The Courier-Journal (Louisville)
D-I commits shine as No. 1 Sacred Heart remains unbeaten
Featuring a bevy of talent committed to NCAA Division I schools, the Sacred Heart Academy soccer team backed up its No. 1 state ranking Monday night.
The Valkyries got goals from seniors Caitlin Chase, A.J. Hendrick and Lilly Lund on their way to a 3-1 victory at South Oldham.
Chase (Vanderbilt), Hendrick (Cincinnati) and Lund (Denver) were among six players in Sacred Heart’s starting lineup who have committed to Division I schools, joining senior Nora Dimmitt (Bellarmine) and juniors Lilia Work (Louisville) and Amira Hendrick (Morehead State).
“We definitely mesh well together because we’re all putting in that same effort,” A.J. Hendrick said. “We all have the same end goal: to win state.”
The Valkyries improved to 10-0-2 as they chase their eighth state championship and first since 2020. Last season ended with a 4-3 loss to Bethlehem in the state final.
“It’s definitely a motivator,” Hendrick said of last year’s disappointing finish. “From the beginning of the summer, we’ve put in the work.”
No. 4-ranked South Oldham (9-2) got on the board first Monday, as senior Kaitlyn Brown headed in a corner kick by Blair Hartman in the 12th minute. It was just the sixth goal allowed by the Valkyries this season.
Sacred Heart dominated the rest of the way, tying the score just six minutes later on Chase’s team-high 10th goal of the season.
Valkyries coach Shaun Francis was pleased with the way his team “didn’t panic” after falling behind 1-0.
“For them to get a goal on a set piece was not surprising,” Francis said. “Our girls did a good job of keeping calm and playing our style of play.”
South Oldham coach Kenny Burke said his team’s comparative lack of experience was the big difference. While Sacred Heart started eight seniors and three juniors, South Oldham started three seniors, one junior, six sophomores and one freshman.
Burke noted a seventh sophomore starter — Evie Lilly — was out with an injury.
“When you’re a senior out there going against a sophomore, you kind of have your way,” Burke said. “I’m looking at Sacred Heart going, ‘I hope that’s what we look like in two years.’ … They play together. You can tell they’re all on the same page. They don’t have to stop and think about things. They all know where they’re going.”
South Oldham has a record eight state titles, but Sacred Heart has dominated this series over the past two decades. Since South Oldham’s 4-2 win in 2003, Sacred Heart is 17-0-2 over the past 19 meetings.
“It’s good to see the bar right now,” Burke said of Sacred Heart. “If you want to beat the best, there it is and that’s what it looks like. … I hope the girls answer that call.”