The Northwestern girls' soccer team made its deepest postseason run ever last year. The Tigers won both Colonial League and District 11 Class AA titles and advanced to the PIAA semifinal round. They finished the season with a 23-2 record.

A number of last year's key players have graduated and moved on to college. The three Division I recruits, Sarah Segan, Sabrina Mertz and Angela Motolese, as well as goalkeeper Laura Hill, center back Alexis Gawelko and midfielder Rachel Fisher, have left the program as one of the most accomplished classes in history.While the challenge of replacing that group scares head coach Kelly Bleam, she is prepared for the season. In fact, Bleam enjoys the rebuilding seasons as much or more than others."The challenges that are in front of me and the girls, that is why we are athletes and competitors, because we like challenges," Bleam said. "It's a challenge that I'm happy to solve and figure out. Honestly, I couldn't ask for a better group of kids to try and figure it out with because they want to."The transition might be an exciting one for Bleam and Northwestern, but one of the main questions is replacing a combined 70 goals from Segan (38), Mertz (18) and Motolese (14) a year ago. McKenzie Divers and Lydia Danner will have big shoes to fill, but are both senior attacking midfielders who are very capable of scoring."I'm thinking right now if I had to guess, I'm going to say it's going to get spread around pretty well because I think they are several people that can score goals," said Bleam. "We're probably going to look different to anybody who is watching us play. I'm actually very excited with what we have and what the team is going to look like this year. We've had wonderfully talented senior classes graduate before. Rebuilding years can be some of the most rewarding and fun years."Seniors Taylor Slack and Haley Hebelka will be on the defensive line for Bleam. Juniors Emily Renner and Karlie Bardonner will join them. Bleam believes that defense is a strength of the 2015 version of the Lady Tigers.Sophomore Jessie Williamson returns and is expected to start for Northwestern. Bleam also expects a number of freshmen to help the varsity team, including Maggie Motolese and Sara Hathaway."They know that a lot of things about our team are going to feel different and look different," Bleam said. "But they know, and I have assured them, that we are still going to be successful. It's just going to be different."While last year was memorable, the focus is on the present."As a coach, I'm certainly not looking back going, 'Oh my gosh I can't believe we lost this, this and this,'" Bleam said. "I'm really looking forward to what we're going to be able to create and establish moving forward with the girls in our program."