Girls Soccer Preview: Lakeland Hornets

The Lakeland girls' soccer team enters this season after having gained a lot of experience last year.

Coach Jon Hourahan is in his second year of coaching Lakeland's girls varsity squad. He was previously the assistant/goalkeeper coach for Lakeland's varsity boys squad, Spackenkill's head JV coach/assistant to the varsity for sectionals and the JV boys coach at both Lakeland and Kennedy Catholic.  

"We have more experience than we did last year but we are still young," Hourahan said. "We do have four seniors but only two of the four seniors played last year, one on varsity, one on JV so we have two seniors that never played before."

The team has eight sophomores, eight juniors and one freshman along with the seniors.

Hourahan said the Hornets are looking to rebound from their 3-9 campaign of a year ago by going at least .500 in the league and making the sectionals. He said he was also looking for his team's goal differential to be positive this year.

"Last year we gave up too many goals and didn't score as many as we needed too," Hourahan said.

Looking to help the Hornets reach their goals is senior co-captain, midfielder/defender Rebecca Sitzer.

"She's ready to put the team ahead of herself," Hourahan said. "If I need someone to play sweeper, she can, but if I can move her to center-mid, she has vision, she can take a player one-on-one and be able to distribute the ball to where I need. I like her vision and I also like her skill set, whether it's on defense or at midfield."

Another senior co-captain, Sarah Rosten, is a four-year varsity player who has been playing defense since she was a freshman. Hourahan said that her leadership in the back of the defense would help the Hornets immensely.

Lakeland's other co-captain is sophomore Jessica Boyle, who won the starting goalkeeper job as a freshman last year and hasn't looked back.     

"Jessica's on the field and off the field tactics of being able to talk to kids, talk them through when they are having rough times are great," Hourahan said. "Overall, her camaraderie around the kids, you see that they just respect her and she is able to get those girls to the next level."

Other key returning players include junior stopper Taylor Baldassarri, who is able to run through people to get to the ball. She sees the field well and wouldn't back down to anyone.

Third-year varsity player, sophomore Laurel Reed, has played center-mid in the past for Hourahan but might be pushed to forward. She is able to dribble through people, make passes, communicate with her teammates and get them to where they have to be.

Even though she is not one of the captains, the team definitely looks up to Reed when it comes to crunch time, Hourahan said.

Junior outside midfielder Cady Langdon, a three-year varsity player, is another Hornet who can run through the defense and perform in crunch time.

"She can get the ball and score if we need it," Hourahan said. She drops back in defense and helps out. Just the tenacity that she has that she brings to the team. It's something that we definitely are going to need."

Two key newcomers for the Hornets are freshman forward Michaela Furgeson and sophomore midfielder/forward Rachel Lackow.

2010 Lakeland Schedule

Sept. 13 Kennedy Catholic 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 15 @ Yorktown 4:30 p.m.

Sept. 21 Poughkeepsie 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 23 @ Kennedy Catholic 4:30 p.m.

Sept. 24 @ Putnam Valley Tournament 7 p.m.

Sept. 25 @ Putnam Valley Tournament Noon or 2 p.m.

Sept. 27 @ Putnam Valley 4:30 p.m.

Sept. 30 Hen Hud 6 p.m.

Oct. 1 @ Panas 6 p.m.

Oct. 4 @ Westlake 4:30 p.m.

Oct. 7 Haldane 7 p.m.

Oct. 9 Putnam Valley 3 p.m.

Oct. 12 Panas 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 13 @ Hen Hud 4:30 p.m.

Oct. 20 Mahopac 7 p.m.

Oct. 21 @ Haldane 4:30 p.m.