Barrington forward Piper Lucier was a beacon of positivity during her illustrious four-year career.
As consistent as a metronome and as humble as pie, the Marquette recruit racked up eye-popping personal statistics while helping the Fillies remain one of the state’s elite programs.
“Besides the whole soccer part, she’s probably the kid I’ve been the hardest on over four years, and she’s taken all of it and she’s gotten better and better,” Barrington coach Ryan Stengren said.
“I always tell her family that she’s like my second daughter. That’s what I think of her, and she handles herself way above what her age is. She’s so mature. When you talk to her, that comes out.”
Lucier plays like it too. She finished with 64 goals and 69 assists, making her one of the best ever to play for the Fillies, who compiled a 85-8-6 record and three state trophies with her in the lineup.
Ever since her freshman year, when she had 18 goals and 12 assists and led Barrington to the first of back-to-back appearances in the Class 3A state championship game, Lucier has played with an infectious enthusiasm and joy.
“It’s awesome playing with Piper,” Barrington senior midfielder Madeline Lewis said. “She’s a great leader on this team — obviously can execute in games.
“She’s just gotten more confident, and it’s been awesome to see as her teammate. She’s a great person to play with, and I know she’ll have a really bright future.”
Lucier’s senior season for Barrington (20-2-2) was her best yet. She tied her career high in goals with 18 and had a career-best 21 assists, including one on the game-tying goal in the Fillies’ 2-1 victory over Lane in the Class 3A third-place game at North Central College in Naperville on June 7.
Lucier, who had been playing on a badly sprained ankle for two weeks, was fouled 30 yards from Lane’s net. She joined Lewis, sophomore defender Aybree Sanchez and junior forward Skye Lundy in preparing for the ensuing free kick.
All four began moving in unison. Rather than shooting, the Northern Illinois-bound Lewis rolled a diagonal pass through a seam in the Lane defense into the box to Lucier, who quickly sent a sharp cross in front to Lundy, who scored on a 5-yard shot.
“All thanks to Stengren,” Lucier said. “We only ran through it 400 times, so I hope we had it down. It was a really fun goal.”
Lucier said she enjoys delivering assists even more than scoring goals. She has plenty of experience at both.
“You look good, and both are good, so it’s great to have them just so everyone can be happy,” Lucier said. “It’s a really great feeling when you assist, especially this year.
“I feel like it wasn’t just to one person every time. It was to a variety of people, and I love that everyone’s involved in it no matter what role they play.”
Lucier’s role increased with each passing season. As a senior, she was expected to be more of a leader and boost her production despite being the center of attention from opposing defenses.
That was easier said than done. Heavy graduation losses hit the Fillies after they went 19-2-2 in 2024, when they lost in a supersectional to Fremd.
Lucier didn’t have any other big attackers with her in front. Stengren used her as the lone forward in a 4-5-1 formation.
“We were always searching for wingers to play with her,” Stengren said.
Lewis, who scored the game-winning goal against Lane in the second half of the third-place game, played three years with Lucier.
“I think it shows her leadership and how much dedication she puts toward the team,” Lewis said. “It’s great.”
But true to her unselfish nature, Lucier was quick to share credit for her team’s success.
“I think that every senior honestly had to take a step into a big role and hold it differently because coming into the season, it was one of my first seasons specifically being where Barrington was like the underdog,” Lucier said. “Honestly, I think that lit our fire a little bit and kept us hungry, and then I think this was the strongest mental team I’ve been on.
“Everybody wanted it. We were the most technical team, but we tried our best every single game, and that’s all you could ask for at the end of the day. We do team better than anybody.”
That could be why the Fillies reached the state semifinals for the ninth time in the past 12 seasons. But they may not have gotten that far without the gritty determination of Lucier, who suffered the ankle injury in the Dundee-Crown Regional championship game against the host Chargers.
Lucier scored the only goal in the Fillies’ win over Lake Zurich in the Warren Sectional championship game and assisted the final goal of their 3-1 victory over Libertyville in the Barrington Supersectional.
“Her ankle’s bad,” Stengren said. “You didn’t see the best version of her because she can’t run at her top speed, but she gave whatever she had. She has a high motor, and she defends so well out of her position too.”
Barrington is seemingly always in position to win. Lewis is happy the season ended with a victory.
“It’s been absolutely incredible,” Lewis said. “Obviously, we didn’t get the state title, but ending on a win is all anybody can ask for.”
Lucier said she thinks she received even more than that during her four seasons.
“I’m glad it’s a team sport because everyone just keeps you so locked together,” Lucier said. “I think it’d be really hard to do it alone.
“Every single year the team is so different, and every year it feels like a different family. So I feel like I have the best four families, my own family and all these people around you.”
Barrington's Piper Lucier, left, tries to control the ball against St. Charles North's Laney Stark during the Class 3A Barrington Supersectional on Tuesday, May 30, 2023. (H. Rick Bamman / Pioneer Press)
Lucier, who intends to major in nursing, heaped praised on other people like she was making an acceptance speech at the Oscars.
“I think that Barrington’s so special because there’s so many people around you,” she said. “We have great coaches, we have the best trainer ever, we have the best AD and then assistant AD.
“You’re just so supported that it’s hard not to love what you do every day and want to do better and leave a good legacy for this program. So I just think that if anyone can move into the Barrington school district, they should play girls soccer because it’s just the best experience you’ll get in your lifetime. It’s awesome.”
Matt Le Cren is a freelance reporter.
