Toughness stays with Blue Dragon goalkeeper Karsyn Slothower

By Cleary Percy
Staff writer

The Hutchinson Community College women’s soccer team is off to a blazing start this season, winning nine of their first 13 games, losing just once, and are currently ranked 10th in the NJCAA Division I women’s soccer rankings.

A big factor in the team’s success is freshman goalkeeper Karsyn Slothower. Slothower, a graduate of Maize High School, has been stellar in goal for the Blue Dragons. Over 13 games, Slothower has only allowed seven, with a save percentage of .903.

Like many goalkeepers, Slothower didn’t start out as one when she began playing soccer. It wasn’t until Slothower was in an under-9 league when she gave goalkeeping a try when no one else wanted to.

“I really liked diving around and throwing myself at the ball,” Slothower said. “I decided to try it for a game and I loved it.” 

Slothower’s connection with Blue Dragons coach Sammy Lane was a factor in her decision to play for HutchCC. The club that she was playing for at the time, FC Wichita, had combined practices where Lane was able to see Slothower’s talent.

“I came on my visit, we clicked and I really loved it,” Slothower said.

If you had seen Slothower around campus in late September, you would have noticed that she had a pretty gnarly black eye. Slothower said that during a game against Cowley on Sept. 23, she was going for a ball against an opponent. 

“She missed the ball when I had it, and her knee swung and hit me right in the forehead,” Slothower said. “After that, I had a lump, and I thought it wasn’t that bad, and it ended up sinking into my eyebrows, and started draining into my face.” 

If that doesn’t say how committed Slothower is to keeping her net clean, what does?

“The bump is not the whole size of my forehead,” Slothower said, “so that’s good.”

Lane said the effect that Slothower has had on the team is immense.

“You’ve got someone like Karsyn in goal, who quite frankly has turned some of those ties into wins, making crucial saves at the right times,” Lane said. 

Lane said that believes that the team’s success started last year with the resilience the team showed being down in games and that it’s carried into this year. 

“I guess if you deal with me everyday in training, you probably get used to being resilient,” Lane said. “It’s not always the easiest spot to be (in), so when you go and play games it’s probably a little bit easier.” 

Lane believes that the team cares for each other, and in turn are playing and competing for one another.

“You put the fact that they really care for each other, and along with some talent … you have a chance to be successful,” Lane said.

The Blue Dragons are back in action Saturday at archrival Butler. The Blue Dragons return to the Salthawk Sports Complex on Oct. 11 to play host to Coffeyville.

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