Port soccer hopes to build on its success

Coach Eric Liebergen already has things going in the right direction for the Port Washiington girls’ soccer team.

The Pirates last season went 9-8-2, the first time they finished over .500 in at least a decade.

This year, they return three players who earned North Shore Conference honorable mention, including their leading scorer.

Senior Megan Barian is back after scoring seven goals and dishing out six assists at striker and midfield.

Senior Payton Hurley will help with scoring, and defender Natalie Lippe can pass and attack from the back.

In addition, junior midfielder Madison Zwicker will add to the scoring attack, Liebergen said.

Sophomore Ella Schmit returns on defense, and junior Kaytlin Kassens is back as goalie.

The Pirates lost second team all-conference defender McKenna Zwicker and honorable mention forward Brianna Schnell to graduation.

Port lost six other seniors to graduation.

Port’s seniors this season include midfielder Lizzy Karrels and defenders Lyndie Krueger and Makayla Masse.

Juniors include Hannah Noegel, Katie Tyree, Molly Fyhrlund and Mary Sullivan.

Claire Holtebeck joins Schmit as the only other sophomore.

Four freshmen are on the team, including Madelyn Wehner, Kelly Fischer, Tess Schueller and Lilly Clark.

“We want to build off of our winning record last year and the playoff win. We are aiming to get to the sectional round and be in the top half of our conference,” Liebergen said.

Port beat Menasha, 6-0, in the Division 2 playoffs last year before losing, 3-0 to Cedarburg.

The conference includes four new teams in West Bend East and West, Slinger and Hartford.

He wants to repeat two distinct honors this season. The Pirates earned the Gold Level of the United Soccer Coaches’ 2017 Team Ethics and Sportsmanship Award, which recognizes teams that don’t get a yellow or red card in 90 to 99% of their matches. Port got one yellow card last season.

The Pirates also won the National Soccer Coaches Association of America Team Academic Award for their studies.

“These are things our players have 100% control over and will carry with them beyond the field,” Liebergen said.

Liebergen, who won four Division 3 state titles at Ozaukee, is excited to add new assistant coach. Katie Bares, captain on his 2013 state champion team and a 2016 All-American honorable mention at Viterbo.

Port was scheduled to play at Beaver Dam on Tuesday and at Oshkosh North on Tuesday, April 6.