Entering the season, it was uncertain who might be responsible for leading the IU women’s soccer team’s ?offense.
Lost to graduation were IU’s two leading goal scorers from 2013, Lisa Nouanesengsy and Rebecca Candler. Junior midfielder Kayleigh Steigerwalt, who was the team’s third-leading scorer last year, was lost to injury before the season even began.
IU Coach Amy Berbary said before the season that someone would need to step up and account for scoring.
Cue junior midfielder Jessie Bujouves.
Bujouves already has five goals through nine games this season. Two of those goals were game-winners.
After a bit of uncertainty about where the goals would be coming from, the Ontario, Canada, native has taken the call.
“She’s definitely stepped up,” senior forward Jordan Woolums said. “I don’t think you can say we were surprised with how well she’s playing, but it’s a good surprise. We knew we were going to get something out of her, but we’re getting a lot out of her, which is exciting.”
Bujouves spent the past summer playing midfielder for the Ottawa Fury club team in Canada.
The Fury play is part of the United Soccer Leagues W-League, the second tier of women’s soccer in the United States and Canada.
Bujouves had the experience of playing alongside the likes of some of Canada’s best players such as Canadian national team member Kadeisha Buchanan.
She said being able to play alongside the professional-quality competition made her a tougher player.
“Even on days that I wasn’t playing, I knew I was going to get tested,” Bujouves said. “Playing with them helped me grow a ton, just being around the team.”
Berbary said that growth as a player wasn’t solely on the field but in the weight room.
She said Bujouves put emphasis on returning fit and that she returned to camp as strong as Berbary’s seen her.
“After playing with a high-level Canadian team, she came back a lot stronger,” she said. “She really put her work in the weight room and brought a physicality to her game.”
The other thing working for Bujouves this year has been a welcomed position change.
Last year she played mostly holding midfielder and couldn’t always push the offense with the ball. She said she knew her roll and tried to make the best of the situations she had.
This year, Berbary gave Bujouves a bit more freedom up top to play closer to the net. She’s taken advantage of that with her team-high five scores and already has a team-high 24 shots, 14 of which have been on goal.
“We put her more on the offensive side of the ball, and she’s done well with it,” Berbary said. “Having her use the freedom to do what she’s good at has helped her. She’s good one v. one. She’s got a knack for getting around the ball and takes advantage.”
Woolums said Bujouves has always been a technical player but that her technicality improved even more so during the summer.
With only seven games left in the regular season to get into the top eight and into the Big Ten Tournament, Bujouves is going to be relied on more to get the offense going.
To Berbary, what Bujouves has been able to do already might be just the beginning.
“We’re excited for what she’s done so far,” Berbary said. “We just need to hope she continues to improve for us.”
Follow reporter Sam Beishuizen on Twitter, @Sam_Beishuizen
