The Liberal girls soccer team returns back their team from 2023. The Lady Red finally becomes a senior oriented team in 2024 with nine seniors. Much of the roster returns with varsity experience from last year’s 6-11 season. Liberal was 2-6 in the WAC last season.
Carlos Ruiz begins his 9th year and 8th season as head coach. Some of the key players are Sr. goal keeper Ashley Acevedo, Sr. on defense Arely Rivas, Sr. forward Mayra Hernandez, Sr. midfielder Arely Molina, Sr. forward Karime Neave, Jr. midfielder Isabela Gutierrez, Jr. midfielder Nicole Catalan, Fr. on defense Liliana Santiago, and Sr. on defense Hailey Contreras. Catalan was 1st team all WAC last year while Contreras, Rivas, and Gutierrez were 2nd team all WAC. Neave, Rivas, and Hernandez are all headed to the Seward soccer program after this season.
Last year, Liberal was 6-11 and 2-6 in the WAC. LHS went 6-10 and 3-5 in the WAC in 2022 after finishing 2021 8-9-1 with a playoff win over Junction City and 4-3-1 in the WAC. Liberal went 7-8-3 with a playoff win in 2019 with a playoff win over Wichita South. Liberal was 6-10-1 in 2018, 8-9-1 in 2017, and 7-10 in 2016. Those records are significant because before 2016, only once had the Liberal girls won seven or more games in a season (2008).
Liberal opens their season at last year’s WAC champ Garden City Tuesday at about 6:30. Carlos Ruiz was a guest during Sportsguys Friday morning.
March 19- at Garden City
March 26- vs. Winfield at Wichita South 4pm
March 28- vs. Hutchison or Wichita South at Wichita South
March 30-at Wichita South Titan Classic
April 2- Great Bend
April 4- at Hays
April 11- at Great Bend
April 16- at Dodge City
April 18- Hays
April 25- at Thomas Moore Prep
May 3- at Topeka
May 7- Garden City
May 9- Dodge City