Lady Archers’ Soccer: Third Time is a Charm
By: SPENCER GLEASON
Editor-in-Chief
One of the more difficult aspects of community college athletics is the constant carousel of athletes. With a two-year rotation of athletes, it is often difficult to maintain a nationally recognized team.
In only three seasons as the STLCC Archers, Juergen Huettner and the women’s soccer team have already won two Region XVI Championships, a District D Title and made a National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Tournament playoff berth.
On Saturday, Nov. 2, the Lady Archers defeated the St. Charles Community College Lady Cougars, 2-0, for the latter of back-to-back Region XVI Trophys. A kudos is in order to the 2013 Lady Archers.
With the Region XVI Title, the Lady Archers now move on to the District D title game, putting them just one win away from back-to-back NJCAA Tournament appearances, something only the Lady Archers basketball team has accomplished since all of STLCC became the Archers in July 2011.
In three seasons, Huettner’s Lady Archers have compiled a record of 40-18-3.
The 2013 Lady Archers outscored their opponents 78-31, which helped lead them to a 14-5-2 overall record. The combination of goalkeepers freshman Kelsey Hedges, sophomore Sammi Merlotti and sophomore Apolonia Thomas, shutdown the opposition with nine shutouts, plus a 0-0 tie against Southwestern Illinois College on Oct. 10.
The District D Title game will take place on Nov. 10. It will be the third matchup in which the Lady Archers will face the Lewis and Clark Lady Trailblazers. the previous two meetings have not come out in STLCC’s favor, with 2-0 and 6-2 losses respectively.
Although it will be their third meeting this season, the old cliche of “the third time is a charm” could be used as bulletin board material for the Lady Archers and their confidence.
Except, who knows if their confidence needs any more of a boost. They have shutout their last three opponents this season, with three consecutive, 2-0 victories.
Regardless of the District D Title game’s outcome and whether or not a NJCAA Tournament appearance is in their future, it is safe to say the 2013 Lady Archers have already made the
