This year’s version of the San Diego Strikers will have the services of several returning players including star forward Kiera Bocchino, who was named 2022 WPSL Plymouth Division offensive player of the year and led the team in scoring with seven goals last season including one in the playoffs along with tallying three assists.
“I’m really excited to come back, I just feel we left off from a place where we could have kept going,” said Bocchino. “It was a fun season and I’m really looking forward to getting back into it. My favorite part of our team is our chemistry, it’s good to see everyone kicking grass.”
The San Diego Strikers will play eight regular season matches in 2023, with the opener on May 20 at Madison High School versus Parceiro Ladies. The first home game at Mission Bay High School will be on May 28 against San Diego Surf.
Before playing for the SD Strikers, Bocchino, an UC San Diego graduate, had an impressive career scoring goals for the Tritons and San Diego SeaLions where she got the chance to play alongside San Diego Wave FC defender Sierra Enge in 2018.
Enge made her first start for the NWSL club on April 19 in a 1-0 victory over the Portland Thorns at Snapdragon Stadium. Bocchino attended the match with the Kearny Komets girls soccer team, which she coaches with Strikers teammate Cassie Callahan.
“Our team went to that game for our banquet and Sierra was playing,” she added. “A lot of us (Strikers) also went to the home opener and got to see Alex Morgan against Mallory Swanson, Kornieck was out there too with Sofia Jakobsson, they were all playing so that was really fun.”
Among other returning SD Strikers players are midfielder Maddy Samilo, and Rachel Sadowski, who did not get to play last year due to injury. Head coach Ray Taila, who earned WPSL Plymouth Division coach of the year honors after leading the team to an undefeated regular season (7-0-1) and also a 6-0-0 record in 2021, is back at the helm.
“I’m really looking forward to playing this season and getting back together,” Bocchino concluded. “We lost a few players that we’re really sad about, however, we’re getting some new players, so I’m excepting some exciting new things.”
Photo courtesy: David Frerker
