G-Prep Soccer Team Bounces Back

Thu., Nov. 2, 2000

By Janie McCauley janiem@spokesman.com

GSL girls soccer

Gonzaga Prep girls soccer coach Christian Birrer never expected junior Amy Engel to play this season for the Bullpups.

Let alone in every minute of every match.

Engel, a defender, had a bone-marrow transplant early this year. She has leukemia and missed the majority of her sophomore year to undergo treatment in Seattle.

“It was the fastest recovery,” Birrer said. “That’s just another indication of the heart our team has.”

Engel’s incredible comeback is just one of many happy tales of the Bullpups’ season.

Prep finished the season 7-9 after losing 1-0 to Mead in the first round of the District 8 4A playoffs last Wednesday.

A positive for Birrer is that his team, along with Lewis and Clark, will have the most starters returning of any team in the Greater Spokane League next season. And the Bullpups’ junior varsity was the top team in the league.

In their last five matches, Prep’s varsity players allowed only two goals while scoring 10. Two losses came to Mead by the score of 1-0, including a shootout Oct. 13.

Prep defeated Central Valley, a state-qualifying team last season, 4-1 on Oct. 16.

“We were blasted at the beginning of the year,” said Birrer, whose team lost four of its first six matches.

He couldn’t complain about the playoff loss to the Panthers. Prep’s defense held tough and allowed Mead only one goal despite being outshot 20-1.

“I’m pleased because the team was picked to finish ninth,” he said. “But we turned it up at the end, and we will continue that momentum into next year when other teams are rebuilding.”

Senior Laura Oliva was a big part of her team’s success. She led the team in scoring with nine goals.

She was happy her season ended in the playoffs.

“Throughout the season we were working hard, and it was not paying off in wins,” Oliva said. “We kept playing hard and playing consistently, and it paid off.

“We got to come to playoffs and play a good team. We’re all proud of ourselves.”

Before missing the postseason last season, the Bullpups had made the playoffs seven straight years.

Still, having Engel on the field was the biggest bright spot this fall.

“Just to see her out there playing to me is a miracle because the prognosis wasn’t good a year ago,” said athletic director Mike Arte. “To see her here in school is an inspiration for our kids.

“On top of that, to be playing soccer is incredible.”

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