Batavia’s girls capture Southern Buckeye Conference National Division soccer crown

Batavia’s varsity girls soccer team captured its sixth consecutive Southern Buckeye Conference National Division crown.

The Bulldogs concluded the current season with a 10-1-2 conference record and the Green and White was 12-4-2 overall.

“We had a really good season. The girls knew they had to step up and play better to replace the talent we lost from last year and they did,” said Jamie Corns, the head coach of the champions.

Her team was powered by a very high-scoring offense. Senior striker Sarah Smith spearheaded the offensive attack with an outstanding total of 39 goals scored for the season and that gave her a career total of an impressive 93.

She also made 12 assists this campaign. Senior center midfielder Kristin Robbe led her team in assists with an impressive total of 28 and she also "controlled the center of the field."

Good news for the future of the program, freshman striker Holly Harris netted an additional 20 goals.

The defense was anchored around the superior performances of senior sweeper Olivia Musselman who "really stepped up," sophomore outside fullback Brittney Steinmetz and junior outside fullback Jaclyn Crouch, and junior goal keeper Brittany Luginbuhl.

"We had eight seniors and we are really going to miss them, but I expect us to continue to do very well. We'll be young next year, but these girls are very competitive," Corns said.

The Batavia seniors who provided good season-long leadership and not previously mentioned by their coach are defender Megan Bucher, defender/midfielder Jill Gatchett, center midfielder Abbie Humbert, striker/midfielder Jordan Bourque, and goal keeper Emily Webb who missed most of the season due to injuries.