Girls soccer dropped its first two matches of the 2026 season, falling 6-0 to Morton on Wednesday, March 18, and 6-3 to Chatham Glenwood on Thursday, March 19, but the Ironmen still enter the spring with experience, returning scoring power and the goal of competing for a sixth straight regional title.

Last season, Community finished 15-11-1 overall and 8-2 in the Big 12 Conference, scoring 96 goals in 27 matches—production the team expects to largely replicate this spring.

The offense returns intact and dangerous. Junior Campbell Damery led the way last season with 21 goals and 13 assists, while junior Dhruti Joshi and sophomore Ellee Hatcher each added 12 goals—Joshi with nine assists, Hatcher with 14. Junior Arie Hunt rounds out the returning scoring core with seven goals and five assists.

Head coach Mr. Matt Chapman said the team brings back several players who started last year, including Joshi, Elly McClelland, Damery, Hatcher, Leighton Henry, Hunt and Sarah Talbott.

“We have a lot of returning scoring power back,” Chapman said. “I really hope that we can continue with that, and continue that idea or that mentality of scoring a lot of goals, but at the same time, I hope that we embrace really getting better defensively as a team this year.”

That defensive improvement will start with a new face in goal. With graduated goalkeeper Erica Elofson gone, senior Kellyn Kramer steps into the starting role after several seasons as a backup. In limited varsity time last year, Kramer allowed three goals in 390 minutes and posted a 0.62 goals-against average.

Chapman has little doubt Kramer is ready.

“She’s about to explode,” Chapman said. “She’s gonna have a terrific season.”

The early part of the schedule figures to test the roster as players settle into roles.

Before the opener, Chapman said he had only a general idea of his starting lineup and expected the team to lean on its experience while things took shape.

“It’ll be a learning experience,” Chapman said before the Morton match. “It’s a competitive team that we’re playing.”

The back-to-back losses to open the season are the kind of early tests Chapman said he welcomes.

A demanding nonconference schedule, he said, should sharpen the team heading into the postseason.

“We’re happy to face some tough competition,” Chapman said. “It will help prepare us for where we need to be at the end of the season.”

Chapman, who reached 400 career wins last spring, said his focus this season goes beyond the scoreboard.

“I hope we have a really fun season,” Chapman said. “I hope that everyone really gives it their best.”