Rebuilding the past few years has been one of Steve Kilby’s biggest responsibilities as head coach of the Lady Indians’ varsity soccer team, but he hasn’t disappointed, netting conference title after conference title. In 2007, seven seniors closed out their high school career, and six more left following last year’s 14-2 season, but over the years, plenty of fresh talent has been working its way up from Selbyville Middle School’s feeder program.

Coastal Point • Jesse Pryor
Indian River’s girls soccer team reviews drills behind the high school. The schedule begins this weekend with a play day at Woodbridge on Saturday and scrimmages next week.

IR midfielder captains Michelle Giorgilli and Marlena Schleifer and goalkeeper Taylor Mushrush were among those who left some large cleats to fill on the Lady Indians’ team. Kilby noted that sophomore Sarah Long will likely be filling in between the posts to start the season.

“We’re looking for her to fill a pretty big role that Taylor left,” he said.

Seniors Courtney Lake, Sarah Purdum and Kaitlyn Binstead will be returning for their final year on the team, while junior Alex Roenke will also present some team seniority.

“These girls have been playing for a while now,” said Kilby. “We expect them to be leaders and orchestrate the team.”

The team is swamped with sophomores, most of whom have proved their capabilities as freshmen on the varsity squad or helping last year’s junior varsity capture an undefeated season. Kaitlin Forte will assist Purdum at the midfield position, hoping to continue where Giorgilli and Schleifer left off. The Warrington sisters, Miranda and Morgan, or “Mi” and “Mo,” will also be working midfield and forward for the Lady Indians.

Michaella Evans, who distinguished herself as one of the strongest up-and-coming defensive backs in the league last year, will also head back out onto the field as a sophomore. Kasey Keith, Marissa Atkins and Emma Cannon will also be heading out to the pitch on the varsity roster this year.

“We have a lot of sophomores who I think will contribute to the list,” said Kilby. “There are some talented girls coming back out for the team, and others who are really stepping it up this year.”

The Lady Indians will get their legs moving this Saturday, March 14, at the Woodbridge Play Day, a pre-season event that had typically been held at the River Soccer Club.

“This weekend,” said Kilby, “we can, hopefully, get a look at our team under some pressure. Once again, we need to rebuild from the back and find a whole new crew for defensive positions.”

Following the play day, the Lady Indians will travel for two scrimmages, first on Friday, March 20, at Ursuline Academy in Wilmington, then on Saturday, March 21, at A.I. DuPont at 9:30 a.m. The regular season will kick off on Tuesday, March 24, as IR hosts Cape Henlopen at 7 p.m. behind the John M. Clayton building