IAC GIRLS SOCCER: TWO-TIME SOUTH SMALL SCHOOL CHAMP SVEC MOVING UP (2018-08-26) BY TIM TAYLORTioga County Sports ReportSPENCER / CANDOR - Two-time IAC South Small School champion SVEC won't have an opportunity to make it three in a row this season. Realignment has bumped the Eagles up to the Large School division. The combined Spencer-Van Etten and Candor program will also move up to Class B after the NYSPHSAA adjusted its numbers. The South Large boasts strong programs in Notre Dame and Waverly, and another solid group from Newark Valley. The moves also come on the heels of several key graduation losses for head coach Kurt Bastian. "We
graduated seven starters from last year's team, four of which were named first
team IAC South Small School All-Stars and one was named to the second
team," Bastian said.
One of the Eagles' graduates is two-time IAC South Small School MVP Mackenzie Grube.
SVEC went 8-7 overall in the regular season and entered the Section IV, Class C tournament as the ninth seed, falling to No. 8 Unatego, 1-0, in the first round.
The Eagles went 6-0 in South Small play and lost in the IAC Small School championship to Groton, 2-0. They were also runner-up to Groton in 2016.
SVEC has 16 players on this season's roster, but, "We won't be at full strength numbers-wise until game three or four," Bastian said. Six of the Eagles are seniors and nine more are juniors.
The Eagles return two first-team all-league players
in forward Searra Allen and Ava Bruehwiler, a center mid.
"Both were
named to the first team in 2016 and 2017," Bastian said. "Ava finished the 2017 season
with 15 goals and seven assists, and Searra finished with 12 goals and nine assists.
"Emily Henry (outside defender), Jen
Hopkins (outside defender or outside mid), Paedyn Whitmore (sweeper),
Leah O'Connell (center mid), and Madelynn Pasto (forward) were role
players on the 2017 team that are now stepping into bigger roles and
will be key to the success of our team."
One key
newcomer will be Paige Grube.
"She will start in goal for us tomorrow but could
see significant minutes as a field player once we have our full roster
eligible," Bastian said.
SVEC opens the season with a crossover game at Trumansburg.
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