Kalaheo grad finds you can juggle soccer, school

By Dennis Anderson
Advertiser Staff Writer

After playing soccer and other sports year-round for 10 years, Lindsey Peck of 'Aikahi felt like she had had enough.

PECK

But after she visited the 1,350-student campus 88 miles east of Kansas City and talked with coach Derek Burton, Peck decided small-college soccer might be all right after all.

Everyone from her coaches to her teammates to her parents and herself are glad she changed her mind.

Peck helped Missouri Valley reach the NAIA regional quarterfinals — the Lady Vikings' furthest advance in 10 years — and Heart of America Conference coaches unanimously chose her as a first-team midfielder, a rarity for a freshman. She was selected second-team NAIA all-region by coaches.

"We went 11-3-2 after an 0-4 start and Lindsey was a big reason for our success," Burton said. "She played 85 to 90 minutes a game — we couldn't afford to take her out — and she was as fast in the 80th minute as she was in the 10th minute."

"If you get her the ball with a little space and a defender on her hip, it's a mismatch all the time," Burton said.

"She's good at running the flanks and getting the ball deep into opponents' territory to get services into the box or cut in herself. It's almost like having a third forward," he continued.

Peck led the team in shots with 53 and was tied for second in goals with seven. She had four assists and 18 total points.

"I really do love soccer," Peck said. "and it helps that this is a smaller school. I wasn't like Division I, where I would have to devote my whole life to it. I could play and do other things."

One of those things was achieving a 3.4 grade-point average her first semester.

Jennifer Katres, a classmate and friend of Peck's from Kalaheo, played defender in all but one of Missouri Valley's games and started a couple, Burton said. "She has good vision and she's smart," Burton said. "She needs to work on her anticipation."