Girls soccer: For Naperville North's Santos, game became a source of solace

Life is full of love and loss.

For most high school seniors that final loss ends playing days that likely started when they first were able to walk and just began kicking a soccer ball. The love of the game might remain today, but for most those playing days are suddenly over.

For Naperville's Ashley Santos, loss has been far bigger than soccer games. Her mother, Lourdes, died last November, but she found a way to survive that loss. In doing so she became one of the leaders for a Huskies team that ended up being one of the top teams in the state, winning regional and sectional titles before just coming up short in a penalty-kick shootout in a supersectional.

She will play next season at Illinois State.

Santos was undoubtedly the emotional leader for the Huskies, who not only persevered through the personal pain of the loss of her mother, but also shined while taking the field. For her stellar efforts, seemingly countless contributions and passion of the game, Santos has been named the captain of the 2017 Daily Herald DuPage County All-Area girls soccer team.

“Without a doubt Ashley was the engine that made the team go,” Huskies coach Steve Goletz said. “I think the amazing thing, and I'm sure I've said it 100 times, is that she was able to play at that level and has been one of our best leaders despite what she had to go through. I think that's a testament to the girl she is.”

Stepping up to lead

Weeks after her mother passed away, Santos was asking Goletz if she could lead the team's morning workouts at 5:15 a.m.

“She was that kind of a leader,” Goletz said. “And she told me that she wanted to get the group together as much as possible because she was most happy when she was surrounded by her teammates. That sense of leadership and togetherness made my job easy. She was always positive and charismatic and played as hard as anyone.”

And she got better despite what she had to endure at home.

“Ashley's jump this year from last year was pretty amazing, especially with what she had to overcome,” Goletz said. “She went from being someone who was a great athlete that turned into not only a great athlete but an even better soccer player. Day in and day out, and we played the hardest schedule we've ever played, there was no one who was more consistent, so that says a lot about Ashley.”

In prior years Santos felt the pressure of high school soccer got the best of her and that her best games came during the club season. That seemed to change this spring when she helped the Huskies to a 20-3-3 record.

“I don't know why, but I always felt like I was freaking out a bit with high school compared to club season,” she said. “I improved my fitness level coming into this year, and maybe that's what helped me. I don't know. I love the sport, though, and it's a game where you never feel like it's over, and I love having that fighting mentality until the end where even if there are only three seconds left you can find a way to win.”

It seems like just yesterday that Santos was just joining the program. Now she's leaving.

Coming in as a freshman, Santos knew she was talented but felt she had reason to be intimidated. The Huskies were coming off of back-to-back state championships and suddenly she was trying out for varsity and to then attempt to capture a third consecutive Class 3A title. That's quite a task for someone in their early teens.

“I walked in and right away there was a target on all of our backs, but it's been the best four years for me,” she said. “I felt that pressure from the very beginning, but I've thrived in it. I mean, I love the game so much, and even though that freshman year wasn't the best, I became a part of that family, which has been amazing.”

Not just a game

Soccer has always been fun for Santos, but now being on the field has also become therapeutic.

“I'm always on the go, it seems,” she said. “With everything I've gone through I feel good to be able to step on the field and play my game. I know my Mom is watching over me, and during signing day I talked about her not being on the sidelines but still being in the best seat in the house, which is pretty cool. Sometimes I'll go out for a run to clear my mind, but playing games has also been a nice outlet.”

Santos scored 6 goals and added 10 assists as a defensive midfielder. She also scored the game-winning goals in the sectional semifinal and sectional final.

“I didn't expect to be scoring many goals because I think the max I ever had was 3 in a season,” she said. “Knowing we've struggled at times scoring, I had to find a way to help out if I could. I may not be the cleanest technically, but I found a way to finish sometimes, which was cool.”

The Huskies set a school record with 20 shutouts, eclipsing the mark of 19 they established a season ago. Santos was a prime reason why teams struggled in finding the back of the net.

“Our defense was phenomenal and Ashley had a lot to do with that,” Goletz said. “We had to put on more pressure on teams and try to keep it to a shutout and our midfield and defense were incredible. To have 39 shutouts the past two years is just mind-blowing.”

Don't be surprised if you see Santos ultimately make her way back on a soccer field after college. She may have just turned in her Huskies jersey, and while her time of donning a Redbirds shirt is just beginning, eventually her playing days will come to a close. Eventually she hopes to become a teacher, maybe even a soccer coach.

“I can see myself teaching and also coaching someday,” she said. “The experience I've had at Naperville North has been ideal, and if I could be a part of something like that again, I think I would really enjoy it.”