Lady Loggers hope for strong season finale
<p>Freshman Bridget Carvey vs. Columbia Falls Sept. 24. (Chris Peterson, for The Western News)</p>
It’s been a tough fall for the Lady Loggers soccer team, who fell 0-1 to Bigfork last Thursday, and 7-0 to Columbia Falls on Saturday. The season has featured a new head coach, a young team and a host of injuries, but there’s no better time for the Lady Loggers to secure a win with just two weeks left on the year.
The Lady Loggers soccer team is now 0-8 on the season, including one forfeited game in the home opener. Head coach Jay Forsyth said while the 2016 playoffs are out of reach for the Lady Loggers, the team should have some success to look forward to next year.
“The advantage is that I only have four seniors, so the majority will be back next season,” Forsyth said. “We just have to maintain the conditioning and fundamentals, then we can start off at a higher level than we did this season.”
Along with a young 2016 team, the Lady Loggers have also suffered injuries throughout the season. Libby lost four Lady Loggers in the first four games due to injury, including Abby Creighton, who Forsyth said will be out for the rest of the season with a torn ligament in her arm. Another, junior keeper Shannon Reny, suffered a concussion in a game that produced a seizure on the field.
Forsyth said Reny has made a full recovery after completing the medical examinations required of a high school athlete to return to sports after a concussion. Reny was back two weeks later for a home game against the Whitefish Lady Bulldogs and had about half a dozen saves during the match.
“To be able to and to want to come back after that demonstrates the drive and motivation she brings to the team,” Forsyth said.
The remaining season has come up quickly for Forsyth in his first year at the helm. The last four games will be played across seven days, starting with Bigfork on Saturday at Logger Stadium. The rest of the schedule includes Columbia Falls, Polson and Whitefish.
“We’ve got a couple teams coming here that we have a chance to beat,” Forsyth said.
Saturday’s game begins at 5 p.m. at Logger Stadium.
Reporter Seaborn Larson may be reached at 758-4441 or by email at slarson@dailyinterlake.com.