By Denise Tucker (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
It took some time for the Rolla Lady Bulldogs to gel last season, but once they did, they finished with a winning record giving coach Mike Armstrong reason for optimism heading into the 2023 season.
“We learned a lot about teamwork last season,” said Armstrong, who is 22-21 in two years at Rolla (254-241 for his career) and was named Ozark Conference Co-Coach of the Year. “Hopefully, that lesson will allow us to be the best we can be. It was very rewarding to see the team come together and really enjoy playing together. By the end of the season, we were playing some really good soccer. I believe we are ready to win the district and really challenge for the conference title.”
After starting the season 4-6, the Lady Bulldogs finished 11-9 overall and 6-3 in the Ozark Conference for third place. Armstrong’s younger players were able to get some varsity experience in Rolla’s win over Marshfield in the Class 3 District 5 Tournament, which sets the team up well for this season.
The Rolla girls’ (and boys’) program also was one of 26 schools in the nation to earn the United Soccer Coaches Association Academic Award. The Lady Bulldogs return six seniors, one junior and three sophomores, including leaders on defense, in the midfield and up top.
• Dace Murray, senior goalkeeper. “Dace brings a lot of positive energy to the team,” Armstrong said. “She is a shot-stopper for us.”
• Campbell Smith, senior defender. “Campbell is a leader and runs the back line for us; a very strong defender for us.”
• Lydia Meusch, senior wing; named honorable mention all-district and all-conference. “Lydia is fast and never gives up. She will make run after run and finds a way to score.”
• Chloe Lucas, senior midfielder; named first-team all-district and second-team all-conference. “Chloe has great vision and is a real player-maker. She can finish, too.”
• Zoe Hargis, senior midfielder/forward; earned all-region, first-team all-district and all-conference honors; signed to play at William Woods University. “Zoe is another leader that brings lots of energy to our team. She is an all-around player that can do it all.”
• Faith Coates, senior forward/midfielder; selected to the all-region and first-team all-district and all-conference teams; committed to Westminster College. “Faith is a strong goal-scorer with a powerful shot. She has an incredible drive to win.”
• Ava Burnett, junior midfielder; a first-team all-district and honorable mention all-conference selection. “Ava is a leader on the field with how she plays. She is our enforcer and takes care of the dirty work and helps us control the middle.”
• Olivia Young, sophomore, forward. “Olivia is a goal scorer. As a freshman last year, she scored seven times. I think she is ready to increase that number this year.”
• Emily Pendleton, sophomore defender. “As a freshman, she worked her way into the starting rotation. She is a very skilled back that knows how to play out of the backfield.”
• Kate Arnold, sophomore defender. “Kate is another freshman last year that saw a lot of playing time. Injuries held her back some, but she is a tough defender.”
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Armstrong has four sophomores and two juniors he says have shown a lot of potential.
Apryl Decker is a sophomore defender, whom Armstrong says has come on strong. Emma Fontenot, a sophomore forward, “has an amazing shot, is fast and is just a true finisher.” Hallye Hodges, a sophomore, has good vision and makes things happen on the field. McKenna Moore, a sophomore forward, is fast, can score and has an “intense passion” for the game. Addi Bolich, a junior defender, can create on the attack. “I really think she will stand out for us this season,” Armstrong said. Hannah Bleckman, junior goalkeeper, will challenge for the starting keeper spot.
“We are blessed to have a lot of talent this season,” Armstrong said. “I honestly could put out two full varsity teams that would be different in style but still competitive. We are a fast team that will really dictate the pace of the game. Our biggest strength is how deep our bench is; we have a lot of good players.”
The Lady Bulldogs will look to replace all-district and all-conference defender Abby Turner, Jaelyn Grommet and Tatum Hess.
• Abby Turner “was able to do it all,” Armstrong said. “She scored for us and defended all over the field. She was also a great leader and kept us on track.”
• Jaelyn Grommet “was a great player but she did her best work by getting everyone to feel welcome and to play as a team. She has such a big heart and just made us better.”
• Tatum Hess “was a strong back for us and played great defensively. She was such a positive player and that energy will be missed.”
The Lady Bulldogs will participate in a jamboree at Waynesville with Camdenton and Dixon on March 13, and open the regular season by hosting the Bluefish Soccer Invitational on March 17-18.
“We always look forward to our conference games,” Armstrong said. “We have a really good group of coaches and teams in the Ozark Conference; those games are competitive and fun. Kickapoo and Glendale are some of the best teams around and we look forward to how we can do against them. Jefferson City is also another fun game against good people and good competition that we look forward to. One of our biggest tests is always Rock Bridge.
“I love our energy and passion for the game. These girls play a fun and exciting style of soccer. Not only are they fun to watch, but they are also good people on and off the field. We have a lot of good support for this team and that makes it a very enjoyable season.”
