Every year, the goal for the Harper College women’s soccer team is to win the Region IV Championship and ultimately advance to nationals. The Hawks last accomplished that feat in 2012, but this year’s group under Dwayne Cruz has the potential to get back to nationals.
With a strong core group of returners and some strong freshmen, Harper looks primed to make a push for nationals this year. The Hawks kick off their season on Friday at 4 PM against North Central Community College Conference (N4C) foe College of DuPage on the campus of Harper College.
The 2015 team will feature a strong group of returners, including First Team All-Region and All-Conference players Nicole Soderholm (Arlington Heights, Ill./Buffalo Grove) and Kassidy Kushner (Barrington, Ill./Barrington), Second Team All-Region forward Danielle Reptowski (Hanover Park, Ill./Schaumburg), defender Kristen Serviss (Huntley, Ill./Huntley), defender Emma Fatouros (Crystal Lake, Ill. /Saint Viator), midfielder Taecely Correa (/Buffalo Grove), midfielder/forward Diana Uihlein (Chelsea, Mich./Model Secondary School for the Deaf), and defender Arianna Valero (Palatine, Ill. /Palatine). The Hawks will also have 2013 Second Team All Region and All-Conference midfielder Vanessa Salazar (Stone Park, Ill./Proviso West) back.
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“The returning group we’re happy with. Nicole looks great and will play up top. Danielle’s fitness anaerobically is really good, her sprinting has been outstanding. Kassidy looks really good this year. She looks like she could make an impact really well for us this year. The rest of the cast looks really good, but I think those three are going to be a huge impact for us,” Cruz said.
Cruz is also pleased with his incoming freshman players, led by goalkeeper Sonia Valencia (Wheeling, Ill/Wheeling), who he feels should keep the team in every game.
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“We love her (Sonia). She’s one of our better goalkeepers in history coming in.”
Cruz will also rely on a trio of first-year midfielders – Alyciah Gutierrez (Chicago, Ill./Gordon Tech), Yessenia Acosta (/Wheeling), and Tatiana Rauch (Cary, Ill./Cary-Grove) – to get the job done throughout the season.
Schedule
After the season opener, the Hawks play 11 more N4C games. Harper also hosts Rochester Community & Technical College Sept. 19 and will play at Rochester Sept. 27 at the Rochester Community & Technical College Tournament. The team will also play another to-be-determined opponent at the tournament on Sept. 26, and they will play another nonconference game at Morton College Sept. 28.
Looking at the schedule, Cruz thinks his six most important games will be the two games apiece against Rock Valley College, College of DuPage, and Rochester Community and Technical College.
Postseason play starts up Oct. 20 with the Region IV Quarterfinals. The Region IV Semifinals will be played Oct. 24 followed by the Region IV Championship on Oct. 27. If the Hawks were to win the region, they would move on to the District D Championship Oct. 31. The winner of the District D Championship moves onto the 2015 NJCAA DIII Women’s Soccer Championship hosted by Ocean County College in Toms River, N.J.
