Sewickley notebook: Quaker Valley girls soccer holding teams off the scoreboard

By: Ray Fisher
Sunday, September 15, 2024 | 11:01 AM

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Some recent highlights in the Sewickley Herald coverage area:

• Quaker Valley’s girls soccer team didn’t allow a single goal in its first five games of the season.

The Quakers blanked Ambridge, 8-0, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, 7-0, Keystone Oaks, 5-0, and Hopewell, 3-0, and played to a 0-0 tie with West Allegheny in the championship game of the WA tournament.

“Each year is an adjustment because we lose and add players,” said Rachel Loudermilk, QV’s co-head coach with Maggie Behun. “So, at the beginning of each season, we hold our breath to see how the girls will work together on the field. This year, we have been fortunate that this group of girls has high expectations for themselves. Our early success is a testament to their hard work and chemistry on and off the pitch.

“As coaches we try to find the best fit and system for the team we have. We are off to a good start, but at the end of the day it is the girls who take the field and lead us to victory. We are very happy with how the season has started, but we still have work to do if we want to achieve our goal of a strong run in the playoffs. Each game is a chance to learn and improve.”

The QV girls lost a close 2-1 decision Sept. 7 to North Catholic to take a 4-1-1 record into their section game Sept. 11 against Central Valley.

QV outscored its first five opponents by a 23-0 overall margin, which included section victories over Ambridge and Hopewell.

“We have found success early hitting the back of the net,” Behun said. “It has been nice to see a mix of players contributing.”

Sophomore forward Annabel Miko led the Quakers offensively against OLSH with a four-goal performance. Junior midfielder Ari Bosh added pair of goals and sophomore midfielder June Lakasavage scored once.

“Annabel Miko has come into the season charged and ready to go,” Behun said. “As coaches, we were very disappointed that Annabel was not recognized as an all-section player last year having scored 18 goals as a freshman. She was a clear standout then and remains so now.

“This year, as a sophomore, she has already notched 11 goals and is on pace to beat her impressive number from last year. She is a focused and driven player with a nose for the goal. When Annabel steps on the field she is all business. Every successful team needs at least one player like Annabel, and we consider ourselves incredibly lucky to have her.”

Miko recorded a hat trick to lead the way offensively against Hopewell. Modrovich, a senior defender, Bosh, freshmen Anna Custer and Sophie Rosselli and Lukasavage added one goal apiece. Miko also scored twice against Hopewell.

Another major factor in the Quakers’ early success has been the performance of goalkeepers Ava Hajok, a freshman, and Clara Herman, a junior.

“Our goalkeepers have been sharing time in goal,” Loudermilk said. “Ava was responsible for our shutouts against Hopewell and West Allegheny; she had some great saves.

“For Ambridge, OLSH and Keystone Oaks, Ava and Clara shared time in the net. Clara stepped in goal for the North Catholic game and had some fantastic saves. Being able to have a lot of confidence in two goalkeepers is a real treat.”

QV’s defensive rotation has included Modrovich, junior Emma Currier, freshman Mia Duckstein, senior Anna Hanley and sophomore Maddie Gatehouse.

“Our defense has shifted each game due to injuries,” Loudermilk said. “Mia, Anna and Emma have been our defensive leaders for the past three years and they are quite the trio,” Behun said. “Each brings a unique and different aspect to the field.”

Loudermilk chimed in on the team’s defensive prowess.

“They have an unspoken chemistry that works and allows us to put confidence in our back line,” she said. “Mia Modrovich is one of the best players we have had come through the program in several years. She is the anchor to our defense.”

Currier, Modrovich and Hanley are serving as QV’s co-captains.

“So far, I think the team has been doing well,” Currier said. “We have a really young team, but everyone continues to grow as players individually and overall as a team. We get along very well off the field, which definitely helps with our chemistry when playing. Each game, we progress more and more with our intensity, organization and creativity on the field.

“We have two really strong keepers. It’s great to have both of them anchoring our team from the goal.”

Along with Miko, other early season goal-scorers have been Bosh, Modrovich, Lukasavage, Custer, Rosselli and freshman Rowan Wallace.

“Ariana Bosh is emerging as another leader this season,” Loudermilk said. “Her communication on the field helps steer our midfield and offense.”

Currier & Co are looking forward to a vigorous playoff run by the Quakers in 2024.

“We have very high expectations for the season,” she said. “We are aiming towards dominating our section and going into playoffs strong.

“We keep Highmark Stadium in mind any time we step on the field.”

• The Quaker Valley Sports Hall of Fame weekend will take place next month.

Four former QV athletes, one current coach and two teams will be inducted this year.

The 2024 class includes 2013 graduate Spencer Caravaggio Granger (girls tennis), 1992 graduate Rick Ruperto (football, basketball, track), 1982 graduate Bobby Farrington (basketball, track) and 1985 graduate Willie Jordan (football, basketball).

The foursome will be joined by QV tennis coach Christi Hays, along with the 1968 QV football team and 2002 QV girls track and field team.

A reception/tailgate party for the inductees will be held at 5:30 p.m. Oct. 25 prior to the Friday night football game at Chuck Knox Stadium.

There will be a brief introduction of this year’s class between the first and second quarters of QV’s varsity football game against McGuffey. The induction banquet will take place at 11 a.m. Oct. 27 at Sewickley Heights Golf Club.

Registration for the banquet is $35. No tickets will be sold at the door. Children under 10 will be admitted free.

Checks should be made payable to Quaker Valley Sports Hall of Fame, and mailed to Quaker Valley Sports Hall of Fame, c/o Quaker Valley Athletic Dept., 625 Beaver St., Leetsdale, Pa. 15056.

For ticket purchase or more information, contact the QV athletic office at 412-749-6001 or email Chrissy Johns at johnsc@qvsd.org.

• The Sewickley Academy girls soccer team improved to 3-0-1 with a rousing 10-1 win Sept. 11 against South Allegheny.

Grace Jardini, a sophomore winger, racked up four goals for the Panthers while senior forward Katherine Varghese and sophomore defender Emilia Carrabba both had hat tricks.

Earlier this season, Sewickley defeated Aquinas Academy, 4-3, blanked Serra Catholic, 8-0, and played to a 2-2 tie with Seton LaSalle.

Emma Eannarino, a sophomore midfielder, registered a hat trick against Serra Catholic to lead the Panthers offensively.

• Quaker Valley defeated rival Sewickley Academy, 4-1, in a girls tennis match held earlier this season.

QV’s Avery Allan and Jay Olawaiye won at No. 2 and No. 3 singles to spark their team to the Section 5-2A win. The doubles teams of Livia Jobbins and Jane Lenhard and Parker Barnes and Kate Miller also were victorious for the Quakers.

Sewickley’s Rayna Thakkar won at No. 1 singles when Kirsten Close had to retire.

Allan, Olawaiye and Lenhard each won in straight sets in singles matches in the QV girls’ 5-0 section win Sept. 10 against Ambridge.

Jobbins and Hannah Stein secured a win in first doubles while Barnes and Kate Parker took second doubles to complete the sweep for the Quakers.

The Quakers improved to 4-0 in Section 5-2A and 7-0 overall.

Tags: Quaker Valley, Sewickley Academy