What if I told you this is the best girls’ soccer team in the history of LM? What if I told you our girls’ soccer team made history this season? On October 31, Kylee Gust ’24 hit a game-winning goal to send the Aces to states for the first time since 2011. But how did they get there? The underdog Aces enjoyed stellar play from this year’s seniors and underclassmen, boasting a 13-2-2 record and a historic season on the pitch, even after losing twelve seniors from the class of 2023.
The Aces have had promising runs in the past, however, it was their mindset that set this season apart. In years prior, the Aces had high expectations for themselves. This mounted pressure on their shoulders and, in turn, hurt their play on the field. However, the mindset heading into this season was different. According to Casey Forman ’25, the Aces thought this would be a “rebuilding year,” feeling like “the underdog” on multiple occasions this season. These low-stakes expectations have allowed the Aces to play freely, enjoying themselves and building greater understandings of each other both as people and players. Even if someone doesn’t get minutes, “everyone has an important role,” claims Gust. As Cate Cantu ’26 states, their team-first mindset and tight-knit chemistry that is “like no other” team has separated this year’s Aces from the past.
Cruising through the regular season, the Aces notched themselves as the sixth seed in districts. While their first two matches in district playoffs were not the most challenging, LM lost in a nail-biter to Downingtown East in the third round, meaning they would have to win their playback game against Hatboro Horsham. Neither team was able to produce much offensively, as the game was scoreless through the first half. A game-winning goal from Gust coupled with their shut-down defense led by Alex Dore ’24 and Cantu landed the Aces a win and a spot in the state tournament. To Gust, this outcome came as no surprise. She says, “my goal was just a part of the role and I trusted in my defense” to seal the victory. Incredibly, the team made history with their dominant 5-0 victory against Archbishop Carroll High School, the first States win in LM girls’ soccer history.
This monumental achievement for the Aces cements the team in history. To Cantu, “it’s an honor to be a part of LM girls’ soccer history.” States has been the goal “every year [I’ve] been on the team,” states Forman, so winning a round in it has been a dream come true. LM girls’ soccer receives a “large pool of talent year after year,” says Cantu. LM has one of the best programs in the Central League, and Gust doesn’t “see that changing any time soon.” The Aces have had “many amazing teams,” claims Forman, so coming up short in recent years has “lit a fire under this [year’s] team,” adds Gust. With many underclassmen filling up their star-studded lineup, the Aces’ success this year only foreshadows an extremely bright future.
