Steady defense, goalkeeping carry top-seeded Seton LaSalle girls into postseason

By: HSSN Staff
Friday, October 20, 2017 | 4:24 PM

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The Seton LaSalle girls soccer team enjoyed an amazing stretch run in the regular season.

The Rebels (14-2) won their section with an 11-1 record, and an integral reason behind their success was the brilliant play by senior goalkeeper Kaylee Russman.

Russman recorded 11 shutouts, and Seton LaSalle surrendered just three goals in its 14 victories

Russman and the Rebels did not allow a single goal for nearly a month, reeling off nine consecutive shutouts from Sept. 18 to Oct. 11.

“Kaylee is a great goalie,” coach Brooke Mangis said. “The defense has done a good job of limiting other teams from scoring, but they know if they make a mistake Kaylee can come up big with a great save.”

A three-year starter at goalkeeper and one of only three seniors on the 2017 team roster, Russman has 19 career shutouts. She was all-section selection a year ago.

“The defense has played a key role in my shutouts this season,” Russman said. “Vanessa Peretin is such a strong defender that she makes my job a lot easier.

“Communication also plays a big role, because while you're in net, you have the best view to get your teammates in the right position. While playing goalkeeper you have to be aware of your surroundings. I do focus on who has the ball the most, but I also have to focus on the girl who is about to receive the cross. I have been playing this position for three years now, so it's become easier to catch on to everything that's going on around me.”

The Rebels' starters on defense down the season's home stretch consisted of junior Vanessa Peretin, freshman Ireland Killen, sophomore Jada Reddy and junior Julia O'Rourke.

“Vanessa was the only returning starter (on defense),” Mangis said. “She is the leader of our defense; she is a great one-on-one defender. Vanessa is so calm and confident, and she keeps everyone organized. She also takes all of our corner kicks and has all of her assists, and goals, from them.

“Ireland is a freshman who gets better every game, while Jada played midfielder last year and has been playing defense for us this year. Julia is our middle defender; she has been so consistent every game.”

Sarah Farnan, a junior who was the Rebels' second-leading scorer in 2016, also is a defender who recently returned to the lineup after recovering from an injury.

“We moved Sarah to defense this year,” Mangis said. “She played great against Canevin and Bentworth. She shut down two of the top scorers.”

After an 0-2 start, Seton LaSalle has won 14 games in a row and will take that impressive winning streak into the WPIAL playoffs.

“Coming into my senior season I knew the potential we had as a team,” Russman said. “Although we started off slow with two losses, I knew what we were capable of. I am so proud of the girls for working so hard, because it's really shown on the field. We all have individual strengths. We always are there to lift each other up, and we are all leaders in our own specific way.

“The girls and I share such a strong bond off the field that the chemistry is always there when we walk on the field.”

Russman, who actually began her soccer career at Seton La Salle as a freshman defender, is involved in many extracurricular activities. They include the yearbook staff, Rebel Report, stage crew, Rebels for Life, Environmental Club, Girls Who Code and S.A.D.D. (Students Against Destructive Decisions). She also plays softball in the summer.

Russman has a dazzling 3.9 GPA and is considering attending Robert Morris, West Virginia or St. Vincent in college.

Seton LaSalle's headliner on offense this season has been senior forward Mofoluke Obiri, who has clicked for 31 goals and 12 assists.

An All-WPIAL and all-section selection last season, Obiri is a third-year starter and fourth-year letter winner. She has netted 74 career goals, including 55 over the past two seasons.

Obiri has been complemented offensively by junior midfielder Emma Hoffman, who owns 13 goals and 12 assists. Hoffman is a transfer student from Upper St. Clair; she moved to the Pittsburgh area last year from Texas.

Other goal-scorers include Liz Kittle, Farnan, Peretin, Hannah Warner, Madison Eidemueller, Vanessa Hudson, Reddy, Hannah Lacek, O'Rourke and Mikaela Small.

“Mikaela is our center midfielder,” Mangis said. “She is only a freshman and she plays every minute of every game. She doesn't have the statistics that the others have, but she is all over the field helping us.”

Seton LaSalle has outscored the opposition by a 68-11 overall margin this season.

“The girls have been playing very well as a team,” Mangis said. “We have had a lot of bad luck with injuries and the flu. We haven't played one game with our full starting lineup. Each night, someone different steps up and helps this team. It has been fun to watch.”

Thanks to their late-season surge, the Rebels moved into the No. 1 position in Class A in the Tribune-Review weekly rankings, followed by Shady Side Academy, Greensburg Central Catholic, Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic and Sewickley Academy.

The WPIAL playoffs are scheduled to commence Monday. Seton LaSalle earned the No. 1 seed and will play Mohawk (6-11).

The Rebels are one of four section champions in the Class A playoffs.

“Single-A seems wide open,” Mangis said. “We think we have a chance against anyone. We hope to be one of two teams there at the end.”

Mangis is in her 12th season as Seton LaSalle's coach. During that time, the Rebels have qualified for the WPIAL playoffs 10 times, and have won six section titles.

Manning had her coach's proverbial back in her playoff assessment.

“I expect this team to go far in the playoffs,” Manning said. “As I said before, we have so much talent on this team, and I know we're ready to leave it all out on the field.”

Ray Fisher is a freelance writer.