Page 10 Edina Fall Sports Preview • Thursday , August 22 , 2024 current . mnsun . com
State soccer champs shoot for repeat
By JOHN SHERMAN john . sherman @ apgecm . com
Edina High ’ s girls soccer team ran the table last season , posting a 22-0-0 record and winning the State Class AAA Tournament at U . S . Bank Stadium .
The Hornets graduated a talented senior class , led by Miss Soccer of Minnesota , Izzy Engle . However , the Hornets are in good shape again this season with the return of five experienced captains an a new head coach , Taylor Greathouse , the former head coach at Minneapolis Southwest .
Before a recent workout at Edina High ’ s Lower Fields , the captains talked about their hopes and dreams for the 2024 season .
Eleni McGuire , the starting goalkeeper as a junior last season , said , “ Most of our defense returns and our backline works very well together .”
Senior captain on defense Kaylee Idrogo-Lam observed , “ Everyone on the team last year had a role . That is how we won the state championship . A lot of players developed during the season .”
“ We grew a lot as a group last year ,” senior Elly Doscotch said . “ For the most part , we have the same players on defense .”
Anna Conner , a senior in her third season on varsity , is the other captain on defense along with Mc- Guire , Idrogo-Lam and Doscotch . “ We are excited with the new talent coming in this year . Our first couple of games this year are
( SUN PHOTO BY JOHN SHERMAN )
New Edina girls soccer coach Taylor Greathouse ( green shirt ) is pictured with Edina ’ s five captains . They are , from left to right : Goalkeeper Eleni McGuire , defender Elly Doscotch , defender Anna Conner , defender Kaylee Idrogo-Lam and midfielder Lou Ruffien .
going to be against some of the best teams in our section . Defense will be a huge part of those games .”
Back to lead Edina ’ s offense this year is Lou Ruffien , the team ’ s only junior captain . 2024 graduate Engle now at the University of Notre Dame , led the Hornets with 41 goals last season . As the No . 2 scorer , Ruffien scored many of the biggest goals of the season . Her explosive speed and dribbling in tight spaces created chances not only for her , but also for her teammates .
“ It was a team effort last season ,” Ruffien said . “ Our first time at U . S . Bank Stadium [ in 2022 ] was all new to us . We were more prepared and confident going back there last year .”
Over the last two seasons , the Hornets lost only one game , and that was 3-2
See Girls , Page 11
( PHOTO COURTESY OF GUY WARREN PHOTOGRAPHY )
Lou Ruffien of the Edina High girls soccer team enters her third varsity season as one of the premier scorers in the Lake Conference .