Coming off of an impressive 11-1-2 record last season, the Lady Lancers were expected to do big things this year, and they haven’t disappointed. The girls’ are 12-0 and have been dominating their competition throughout the season with 10 shutouts, and have brought home a MVAL Piedmont Division Title. In 2013, the girls were defeated in the regional final game by Damascus in overtime. They hope not to repeat the past.

Senior defender Danielle Ferris has been a key contributor to the team’s success and is very excited about this season. “We are very confident. We think we can go really far in the playoffs.”

Ferris credited team chemistry as a big part of their success. “We are working as a team… There isn’t any drama like in past years.”

She said that junior Hannah Hoefs has been an important player. “She distributes the ball well and makes plays happen.”

Ferris said that the mindset of the team is just to, “Keep working hard… If we let our guard down, all it takes is one goal to beat us.”

Head coach Howard Putterman has been with the team for seven years. “I am very proud of my girls.  We have worked very hard to turn around a program that had really struggled for over a decade… Our success is a direct result of the hard work that my girls put in every day and I am very, very proud to be associated with Linganore Soccer,” said Putterman.

Putterman said that the team tries to ignore the fact that the perfect record is there, but says that it lingers in the back of their heads. “You can see it during games when things are close; the girls get more stressed than in other seasons, and the relief when we score the first goal is huge.”

Coach Putterman credited many different players as contributors this season. “Our Goalie, 4-year starter and captain Rhianna Lapen, has been amazing this year, with seven shutouts and she has not yet let a goal in this year.”

Putterman also said the defense has really come through after some injuries. “We have been very limited in the players we can use back there (on defense); however, we have two converted offensive players starting every game on defense right now and yet we have shut eight teams out and only allowed one goal all year.”

Junior Katie Lamb is, “our stalwart defender,” said Putterman. He also gave credit to senior captain McKenzie McCaull as a team leader. “McKenzie is the quarterback of our team – everything runs through her and she is the heart and soul of our midfield.”

Putterman said that a big strength this year has been the team’s ability to, “spread the ball around the field… We can possess the ball better than most high school teams I remember.”

They have been able to keep that up with big wins against Middletown and Urbana in the past week. They were also able to clinch the MVAL Piedmont Title when they beat Urbana 1-0 in a thrilling match that ended with a goal by junior Montanna Hill in the last minute.

Once the playoffs come around they will still have to worry about Urbana and Damascus, but Putterman is confident in the girls’ ability to perform. “We can play with anyone in the state, so I am less concerned with competition, just with making sure we play to our own potential.”

The JV girls are not to be outdone, though. They are 9-0-1 and have not allowed a goal the entire season. Six of those games have been decided by a margin of five goals or more with a season high eleven goals against Frederick.

Coach Jake Snow said the team is, “pretty confident,” but recognizes the pressure that comes with being such a dominant team. “We haven’t lost a game since 2012 and everybody knows that… I can’t speak for (the players) but there’s probably a lot of pressure.” Snow even admitted to feeling sick before every game.

He credited the girls’ knowledge of the game as a big part of their success. “They really know what they’re doing. They trust each other.”

Snow also said that they talk to each other during breaks in the action. “At halftime… they themselves will talk to each other and analyze the game… and that’s really helpful.”