Women’s professional soccer in St. Louis is back after an eight-year absence!
St. Louis Lions WPSL launches their inaugural season this Sunday in a 2 p.m. meeting with the Springfield (MO) Demize at Tony Glavin Soccer Complex (2 Woodlands Parkway, Cottleville, MO).
Lions WPSL, a sanctioned-franchise of the 100-plus member Women’s Premiere Soccer League (WPSL), will compete under the five-team Heartland Conference in the WPSL’s Central Region.  Conference opponents contain a pair of teams from Kansas City as well as factions from Belleville, Illinois and Des Moines, Iowa.
The Lions WPSL’s debut at the Cottleville pitch establishes the first time that a Gateway City-branded women’s franchise competes since the fold of the St. Louis Athletica in 2010.
Lions Soccer Host a Sports Camp Beginning June 4
Lions WPSL are owned by Champion Sports Management, Inc., whose founder is local soccer fixture Tony Glavin. The franchise was revealed to the public in January and subsequently announced players to the charter as the months progressed.
The team’s 22-player complexion contains former and current collegiate starters from the area that possess high-end skill sets that will make an initial splash within the 21-year-old governing body.
Here are the athletes that will compete for St. Louis Lions WPSL this season.
GOALIES
Mary Niehaus (St. Louis University) – The St. Charles native, and one of the Lions’ initial signees, closed out a stellar career at SLU last October with a 15-3-2 record while setting a new school benchmark with most individual wins in a season. Niehaus’ 29-win career sits in third place all-time. Recorded 62 saves and only allowed ten goals in twenty games in 2017.
Olivia Silverman (St. Louis University) – Serving as Niehaus’ back-up at SLU last season as a sophomore, Silverman appeared in three matches and allowed no goals in over 100 minutes played. Her senior year at Cincinnati, Ohio’s Seven Hills High netted her All-American and All-State honors.
FORWARDS
Alex Johnson (Maryville University) – The Nixa standout is set for her sophomore campaign at Maryville, where she led the team in goals (six) in a freshman season that resulted in being named Great Lakes Valley Conference Women’s Soccer Freshman of the Year. Johnson finished with 12 points in 2017, which placed her second in team scoring.
Dani Pearce (Greenville University) – Pearce will compete her senior flight later this year at the school where she has already logged 58 of 59 games during her tenure. Last season for the Greenville Panthers, the Springfield, Missouri forward scored 13 goals and 23 points. Pearce has been awarded post-season honors for the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference the past three years.
Lexi Pommer (William Jewel College) – The Oakville native played 32 games for the Cardinals and started all 17 games last season in her final year. Finished career with three goals and eight points and was named to the Great Lakes Valley Conference All-Academic player twice.
Mackenzie Rief (Quincy University) – The Wentzville powerhouse helped her high school (St. Domenic’s) win back-to-back MSHSAA State championships. Success carried over into a standout four-year career at Quincy, where she topped nearly every offensive category in the Great Lakes Valley Conference during her senior season. She finished her final year with ten goals scored, resulting in 19 career collegiate goals accumulated.
Casey Wood (Lindenwood University/Belleville) – The Columbia, Illinois native wrapped up a sophomore season at Lindenwood by appearing in all 18 Lynx games and scored eleven goals and 25 points. In her first two years, Wood has 16 goals on the ledger and was designated American Midwest Conference Honorable Mention in 2017.
MIDFIELDERS
Mariah Loya (Maryville University) – The 19-year old from Tucson, Arizona has fully transplanted to the Midwest and in a freshman campaign at Maryville in 2017, the midfielder started in 13 games for the Saints and recorded a pair of goals and an assist en route to Maryville’s inaugural appearance to the GLVC post-season tourney.
Maddie Pokorny (St. Louis University) – The Gateway City midfielder is set to enter a senior campaign for the Billikens later this calendar year. In 2017, Pokorny netted six goals and was fourth on the team in points (14) while notching a second-straight Atlantic 10 Conference second team designation. Currently holds the Webster Groves High School career scoring record (83 goals).
Courtney Reimer (St. Louis University) – The St. Charles-native enters a junior season at SLU later this year but has already impressed with early play. Last season, Reimer played in all 20 matches and recorded two goals and a team-high nine assists for 14 points. The output netted Reimer Atlantic 10 All-Conference Second Team status.
Monica Robinson (Missouri Baptist) – Robinson appeared in 17 games last season for the MoBap Spartans and scored a goal and recorded three assists. The Anderson, Indiana midfielder also played at Kaskaskia College and achieved Second Team All-American status for the Blue Angles.
Raquel Rodriquez (Southwest Baptist) – Another St. Domenic’s alum, Rodriquez logged valuable minutes with the NCAA Division II Bearcats last season. In twelve games played, the St. Charles-native netted a pair of assists.
Wendy Sanchez (Dominican University) – Sanchez is currently an Assistant Coach for Sedalia, Missouri’s State Fair Community College Roadrunners. During her collegiate career, the Texan had stops at Mississippi Valley State University, Ranger College, Aurora University and Dominican University, where in her senior campaign recorded a goal and an assist.
ATTACKING MIDFIELD
Allison Verville (Maryville University) – The Peoria, Illinois native is set to begin her senior year at Maryville. Last season, Verville topped the Saints in points (14) off four goals and six assists. The output resulted in the midfielder’s inclusion to the Great Lakes Valley Conference’s Third Team and was recognized All-GLVC Academic.
DEFENSE
Maddison Beck (Lindenwood University-Belleville) – The Webster Groves athlete completed her senior season at Lindenwood in 2017 by scoring a career-high five goals and 11 points. Nine goals in final two years played provides a fair warning that Beck is a lethal, deep scorer.
Emma Gardner (Southwest Baptist University) – A prep standout at Notre Dame High School, the Smithton, Illinois defender is set for a sophomore flight at Southwest Baptist. In her freshman year, Gardner started 16 games and collected one assist en route to earning Defensive MVP status for the Bearcats.
Bella Palazzolo (St. Louis University) – Primed for a final tour of duty for the Billikens later this year, Palazzolo is a key signing by the Lions. She has been a three-year starter at SLU and played all 20 games last season.  Lockdown defensive play was instrumental in SLU’s 15-3-2 record in 2017.
Madison Schmied (Maryville University) – The St. Peters sparkplug played all 17 games for the Saints last season and is primed to add depth to the Lions’ backfield. During a prep career at Fort Zumwalt South, Schmied earned First Team All State honors.
Brittany Steiger (Lindenwood University) – In her past two seasons at Lindenwood, Stieger started in all 37 games and have set team highs in minutes logged.
CENTER BACK
Alli Klug (St. Louis University) – The Nernix grad had a breakthrough sophomore year in 2017 at SLU that saw her collect her squad’s Defensive Player of the Year designation as well as All-American third-team status by United Soccer Coaches and an Atlantic 10 First-Team All-Conference selection. She also contributed to the attacking SLU third by recording five goals. Late-signing by the club was a solid addition to an already talented group.
Stacie Muehling (Maryville University) – The Maryville Saints sophomore recorded one assist last year and should provide valuable minutes.
Adult season tickets for the five-game home schedule are $25 apiece while season tickets for children ages 6-18 are $12.50. Children five and under get in free. Single game tickets are $10 apiece for adults and $5 for children ages 6-18. Tickets for both season and individual games can be purchased at THIS LINK.
For more information, go to the Lions’ Official Website.
ST. LOUIS LIONS WOMEN’S SOCCER 2018 SCHEDULE
Home Games Played at Tony Glavin Soccer Complex – Cottleville, MO
DATE Â Â Â Â TIMEÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â OPPONENTÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â LOCATION
SUN 5/27    2 PM                     Springfield Demize                  (HOME)
SAT 6/2     5 PM                     Kansas City Athletics               (AWAY)
SAT 6/9      4 PM                     KC Courage                                  (AWAY)
SUN 6/10    2 PM                     Des Moines Menace                (HOME)
WED 6/13Â Â Â Â 6:30 PMÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Fire & Ice SC (Belleville, IL)Â Â Â Â (AWAY)
SUN 6/17     2 PM                     Kansas City Athletics              (HOME)
SUN 6/24     2 PM                     KC Courage                                  (HOME)
FRI 6/29Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 6 PMÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Fire & Ice SC (Belleville, IL)Â Â Â Â (HOME)
SUN 7/1       4:30 PM               Des Moines Menace                   (AWAY)
By trade, he is a six-time, regional Emmy Award-winning news videographer/editor for KTVI/KPLR-TV. By hobby, he is a writer for Arch City Media, dating back to February 2014. Emphasis is on featuring and promoting local women's sports, but will cover anything that is not reported by traditional media outlets. Also a contributor to local concert reviews.
