Clay alums excelling for the University of Findlay soccer team

Press Sports Editor
sports@presspublications.com

Kennedy Slovak has had a tremendous impact on the Findlay Oilers this season.
The Clay alum has led the University of Findlay to a 10-5-3 record, which includes an 8-4-2 mark in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference. Slovak has started 11 games and allowed just 15 goals, and has a save percentage of .732. The Oilers have a record of 5-4-2 when she plays.
In the win over Trevecca Nazarene in the first round of the GMAC Tournament, Slovak stopped five of seven shots by the Trojans, and both of the goals came in garbage time with the match in hand.
If Findlay wins the final two games of the tournament, it will earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Division II Tournament.
Unfortunately, Slovak will be out for a little while due to some injuries.
“Kennedy is our starter, but she’s had some injuries,” said Findlay coach Michelle Rick. “She’s had back tightness, and she’s got a groin injury, so she’s out (for now).”
Rick credited Slovak for her play this season.
“She’s played great. I think the team feeds off her energy; she’s our starting keeper for a reason. She brings up the energy on the field, and I think she’s also an intimidating factor (for the team). She’s got good relationships with our back line,” said Rick, now in her first year coaching the Oilers. “Our No. 2 goalkeeper has stepped up when Kennedy was hurt, and Audrey (Gibson-Zweifel) has played phenomenally in her absence. Those two are so supportive of each other, they’re both team players. Audrey’s biggest fan is Kennedy, and Kennedy’s biggest fan is Audrey.”
One of those players on the back line is Lauren Clark, who played with Slovak in high school for the Eagles.
“Lauren is one of our most solid defenders. She’s played every game so far and for almost the entire season because she’s such a solid force on the backline,” said Rick. “I think she has really good relationships with the other defenders; she really gets everybody on the same page. I can’t speak highly enough of her. She’s a great, young, rising leader. People listen to her, and she’s a super, solid defender.”
Findlay has begun to hit its stride, having gone 5-1-1 in the last seven matches. During that time, the Oilers have outscored their opponents 20-6.
“I think this latter half of the season, we’ve really found an identity and we know what we’re good at (doing),” said Rick. “We’re attacking things, clicking on all cylinders, and have started scoring tons of goals. The last seven games, we’ve accelerated the number of goals we’ve been putting away.”
Rick was happy to praise her two predecessors for their efforts in helping the team get better.
“The last two coaches did a good job of building the program forward. Two coaches ago, the program wasn’t finding that much success on the field; they didn’t have an identity,” said Rick. “Jimmy Walker and Trip Rogers helped find a cohesive team culture. We’ve introduced some new elements; we’re playing good soccer and have new ideas on the field. (Assistant coach) Sierra (Perry) is an alum and we’ve brought in our own ideas and the girls have been adaptive and they’re really focused on the process.
“I’m grateful to be here and for the buy-in with the culture. The reason I do this is because I love these girls, and I want the best for them. I love Findlay, and I’m loving this team so far,” Rick said.
Perry, a 2020 graduate of Findlay, played soccer for the Oilers while she was in college. She was an assistant for one year at Ohio Northern University before coming home to coach at her alma mater.
“Sierra is fantastic. I can’t emphasize enough how much I value the fact that we always make sure we’re on the same page so we’re clear, consistent and speaking the same language with the team,” Rick said. “She knows the game, brings her insights to the table, and because of her own role as a defender when she was playing, is really passionate about working with our defenders and keeping them on the same page. She’s also an alum, so she’s got an emotional connection to Findlay and was part of a major turnaround in the trajectory of the program.”
The other assistant is the goalkeepers coach, Ian Graham. A Perrysburg native and resident, he worked with his alma mater, coaching the Yellow Jackets’ goalkeepers on both the boys and girls teams. He is the director of goalkeeping and academy director at the Perrysburg Soccer Club.
“He was part of the turnaround for the last five years as well, so he’s got that same emotional connection to this place. He’s been around the area a long time and is deeply invested in the success of these girls,” said Rick. “He’s excellent with our goalkeepers. He provides goalkeeper-specific tactical training and the need to continue to develop as players and adds his experience as a coach over the years to the team every day.”
There are two other local athletes playing on the team, too – Kaylynn Simon and Ava Ayers. Simon, a defender, is a graduate of Eastwood and Ayers, a forward, went to high school at Lake.
“We’ve got a really deep team right now. Kaylynn and Ava are learning a ton about the speed of play and the physicality,” said Rick. “We see bright things in their future. Both have a strong set of skills and we’re helping them adapt to the college game. They’re doing the work they need to do to get better every single day.”