It didn’t take long for the Capital City Lady Cavaliers soccer team to see success on the field.
Georgia Pardalos is one of the reasons why.
“I kind of joked about how she doesn’t really say much,” Capital City coach Travis Cairer said. “But that kind of epitomizes her to me and how she plays. She’s not the vocal one, she’s not complaining to refs, she’s not yelling at her teammates. She just goes out there and plays the game. She’s very good at her job of creating goals, whether she’s the one finishing them or the one setting up a teammate.”
Pardalos committed to continue her soccer career at Lindenwood University in St. Charles, which is reclassifying to Division I this school year.
“It has a homey feel to it, the coaches were so welcoming and so nice,” Pardalos said. “The campus is close to home and they recently moved to Division I which I was really interested in. I visited this summer and I loved it.”
Lindenwood completed a 6-8-6 season with a 2-2-4 record in its first year in the Ohio Valley Conference on Friday with a loss in the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament semifinals.
“I’m looking forward to playing with new teammates, making new friends,” Pardalos said. “Starting a new tradition and trying to win a national championship.”
Pardalos helped the Lady Cavaliers have instant success on the soccer field with a 16-7 record in the team’s initial season in 2021, after missing the spring 2020 season because of COVID.
“She does a good job creating opportunities for us in the offensive third,” Cairer said. “She does it all with the right attitude and the right demeanour. She’s just one of those that’s very coachable and always trying to do the right thing for you.”
The Lady Cavaliers earned their final win of the inaugural campaign with a 3-2 penalty kick win against Helias in the first round of the Class 4 District 9 Tournament.
“Beating Helias in an overtime win in districts will always stick out,” Pardalos said of her favorite memories from high school soccer. “Also beating Rock Bridge to win the CMAC. Hopefully we win districts this year and move on to state.”
The Cavaliers then improved in Year 2, working to an 18-6 record and an appearance in the Class 3 District 7 tournament championship. Pardalos earned a spot on the Class 3 all-state team and won District Offensive Player of the Year.
“At first it was there when I was younger, but then I realized how hard it was,” Pardalos said of when she thought going to a Division I school was realistic for her. “A few months ago, I realized, ‘Wow, I’m actually going to be able to do this.’ And that’s when it really clicked.”
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