Ottumwa -- First-year Indian Hills women's soccer coach Stephanie Gale had lots of good things to say about the six IHCC players who were selected to the All-Region soccer team at the end of the season. Gale said that although there were other players on the roster who she felt deserved to be on the all-league list, she thought the six who were recognized were very deserving. Coach Gale's comments about the Indian Hills' All-Region choices:

Lexi Vaughn, 1st Team

Coach Gale: "Lexi had an outstanding season, leading the conference with 11 assists, scoring five goals, and she was our playmaker. I have watched Lexi grow over the last three or four months from a player who had no confidence in herself to become one of the best players in the conference. All she needed was someone to believe in her, push her and show her the light. Lexi is an athlete every coach wishes they could have, she keeps her head down and works hard and will push others. Her hard work and determination over the course of the season led to her being named captain halfway though the season. And she hasn't looked back since then. Players respect her and want to be just like her. I am so excited to be a part of her soccer career and watch her move onto the next level. Lexi transferred to IHCC and was a sophomore this year. She is looking to move on and play at a four-year school to continue her career. Lexi will be an asset to whatever school she decides to play at next year."

Stephanie Faust, 1st Team

Coach Gale: "Stephanie has been a true leader from the preseason on, whether it be her fitness or her ability to talk in front of the group. She led the back line as a center back and without her athletic ability the Warriors would have struggled. From a small town in Iowa (Grundy Center), Stephanie has settled into the college lifestyle and will continue to grow as a college soccer player. Her ability to lead the back line and also push up into the attack is a quality many coaches look for; it's not often you can say a center back has four goals and five assists on the year. Stephanie keeps the game very simple and that's something I look for as a coach -- are you calm and composed on the ball? Stephanie will keep growing as she is just a freshman and someone who will look to outwork anyone. My favorite quality of hers is that she doesn't give up, she will work so hard that she will pass out, and that happened a couple of times!"

Rilee Miller, 2nd Team

Coach Gale: Rilee, as a transfer, was in her second year and looking for a new beginning. She found herself very quickly here at Indian Hills and was also noted as a captain, along with Stephanie and Lexi. The Warriors were lucky enough to have great leaders and Rilee was nothing short of a leader. She would speak up and hold athletes accountable. Rilee suffered an injury during the first preseason game which kept her out of action for a couple of games. Once she returned she didn't look back. She played in the right back position and the one thing I truly loved watching her do was push up into the attack. Not only would Rilee defend our goal, the next thing she would be up in their box and looking to get a goal. As a coach you dream for players to be just like that -- a very coachable young lady with amazing speed which made it hard for anyone to defend her. Her game awareness was fastastic. Rilee finished the year with four goals and two assists and for a right back those are amazing stats. Rilee looks to move on and play at a four-year university and I can honestly say whatever school she picks the coach will be very pleased to have a player like Rilee. She will give them everything she has."

Sophie Woods, 2nd Team

Coach Gale: "'Woodsy' is another link to our midfield. She found herself playing in more than one position throughout the season -- in some cases I would put her in three different positions in one game. To have a player as versatile as that is something you only dream about. Woodsy is probably one of the smallest players in the conference, but she didn't let that hold her back. Midway through the season she really found her feet and believed in herself. With six goals and four assists, that doesn't just happen to anyone, but to players who work extremely hard. Her skill on the ball is such a pleasure to watch. Her first touch puts her in great positions and as the year went on Woodsy, who is from England, adjusted to the American style of soccer which I believe helped her confidence and also helped her see how great she can be. Only a freshman, I am very excited about her future and I am anxious to work with a player who looks to do nothing but grow and get better. Woodsy's attitude is so positive and her hard work leads the rest of the team."

Olivia Pargeon, Honorable Mention

Coach Gale: Like Stephanie Faust, "Liv" is also from a small town in Iowa (Traer) and she debated playing college soccer until Indian Hills opened a door of opportunity for her. Liv comes across as a quiet young lady off the field, On the field, you see a different side of her. She is aggressive, loud and determined to play her best each game. She plays on the wing and can play on both sides of the field. At the start of the year Liv lacked some confidence, but once she realized she was good enough her game just kept rising each time. She played and started every game for the Warriors and finished the year with five goals and four assists. A key link to the attacking and defensive style the Warriors played demanded a lot from the wing players, and never did they let the pressure get to them. Another freshman, Liv is going to keep pushing herself and I know that her confidence will continue to grow. She has the maturity and potential to become a great leader on our team."

Brianna Clark, Honorable Mention

Coach Gale: "Bri" is what I can only call a "brick wall." Her athletic build stopped many people in their path this season. Her height and strength were a key in our defensive midfield. Bri started the season in the back line, and moving her up into the midfield resulted in an increase in her confidence. Since then, Bri hasn't stopped being a powerhouse. Her ability was raw when she started the season, but our lone athlete from Australia has done her country proud. She broke a few bones this year (foot and hand) and played through the pain -- nothing was going to keep her off the field. She played in every game this season. Her ability to stay mentally strong showed on the field as she didn't back down at any point. It has been a joy to watch Bri play -- players would literally bounce off of her and fall to the ground. Having someone like her on your team makes things very enjoyable. Bri is always a positive and happy person off the field, she would help in practice and is someone that other players can look up to. I'm excited for the future and her continued growth on the field.

Coach Gale: "Without a doubt our players who we felt deserved to be on the All-Region team and didn't make it will use that as fuel to push them and the team for the future. We have to remember individual awards would not be possible without the entire team."