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Three-time runnerup Belle Kennedy sets sights on final piece of title puzzle with WU soccer
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Finishing second at the highest level of Class 6A high school and NCAA Division II soccer is a fine accomplishment, but frankly Washburn University standout Belle Kennedy is sick of it.
"Incredibly,'' Kennedy said.
Kennedy helped Washburn Rural post a runnerup finish in the 6A state tournament as a freshman. Then, after having the 2020 season cancelled by COVID-19 and finishing third as a junior, the two-time 6A Midfielder of the Year helped lead Rural to another second-place state finish to close out her high school career.
The All-MIAA first-teamer came tantalizingly close to a championship again last fall as a Washburn sophomore, but again the title ended up just out of reach of her and her teammates.
And now, with Davy Phillips' Washburn team returning a wealth of experience from last year's 21-4-1 NCAA Division II runnerup team, Kennedy and her teammates are setting their sights on another run at the crown, beginning their quest with Thursday's 6 p.m. season-opener against Missouri-St. Louis at Yager Stadium.
"I really want our team to be first, no matter what,'' Kennedy said. "That's our hope every single year and even though we don't always get the result that we want, to know how far we came last year is a big accomplishment in itself. But we need to get better this year.
"You're still not satisfied with (second), that is true, but I've come to embrace it and realize that we have two more years left at least in my eligibility to get it done and our team, we have one more year with 11 of our great players that are going to be graduating after this fall, and I think we still have the chance to do it.''
Kennedy, a two-time All-MIAA honoree, has seemingly made a smooth transition to college soccer, but she said it has been an adjustment.
Trojans bounce back from double-overtime heartbreaker with 5-1 Centennial League win over Hayden
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
After dropping a 5-4 double-overtime road heartbreaker to Lawrence on a penalty kick Tuesday night, Topeka High's soccer team was looking for something positive to wipe the sour taste out of its match.
It only took 1 minute, 49 seconds on Thursday at Hummer Sports Park to start that process, with the Trojans getting an early goal from junior Noah Storrer to kick start a 5-1 Centennial League win over Hayden.
"We were excited about the way we played at times against Lawrence, but having that filthy taste in our mouths for a couple of days, getting a goal early and doing it the right way and not just getting lucky with something, that set the tone for the evening,'' Topeka High coach Derek Snook said.
No. 2-ranked Ichabods kick off 2024 soccer season with pair of Yager Stadium contests
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Like most coaches in all sports, Washburn University soccer coach Davy Phillips really appreciates the practice aspect of coaching.
But after multiple weeks of practice, Phillips knows his Ichabod players are ready for the real thing and will get that chance with a pair of non-conference battles Thursday and Saturday at Yager Stadium.
No. 2 nationally-ranked Washburn, the 2023 NCAA Division II runnerup, will make its 2024 debut at 6 p.m. Thursday against Missouri-St. Louis before hosting Maryville at 1 p.m. on Saturday.
"The players definitely are ready,'' Phillips said. "I like coaching and teaching the game to be honest but there's a reason we keep score and games matter. For a variety of reasons we didn't get a preseason scrimmage in, so (Thursday) is really, truly the first time out against someone else, so the girls are anxious, eager to play.
"We've been kind of building up what it means to play games, what it means to play the season, so the whole buildup is, I think, leading the girls into a very excited spot about tomorrow.''
WU is fresh off a run to the NCAA title game in 2023, compiling a 21-4-1 record and winning the MIAA regular-season championship.
Missouri-St. Louis went 8-6-3 in 2023 with a 7-4-1 record in the GLVC, falling in the GLVC tournament quarterfinals while Maryville went 14-3-4 with a 10-1-2 record in the GLVC. The Saints fell in the semifinals of the GLVC tournament, but earned a berth in the NCAA tournament, where they advanced to the second round.