Quaker Valley girls soccer hopes gradual improvements pave path to playoffs

By: Ray Fisher
Sunday, September 3, 2023 | 11:01 AM

Quaker Valley’s girls soccer team finished with an 8-7-2 record in 2022, a slight improvement from its 7-9-2 mark the season before.

With seven returning starters, the Quakers, coached by Maggie Behun and Rachel Loudermilk, are hopeful for a bigger step forward in 2023.

“We have a handful of experienced players and a handful of young players this season, both eager and ready,” Behun said. “We’re very hopeful.

“Any coach hopes for success, and going into the season, we’re already seeing a lot of that. Small but meaningful adjustments, new additions, determination, along with the eagerness to do well are just a few examples. We’re taking this season step by step with the aim of making incremental improvements to ultimately achieve a bigger end goal. Our competitors should not underestimate us this season.”

Loudermilk was a bit more direct and specific.

“It was a big disappointment last year that we did not qualify for the playoffs,” she said. “Our section has grown and so has the competition, but we can’t use that as an excuse. This year, our No. 1 goal is to make the playoffs. We need to play more cohesive as a team and find the back of the net more. No excuses, just results.

“We are a young team, which can often be a negative. However, with this group, it has turned out to be a strength. Our freshman class is eager to prove itself, which is pushing the rest of the team to pick up their level of play. It has been fun to watch. Tenacity is definitely going to be a strength for us.”

Two of the top returning starters are junior defender Mia Modrovich and sophomore midfielder Ari Bosh. They both stand 5-foot-2.

“Both Mia and Ari are forces to be reckoned with,” Behun said. “They’re creative, soccer smart and tough. Their determination is endless, and their competitive edge is fun to watch.”

The Quakers’ defense, sparked by Modrovich, appears to be a team strength. Senior Meghan Campbell and sophomore Emma Currier are returning defensive starters, as is senior goalkeeper Grace Waller.

“We have always put a strong emphasis on our defense, and this year will be no different,” Loudermilk said. “Mia Modrovich is one of the best players we have had come through the program in several years. She is the anchor to our defense.

“Captain Meghan Campbell brings speed and grit. When she makes a challenging slide tackle or block, it gets the whole team pumped up. Megan can change the tone of a game. And Emma Currier will also see time in the back line. She is a tough, smart player for whom we have high expectations.”

The 5-4 Waller has displayed annual improvement in front of the net.

“Grace has just continued to impress us with how she has improved year after year,” Loudermilk said. “She had some truly spectacular saves last year, and we will be looking for her to do the same this year.

“As a senior and captain, Waller has been more vocal and we are looking to her to help keep our defense organized and on its toes.”

Also back for the Quakers is Mia Strelec, a senior midfielder.

“We will be looking to Mia to control the midfield,” Loudermilk said. “Mia was named after one of the greatest female soccer players of all time, Mia Hamm, and you can tell soccer is in her blood. She loves the game, loves to work hard and we are hoping her senior year is her best yet.”

The team’s fourth senior is midfielder Eliza Kirk.

Along with Modrovich, the junior class is represented on the 23-player squad by forward/midfielder Anna Hanley, a returning starter who is switching from defense to offense, midfielders Gia Kuyler and Grace Wiehe and defender Lily Pulkowski.

Bosh, Currier, D Ivy Armbrust, GK Clara Herman and D/MF Willa Herman are sophomores.

Annabel Miko is a leading freshman with skill and potential. She is one of 10 freshmen on the team.

“Annabel is coming in as a freshman, but does not play like a freshman,” Loudermilk said. “She has a composure and confidence on the ball that you usually only see in older players. Her skill, combined with her size, is why we are looking for her to make an impact right from the start. She is also a great teammate.

“From a coach’s standpoint, she is just the entire package you want in a player.”

Behun also stands firmly in Miko’s corner.

“All I have to say about Annabel is ‘watch out,’” the veteran coach said.

Tags: Quaker Valley