By Fred Kroner
The Mahomet-Seymour girls’ soccer team scored the first and the last goals in the Tuesday (May 24) Class 2A sectional semifinal match against Rochester at Chatham Glenwood.
But Rochester scored more goals in between and salvaged a 3-2 triumph, putting an end to the Bulldogs’ season.
M-S took the early lead on a Grace Lietz-to-Cayla Koerner goal. The goal was the school-record 60th of the season for Koerner.
After Rochester built a 3-1 advantage, a throw-in by Koerner resulted in a header by Emma Dallas for the Bulldogs’ final goal in a 19-3 season.
All three M-S losses this season were by 3-2 scores.
Despite the setback, the season was a resounding success for Coach Jeremy Davis’ squad.
M-S won all 10 Apollo Conference matches (outscoring those opponents by a combined 76-5 margin) and wound up with all 11 starters earning all-conference honors.
Bulldogs selected to the All-Apollo first team were Brea Benson, Abby Bunting, Cayla Koerner, Grace Larson, Lauren Schnepper, Janel Straub and Kallie Stutsman.
The second-team selections were Nadia Biegler, Delaney King, Grace Lietz and Amelia Osman.
Additionally, Bunting was chosen for the all-sectional team. Benson and Koerner each earned all-state recognition and Koerner was picked for the All-Midwest team.
In three seasons (COVID-19 wiped out her sophomore year), Koerner rewrote the school record book. Besides her school-mark for season goals (60), Koerner set a new standard for season assists (37) and season points, combined goals and assists, (97).
She also established new records for career goals (137), career assists (81) and career points (218).
Benson ranks third all-time for career goals (54), career assists (67) and career points (121), also achieving those marks in three seasons of activity.
The seniors were 58-8 in their three-year careers.
The graduated seniors were Benson, Kamryn Frost, Anna Hawley, Veronica Hoffman, King, Koerner, Larson, Lietz, Osman, Taylor Remus, Bailey Roberts and Schnepper.
The season’s top scorers were: Koerner (60 goals), Benson (18 goals), Schnepper (13), Dallas (10), King (5), Osman (5) and Sidney Young (5).
Season leaders for assists were: Koerner (37), Benson (27), Schnepper (12), Lietz (10) and King (9).
