Notre Dame senior thriving in first season as goalkeeper

Emma Steimle solidified her athletic legacy at Notre Dame as a girls wrestling pioneer.

After finishing her wrestling career as the first Lady Bulldog to place in the state tournament, she took up soccer for the first time.

Notre Dame went 13-5-1 last year and entered this season with only four returning seniors and an opening at goalkeeper, both of which intrigued Steimle.

"The team is really amazing, and I really wanted to be a part of it," Steimle said. "I felt like goalie will be the only thing that I'd be able to do."

This season was expected to be a transition year, given the team's overwhelming youth. However, with Steimle in front of the net joining her fellow seniors on defense, the Bulldogs managed to finish this regular season just like last season, with 13 wins and a three-game winning streak.

"We have a lot of youth on the team with some experience sprinkled in," Notre Dame coach Ryan Schweain said. "The upperclassmen are the core of our defense."

Since losing 3-0 to Helias Catholic at the Tolton Catholic Tournament on April 21, The Bulldogs finished the regular season winning six of seven games, outscoring opponents 23-4 including three shutouts. As has been the case for Steimle, the best defense support is an aggressive offense.

"I'm really just a big cheerleader," Steimle said. "They're really amazing, and the support within the team is just so great that we keep pushing each other to be as best as we can be."

Notre Dame spent much of the season on the road, with only six home matches on the schedule. the Bulldogs got to spend the final three matches at home, which was an ideal time to be at their best. They started with a 2-1 win over 14-3 Perryville and finished with two straight shutouts and 12 total goals, all scored by multiple players.

"It's a very unselfish team," Schweain said. "I'm proud of the girls for that. but they do play a style that they can work off of each other and help each other out, and they're there for one another, and a lot of players have goals. It's spread around."

The Bulldogs are led by senior Kristin Anderson, who recently signed to play college soccer at Southeast Missouri State. Schweain said she has a "huge impact" especially when it comes to "senior leadership."

"She leads vocally and through her actions," Schweain said. "She's a huge part of this team. Without her, we wouldn't be the same."

The Bulldogs' 2022 season ended in a loss to Jackson in the Class 4 District 1 Tournament. For a chance to redeem themselves this season, the Bulldogs will have to go through Lindbergh first. The opening round of the C4D1 Tournament kicks off at 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 13, in Jackson.