After terrorizing the 8th District with thirteen titles in fourteen years, it’s now been four seasons since the Hopkinsville girls’ soccer team lifted the tournament trophy. If the Lady Tigers are going to end that drought in 2020, it may boil down to whether on not they can find enough offense to go with the 2nd Region’s fourth-stingiest defense from a season ago.
Almost 70% of the offensive production from last season is gone, with the graduation of Keeli Miles and Sarah Johnston and Ana Hernandez unable to return from an injury that limited her to only six games last season. Miles led the team with 28 goals on the way to All-District and All-Region selections, followed by Johnson with 11, while Hernandez chipped in 10 goals in her brief time on the field. All-District defender Anna King also graduated, along with midfielder Greer Givens.
The rest of the defense that yielded only 33 goals last season returns, starting between the posts with junior goalkeeper Vy Nguyen. Nguyen’s nine shutouts were 2nd-most in the region and tied for 12th in the state, surrendering less than a goal and a half per outing. Also back to shore up the Lady Tiger defense are senior Peyton Lewis and juniors Haley Cowherd and Allison Wood.
All-District and All-Region choice Abby Moss leads the returning attackers after scoring 8 goals and pacing the team with 17 assists as a sophomore. Sophomores Laney Wilson and Morgan Woosley combined for 8 goals and 4 assists and could take on more of the scoring load. Junior Grasen Givens also returns in the midfield after providing 14 assists last season.
A large group of sophomores will provide depth and push the players in front of them, including Makayla Marshall, Faith Folz, Taryn Underwood, Emily Acosta, and Jada Ashbery, along with senior Gracey Meacham. Freshmen Kendall Mayes and McKenzie Hyams could also figure in coach Jeff Addison’s plans.
The Lady Tigers open on September 8 with a visit from Muhlenberg County, before what shapes up to be a defensive slugfest on September 10 against Caldwell County. The teams played to a 0-0 stalemate last season in Princeton. A tantalizing trip to Madisonville-North Hopkins comes on the 22nd, before a challenging close to the regular season that includes a match at University Heights and a meeting with Marshall County at the Stadium of Champions.
Coach Addison previews the Lady Tigers ahead of the start of the regular season.
