Written by Ace Espenshied

With a Gulf South Conference championship appearance and a NCAA tournament appearance already under their belt, the third batch of recruits for the Lady Blazers soccer team will look to add to the progress.

Earlier in February, head Coach Melissa Heinz added nine new players that have officially signed to play for the Blazers.

In a signing class that includes siblings uniting, transfers from junior colleges and the hope for more recruits to come, Coach Heinz knew what would make the team better.

“[We got] attacking players, mainly midfielders and forwards that like to attack and like to score,” Heinz said. “Last season the Lady Blazers outscored their opponents 30-18 but they also were shut out in all three of their final games of 2012. The Blazers will be looking to their signing class to bring more consistency to the offense.”

Dallas Davis, a forward from Alpharetta, is certainly consistent and efficient on the offensive side of the ball as she scored 22 goals and had 22 assists in her three years in high school.

Kimberly Treutel and Katherine Blumhardt, both transfers from Darton State College, will make their way to southern Georgia next season. Both midfielders, Blumhardt and Treutel were named to the Region 17 all-tournament team and Treutel was named first team all-region in 2012.

In a day and age where playing collegiately or professionally with your sibling, the Mulkey sisters will add to the trend.  Abigail Mulkey, defender out of Toccoa, will join VSU to play with her sister Hannah. But it’s safe to say that this won’t be much of a sibling rivalry.

“I don’t think they are going to be rivals because they are a pretty tight knit family,” Heinz said. “The thing about the Mulkey’s is that they want the best one out there, in any role. They are comfortable in their own skin that if she’s getting it done I’m going to encourage her but if she’s not then I’m going to step in and get it done.”

Also looking to compliment a defense that put up nine shutouts last season are local products Ashley Miller and Margret Elaine Powell from Lowndes High School. Defender, Kayla Marie Robles, from Buford, was a three sport athlete in high school who ran cross country, played basketball and soccer.

All nine of the committed recruits are from Georgia, but Coach Heinz hopes that will change soon.

“We are in the process of getting three international girls to sign with us in the next couple of months,” Heinz said. “We’re looking for that to spice up our recruiting class as well and bring in a little bit more diversity.”

. This signing class will bring a lot of intrigue to a confident team ready to take the next step.