Lady Lynx kick up the offense this fall

Expectations are high for the Lady Lynx soccer team this season. 

Head coach Jacob Shoup has one goal in particular he’d like to see them reach. 

“We’re hoping to take the next step from a team that just makes the playoffs to a team who can host a playoff game and compete into the next rounds,” he said. 

Defense, he said, is the Lady Lynx’s strength. 

“Our back four and our GK (goalkeeper) are our strengths because they are all experienced players. We do a great job of putting pressure on teams defensively and minimizing their chances,” Shoup said. “We are definitely a defensive team.”

Players to watch for this season include Kianna Thelen, two-year starter in the goalkeeper position and former Eastern South Dakota All-Conference and All-Metro Conference player; Samantha Taylor, two-year starter and ESD All-Conference; Bre Langenhorst, ESD All-Conference and leading goal scorer; Morgan Thompson, two-year starter and last year’s “Most Outstanding Player” award winner; and Ashley Ask, also a two-year starter and 2016 “Hardest Worker Award” recipient. 

For the Lady Lynx to have a strong season, Shoup said several factors need to come into play: consistently getting off to a strong start in each game, taking more shots on goal and getting ahead early in the game. 

“The keys for us are to not have any deficiencies in our effort from the start of games. We had a hard time getting into games last year because we would not have the same energy at the start of the game that we needed,” he said. 

“Goal scoring is also a challenge for us, so if we can increase the amount of shots and chances that we have and get ahead early on teams, we will be very successful. Then we can clamp down on teams and defend like we know how to. 

“We are not built to come back from being down so getting ahead early and not conceding early goals will be huge for us,” Shoup said. “We look forward to the challenge and getting to grow as a team.”

The Lady Lynx soccer team welcomes 14 returning letter winners. Seniors are Kaitlyn Gloege, central midfielder, Chloe Askdal, right midfielder, Arianna Stangohr, defender, Katie Bieningen, defender, Sydney Nifong, defender, and Thelen, goal keeper; juniors, Sarah Knutson, midfielder, Marlie Tekrony, central midfielder, McKenna Geringer, forward, Taylor, left midfielder, Thompson, defender, and Ask, defender; and sophomores, Calista Kocmick, central midfielder, and Langenhorst, forward.

Team captains are Stangohr, Gloege and Ask.

The Lady Lynx garnered an 11-11-3 record in 2016. They completed the regular season last year at 6-4-2, and in conference play, 6-2 in the ESD and 0-3-1 in Metro action.

The team’s best finish in recent years, Shoup said, was placing third out of nine teams in the 2016 ESD.

He’s set the team focus on overcoming the tough programs, such as Pierre.

“I see Pierre as one of the favorites this year. They were one of the top teams last year and they didn’t lose much,” Shoup said. “I also see Washington and Aberdeen as two teams that will continue to be very tough as they always are. And then the two Rapid schools have been consistently great at the top the last few years – we just don’t get to play them or see them. 

“I feel good with where we are at this year and we certainly hope that we can take the next step and make some noise in the playoffs. We have high expectations and believe that we can compete with anyone. We just hope that the ball bounces our way in some of these close games,” he said.

This is Shoup’s third season as head coach of the Lady Lynx soccer program and Erica Karl’s third season as the assistant.

Key player losses from last season are Hope Jackmon, ESD All-Conference and starting central midfielder, and Kate Forster, forward.

BV’s girls’ soccer program graduated two players in 2016 who are currently playing at the college level: Grace Bender, at Augustana University, and Melanie Peltier, at Bemidji State University. 

The Lady Lynx will face Washington High School at Sioux Falls on Aug. 25. Playoffs start Sept. 26, and state championships are Oct. 7 in Aberdeen.