The women’s soccer team had a strong showing in the 2019 season, scoring 42 goals and finishing with an overall record of 8-7-6.
Racking up three goals and five assists during the season was sophomore left forward Lucianna Casciaro, who brought a much-needed spark to the Hawks offense.
“I always try to have a positive attitude and give a motivational talk to get everyone’s heads on the same page,” said Casciaro.
Casciaro not only provided the team with scoring but with energy and motivation to help the team perform and band together throughout the year.
Head Coach Cesar Plasencia said that Casciaro is great at scoring and creating goals with her attacking skills on the field. He said that she has the skill set to transfer to a Division I or Division II college.
“She leads by example,” said Plasencia. “She is one of the hardest-working players on our team.”
“Lucianna brings a lot of intensity and energy to every single game that we play,” said Plasencia.
Casciaro said that playing soccer at the junior college level has helped her hone her skills and make connections with other players on the team.
Casciaro’s teammate, sophomore forward Hannah Salinger, said that she always motivates the team before games.
“She pumps us up and gets us motivated to go out on the field,” said Salinger. “She wants to win.”
This inspiration is largely drawn from her passion for the game of soccer that started when she was only 10 years old.
Casciaro said she continued to play soccer throughout high school, but suffered an ACL tear in her junior year. Casciaro has since recovered from her injury and said that her parents were her biggest inspiration.
“They pushed me a lot to become a better player,” said Casciaro.
Casciaro said her goals are to play soccer for a four-year college, specifically Arizona State University, and thinking about it keeps her motivated.
Since the campus closure, practices have halted for the women’s soccer team. Even with this hurdle, Casciaro said she is continuing to work out individually and practice her skills weekly.
Casciaro said that the pandemic has made it significantly harder to stay focused, but thinking about getting back out on the field encourages her.
“Having teammates that push each other and encourage each other keeps me motivated to play,” said Casciaro.