Progress for Lady Golden Tornadoes

Coach Pete Hurley has witnessed quite a turnaround for Lawrence’s girls’ soccer program, which has a shot to finish above .500 on the varsity pitch and is fielding its first JV team in seven years.

“It’s very encouraging,” Hurley said of the program’s status. “Getting the JV up and running again was important. We have a bunch of seniors on varsity this year, but next year we’ll be able to fill the voids with younger players.”

The Lady Golden Tornadoes were competitive at the varsity level a year ago and picked up where they left off. Finishing with a winning record, Hurley said, was a goal they set for 2013 and had a shot to do so with a 5-4-1 mark in Conference A-5 with two games remaining. “I’m happy with the progress,” Hurley said. “Chemistry has a lot to do with it. The girls have made a dramatic improvement in their passing and communication.”

Senior forwards Josseline Jiminez, Sasha Unger and Georgina Hodja have carried the offense, combining for 16 goals and 10 assists through 10 games. “We’re going to have a lot of scoring to replace,” said Hurley, looking ahead to next year.

Hodja, who suffered a serious hand injury last fall, is setting the pace in goals with seven. She also has two assists. “She’s our comeback player for sure,” Hurley said of Hodja, who scored three times in a 5-1 victory at Westbury on Oct. 7. “She’s a natural goal scorer,” he added. “She’s fast and has a really hard shot.”

Jiminez, who scored twice against Westbury, has five goals and three assists. “She’s stepped up to become a force out there,” Hurley said of the fourth-year varsity performer. “She gets nicked up but plays through it. She does a good job of getting around defenders.”

Unger, another in her fourth season on varsity, has four goals and a team-high five assists. Three of those helpers came in the win over Westbury. “She’s our most vocal player, and she knows when to shoot and when to pass,” Hurley explained.

The midfield is led by junior Melany Rodriguez, who controls the ball well and has good instincts, Hurley said. “She’s a leader and a fiery competitor,” he added.

Defensively, senior Dina Goldstein returned to the program and filled a void in goal where she’s made more than 30 saves. “She’s a tremendous athlete who communicates well with the defense,” Hurley said. The defense in front of Goldstein is led by junior Amaiya Wilkes, who brings a relentless work ethic and speed to the unit, senior Ariella Cruz, a four-year veteran playing defense for the first time, and junior Gunveet Sandhu, who’s fundamentally sound.