Press Release
The Young Harris College women's soccer team is eager for the start of the 2024 season, after an impressive 2023 campaign that featured a Conference Carolinas record of 8-4 overall, and a second-place finish in the Southwest division. Head coach Avram Allen and his team are all set for year three under his tutelage in the Enchanted Valley.
The Mountain Lions top returners this season include defenders Morgan Kasel and Justice Colburn; along with midfielders Anita Roese and Shania Harris. Morgan Kasel will be this year's captain of the team, as she begins year five with the Mountain Lions women's soccer program. Coach Allen says of Kasel, "Our team and opposing players feel her presence with her engine on the field and [Mo] has really stepped up as a leader for YHC this offseason." Justice Colburn is gearing up for her second season in Young Harris after transferring from the University of Wisconsin Green Bay before the start of the 2023 season. Last year, Colburn started 16 matches in the back end and netted two goals and two assists in transition for the Mountain Lions.
Midfielder Anita Roese looks to make the jump this year heading into her sophomore season with the Mountain Lions. Last year, Roese played in 19 games and started nine matches; putting up one goal and one assist for three points on the year. Coach Allen expects to see her take a bigger role in the midfield this year as she has made huge strides this offseason. Senior Shania Harris is also set to take center stage again this year, after being named to the Conference Carolinas All-Conference second team following the 2023 season. Last season, Harris scored seven goals and added an assist in 18 matches played. Coach Allen was zealous when talking about Shania, stating, "[She] is a talented player who made an impact last season and is looking forward to her senior year; she wants to leave a legacy in the midfield this season and showcase her skills to the conference once more."
The recruits for the 2024 season are also looking promising in practice so far for the Mountain Lions women's soccer team. Coach Allen highlighted Betsy Bu, Meghan Goolsby, and Adoria Sanders as three key players that will be able to make an impact this year for Young Harris. Coach Allen asserts, "Adding these three players is going to help us in our transitional play this season. Combining their speed and quickness with our playing style is going to be beneficial to us in transition, which we were missing last season."
Coach Avram Allen and the Young Harris College Mountain Lions women's soccer team are ready to tackle the 2024 season, after a formidable 2023 campaign. Coach Allen says of this year's team and schedule, "Going into it we start off with some difficult Opponents in non-conference play this season. This will show us where we are early on, and we will be tested early and often." Continuing, "For us, being ranked personally in the preseason by the conference at ninth is motivation. I respect their ranking, but we can go out and show the conference who we are as a program; what we have here is something special." Concluding, "We know what we have here, we just need to go out there and show it game by game."
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