Team tactics: Mount Si girls soccer team reloads with experience, surprises

For Sophia Rouches, team co-captain, soccer is great for a reason. It's individual skill and team focus, together. "You can work on your foot skills and make yourself a better player, and it'll benefit the whole team. It makes them better players, by you playing hard," she said.

September 10, 2013 7:16 pm
Sophia Rouches
Sophia Rouches

For Sophia Rouches, team co-captain, soccer is great for a reason.

It’s individual skill and team focus, together.

“You can work on your foot skills and make yourself a better player, and it’ll benefit the whole team. It makes them better players, by you playing hard,” she said.

Rouches will be one of the attacking midfielder power-sources on a stacked-up team this year. Seven of the varsity 18 are seniors. One is a transfer and a bit of a coup for Mount Si from Cedarcrest, senior Karli White—the top player from the Red Wolves, she’s slated to attend the University of Arkansas on a full soccer ride.

On defense, returners Camryn Buck and Kristen Kasel are augmented by new freshman Natalie Wiedenbach, who was on a national-champion Eastside FC U-14 girls team this summer.

“We’ll be a good squad this year. But league is going to be good, too,” said head coach Darren Brown.

KingCo will offer strong competition, too, with Interlake and Liberty looking like teams to beat.

Nellie Joselyn is a sophomore pulled up from junior varsity to hold down the goal. Brown expects her to grow over the next several years.

Extra leadership on the field will come from two more co-captains, senior midfielders Kelsey Lindor and Leah Corra.

Lindor is an example leader, balancing Rouches’ vocal presence.

Corra, who plays for a Crossfire club team, is a midfielder here who’s looking forward to air balls and corner kicks.

On this team, “you definitely make friends, says Lindor, a soccer enthusiast since, probably, first grade.

“Right out of the gates, everyone’s gotten to know everyone else,” says Rouches. “We’re all close and bonded. That’s going to take us far.”

Mount Si girls soccer schedule

Tuesday, Sept. 10

• Mt Si hosts Cedarcrest, 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, Sept. 12

• Mount Si at Juanita, 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Sept. 17

• Mount Si hosts Interlake, 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, Sept. 19

• Mount Si hosts Sammamish, 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Sept. 24

• Mount Si at Lake Washington, 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, Sept. 26

• Mount Si at Bellevue, 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Oct. 1

• Mount Si at Mercer Island, 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, Oct. 3

• Mount Si at Liberty, 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Oct. 8

• Mount Si hosts Juanita, 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, Oct. 10

• Mount Si at Interlake, 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Oct. 15

• Mount Si at Sammamish, 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, Oct. 17

• Mount Si hosts Lake Washington,  7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Oct. 22

• Mount Si hosts Bellevue, 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, Oct. 24

• Mt Si hosts Mercer Island, 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Oct. 29

• Mount Si hosts Liberty, 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, Oct. 31

• KingCo championships