Lakota East lacrosse coach says goalie ‘has come a long way’ during her career

Upton, a junior who plans to play college lacrosse, has 177 saves, the second most in the Greater Miami Conference. She had 116 saves as a freshman and 116 last season, giving her 409 career saves.

Her coach, Jock Roeder, who spent six seasons at Milford High School and the last two at Lakota East, believes Upton is the best goalie in the conference.

Her skill level “has come a long” during her high school career, Roeder said Tuesday night after Lakota East beat Oak Hills 18-5. “It keeps going up and she’s a team leader as a junior. She’s ready and pumped for every single game.”

The Thunderhawks are 9-8 overall, 8-4 in the GMC.

Roeder said playing goalie is 75% mental. They must understand that lacrosse, until soccer and ice hockey, is a high-scoring sport. After a goalie gives up a goal, they must ““reset themselves,” he said.

One goal can’t lead to more scores, he said.

Upton said she must trust her defensive teammates and they must trust her. If not, she said, there is “no connection and the team falls apart.”

That’s what leads to Upton being one-on-one against an opponent.

“I just try to focus on the ball,” she said of that scenario. “When they score, it’s not always my fault.”

Her father, Todd Upton, described watching his daughter play goalie as “nervous and anxious,” but also “very rewarding.”

He has enjoyed seeing her development over the years and how she takes “great pride” in her work.

It takes “a special person” to play goalie, he said.

Besides Abbey, Todd and Sarah Upton have a son, E.J., who played lacrosse at Lakota East and is a senior at Earlham College in Richmond, Ind.

Abbey remembers watching her brother play lacrosse and being introduced to the game. She didn’t like lacrosse at first, she said.

But after playing with a summer team, she realized lacrosse was the sport for her.

“Lacrosse is made for me,” she said.

She has signed to play lacrosse at Longwood University, a small Division I school in Virginia.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR ATHLETE