Helena GuanEmily Meike:
The Mills soccer team has had a challenging start to their season, but that hasn’t stopped goalkeeper Emily Meike from playing with heart and dedication. Mills played Menlo, Simpson, and Dominican last week, and while they lost the games, Meike shined as the defensive hero.
Meike was the starting goalkeeper last year, and is one of the top goalkeepers for the team this year. Mills has had to play very defensively in all of the games so far this season, which means that as the goalkeeper, Meike has been relied upon more heavily, and has had to work much harder than a goalkeeper whose team is playing offensively. She has also been playing up front as a forward, a shift that not many goalkeepers can do in the same game. This extra work on the field has meant that Meike is more taxed than she typically would be, but this hasn’t stopped her from playing hard and doing well for the team.
“Emily not only has talent in the goal, but her field skills are very advanced,” said head soccer coach Colette Bowler. “Emily’s love for soccer and dedication allow her to be able to play anywhere on the field. Her work rate is amazing.”
Meike has totaled 41 saves in four games, with 23 goals against her, and a 64 percent save-percentage. You can watch Meike and the Mills soccer team on Oct. 14 at 3 p.m., when they play Holy Names at home.
Isidora Jimenez:
The Mills volleyball team has had some close matches this season, and the team’s defense has been put under tremendous pressure in the process. On Sept. 20, the team played through a tough five-game loss to cross-town rival Holy Names. In the face of a challenging match, junior Isidora Jimenez solidified the team’s defense by staying focused and aggressive. She tallied 31 of the team’s total 70 digs, averaging a stellar 6.2 digs per game. Holy Names had a total of 49 digs as a team.
Jimenez plays in the team’s Libero position, where her primary responsibility is defense. When the Libero position is played well, it takes a lot of pressure off players, allowing them to focus more on their offensive responsibilities.
“In order to play good defense you have to have a great feel for the game,” said head volleyball coach Daniel Rasay. “Dora was making great reads on defense, putting her in the right position for digs.”
Rasay said he considers Jimenez the team’s defensive coordinator out on the court, and expects to see more impressive performances from her throughout the season. You can watch the Mills volleyball team Oct. 3 at 7 p.m., when they will play William Jessup in their “Dig for the Cure” fundraising event, and then again at 7 p.m. on Saturday, when they play Simpson College at home.
