all-conference and all-district last season.
“Our defense in 2022 gave up on average five goals a game,” Hardy Jr. said. “The point of emphasis in the defensive third is to limited the scoring opportunities by stopping the opposition’s attacks before reaching the 18 this season.”
Junior Natalie Percival returns in goal after earning first-team all-conference honors and second-team all-district honors last season.
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“This will be her second year in that keeper role and ever playing soccer,” Hardy Jr. said. “From Game 1 to Game 21, her keeper skills have improved. With a season of goalie gloves on her hands, I’m excited to see what she does this season. The goal for her is cut down the number of goals scored on her from 2022.”
Hardy Jr. will look for Hillcrest to take the next step in his third year as head coach.
“My overall expectations for the players this season are to move from lightheartedness two years ago to being more competitive, committed, and coachable in practice sessions and games,” Hardy Jr. said. “My first year (2021), we were lighthearted and trying to just have a program and we had only the one win. The second year (2022), the focused was doing the little things consistently that would make one feel more confident in what they are doing on the pitch every day (we managed to get two wins). This spring, we must move away from just kicking the ball, to kicking with a purpose. I expect us to be better fundamentally and have a better grasp of the game this year than my first two seasons.”
Hillcrest opens the season on Mar. 21 at home against Kickapoo.
