Lumberjacks soccer: Cloquet girls find winning ways with a balanced attack

With a 6-1 record, the Lumberjacks girls soccer team is off to an impressive start.

Coach Dustin Randall said this year's team is balanced across the field.

"In years past we've had one area that was really strong, now it's more evened out," Randall said. "We are getting goals from a lot of places, and the defense is strong so we're getting some shutouts too."

Senior Kiana Bender is the top scorer for the team, with eight goals (four against Hibbing Tuesday) and seven assists. Katie Turner has five goals and Alexa Snesrud also has five. Hannah Biebl has three assists, and Brenna Mattson has two.

Randall talked about a number of different players, pointing out Snesrud's speed, and Turner's goal scoring while crediting Bender with leading the team in both scores and assists.

"Senior captain Jaxie ... is having a great year, and Kate Owens is a leader in the back," he said, adding that goalkeeper Gracie Meagher has had a very good start to the year. "And Natalie Hoffman has had some big goals; she scored the only goal against Hermantown the other day."

Cloquet beat Hibbing 11-0 Tuesday, and Hermantown 1-0 on Saturday. The Lumberjacks were set to play Two Harbors at home Thursday at 7 p.m. after this issue went to press, and Duluth Denfeld at home on Monday at 4:45 p.m.

"I'm cautiously optimistic moving forward," said Randall.