EC Women’s Soccer Returns Seasoned, Motivated

EUREKA – After picking up a couple of historic victories last spring the Eureka women's soccer team is raising its expectations this fall.

Now in her third season at the helm of the program, Shelby Chrisman-Forza has seen the Red Devils evolve a lot over the past few years.

She spent the first season laying down the foundation and emphasizing moral victories, and the second working on staying in games and getting more competitive. This fall, she wants to see the team win.

"We can win games," Chrisman-Forza said. "We are able to do that. Now we just have to get more used to it."

Eureka opens the 2021 fall season at 7 p.m. Friday under the lights at McKinzie Field. The Red Devils are hosting an Alverno squad that went 0-8 in the spring.

The maroon and gold feature an experienced roster, as well as a handful of promising newcomers.

The Red Devils' all-time saves leader Abby Swope (594) returns to the net for her senior season. Last year, she started the season as a field player, but after goalkeeper Kayla Enochs was injured early in the season, she took over her familiar role and recorded .727 save percentage and recorded a pair of shutouts.

Enochs, another senior, will contribute to the squad's seasoned back line, along with fellow seniors Michaela Mall and Emma Harris and sophomore Hope Binder.

Mall primarily played defense last spring after producing two goals and an assist in the midfield in her first season as a Red Devil in 2019.

Harris joined EC after transferring from MacMurray last year and quickly established herself as a defensive anchor and team leader. Binder, meanwhile, started as an outside back as a freshman last year.

Eureka will be playing a 4-5-1 formation, with junior and returning leading scorer Madison Shines (nine goals and three assists in two seasons) on one side and freshman Alyssa Bryant on the other. Bryant is one of three former Richwoods players joining the program this year.

In the middle, seniors Lindsey Johnston and Olivia Falls will be the holding midfielders, and junior newcomer Daniela Gonzales will be the attacking midfielder.

Johnston posted a goal and an assist and was a key presence for the Red Devils' midfield last year after transferring from MacMurray. Falls, a two-sport standout and three-year starter on the basketball team, became a surprise difference maker after joining the team having never played before in 2019.

She was only able to play a couple of games this past spring due to an overlapping basketball schedule, but Chrisman-Forza said that during the preseason she has shown remarkable improvement.

"Olivia's been working really hard during the summer," she said, "even taking extra steps, training during the day to work on her first touch and passing, and it's really exciting to watch."

Gonzales, a Richwoods product and former Illinois Central College player, joined the team after transferring from Lincoln College after its program closed. She gives the Red Devils another player who can possess the ball well and create.

"She is an ace in the midfield," Chrisman-Forza said. Someone that I think is going to take our conference by storm."

Junior Christine Mepham will be playing up top. Molly Feinerman (Richwoods), Kate LeMasters (Metamora) and Mackenzie Daniels (Monticello) will play key roles off the bench.

Johnston, Harris, Binder and Mall are team captains.

 "We are looking for our returners to come out and play the game they love with passion," Chrisman-Forza added. "During practice, we have noticed an increase in hard work and dedication from the ladies, and I can't wait to see how it transitions into games."