Lake Zurich senior Erin Bohn can draw parallels between goalkeeping and engineering.
Bohn, who has played in goal since she was 9 years old, intends to study civil engineering at Northeastern University in Boston.
“I love building things and putting things together,” she said. “Communication and working with a team in engineering is like working with my back line, telling them what to do and helping organize them.”
Bohn’s methods have proved to be effective on the soccer field. Lake Zurich has won two straight Class 3A regional titles with her in goal and three straight overall.
Bohn showed her potential during her sophomore season, when she recorded nine shutouts and a 0.75 goals-against average. She was even more successful last season, when she had 13 shutouts and a 0.59 goals-against average to earn All-North Suburban Conference honors.
So the Bears (1-0-1) will lean on her and sophomore forward Reilly Novak, who had 21 goals and 13 assists last season, as they compete for a conference title and prepare for the playoffs.
“We have nine seniors returning and a bunch of new players, but Erin is really stepping up this year,” Lake Zurich coach Mike Castronova said. “She is in more of a leadership role and is also very experienced. She’s made some big saves for us early this season, and she knows this is her time now and she has to step up. She thrives in big games.”
Lake Zurich senior defender Kate O’Neill, who has played with Bohn throughout their high school careers, said Bohn’s personality is important to the team’s success.
“Erin’s always the most supportive person on the field, in practice and in games,” O’Neill said. “She is so reliable. I always know that if the ball gets past me, she’ll take care of it.
“Off the field, she is so friendly with everyone and makes everyone laugh and the freshman feel welcomed, and I think those friendships help our team chemistry on the field too.”
Lake Zurich senior defender Sawyer Klein agreed that Bohn is a unifier.
“In addition to her incredible athleticism, Erin has a great ability to organize the back line and be a supportive teammate,” Klein said. “She has been an amazing friend and leader to countless people, including me.
“She is a great person to be around because she celebrates everyone’s successes, whether it’s a great goal or a defensive stop. The energy she brings to the team helps us stay motivated and work together collectively.”
Bohn said her older brother Ryan, who attends USC, indirectly motivated her to become a standout goalkeeper.
“Ryan was very successful in school and had some very high test scores,” she said. “I leaned into soccer.”
Bohn, who has decided she won’t play soccer in college, would like to lead Lake Zurich to a sectional title in her final season. The Bears have suffered tough losses to Barrington in sectional finals in the past two years and last won a sectional title in 2004.
“It was a hard decision for me not to play in college,” Bohn said. “My goal this year is to beat Barrington. We have gotten closer every time. We fought hard. I think we have the potential to go far in the playoffs. We have some strong connections on this team.”
Bobby Narang is a freelance reporter.
