SYCAMORE – After her third straight 20-goal season, there aren’t many Sycamore girls soccer records that don’t belong to Saydie Holland.
And if she keeps the pace she’s set in her first three seasons, she may end up owning pretty much all of them.
Holland scored 23 goals and had a career-best 19 assists as Sycamore reached the Class 2A Rochelle Sectional this year. Holland was named the 2018 Daily Chronicle Girls Soccer Player of the Year after winning the award last year, as well.
![Holland is the school’s career leader with 77 goals. She set the single-season mark for assists this year, and is only four assists off the career lead in that category, as well.
“She’ll make the [records] really difficult to beat for future seasons,” said Sycamore coach Dave Lichamer, who recently stepped down from the program. “Being a four-year varsity starter certainly helps. You’re in position to get those stats. You’re going to rack them up more.”](f6412b8b-47c3-488a-80b0-014d260522e6/image-pv_web.jpg)
Holland is the school’s career leader with 77 goals. She set the single-season mark for assists this year, and is only four assists off the career lead in that category, as well.
“She’ll make the [records] really difficult to beat for future seasons,” said Sycamore coach Dave Lichamer, who recently stepped down from the program. “Being a four-year varsity starter certainly helps. You’re in position to get those stats. You’re going to rack them up more.”
Holland had a career-best 29 goals last year and only eight assists. This year, those numbers evened out more as more goal-scorers emerged, including her sister, Ella Holland, who was the Chronicle’s player of the year in 2016 but missed last year with an injury.
“My teammates just make really great runs, so it’s pretty easy to find them when they make such good runs,” Saydie Holland said. “Also, just being in the right place at the right time and finishing my shots when I get the chance.”
Lichamer said Saydie Holland – who committed to Ole Miss after last season – does what it takes to win, whether that means taking a shot or passing it off.
“Her direction on the field was incredibly helpful, as was her ability to take over a game and use her considerable skill-base to do what needs to be done to get us up on the winning side,” Lichamer said. “To see that kind of balance between goals and assists is a pretty good feat.”
Last year, the Spartans reached the sectional championship round of the postseason and made the state tournament in 2016, taking third.
This year, the team didn’t go as far as it hoped, but still finished 20-3.
“Postseason was a little disappointing,” Saydie Holland said. “But overall, I’m happy with how we played as a team.”
Saydie Holland added the team plans to come out extremely motivated for 2019.
“We’re losing some really great seniors, but we’re also excited for the new talent coming in next year,” Saydie Holland said. “It definitely won’t leave a cloud. I think we’re excited for next year.”