January 6, 2025
Riley Conlan and Emmi Bowman Shine as MDCA Girls Soccer Continues Dominant Season
By Kyle Coppola
Riley Conlan and Emmi Bowman Shine as MDCA Girls Soccer Continues Dominant Season
MOUNT DORA, Fla. — The Mount Dora Christian Academy (MDCA) Bulldogs are off to a blistering start to the 2024 girls’ soccer season, boasting a 9-1-1 record thanks to a potent offense and stout defense.
Junior forward Riley Conlan has spearheaded the Bulldogs’ attack with a team-leading 13 goals. Conlan is complemented by senior Hallie Edwards and freshman Abigail Feld, who have each netted 11 goals, forming a trio that has overwhelmed opposing defenses so far this season.
(This has been a common sight this year with MDCA winning 9 games. The only loss coming to The Villages this season.)
“These girls play for each other, and it shows in the way they share the ball and create opportunities,” head coach Clayton McDaniel said. “The play of Jessine Brooks, Serenity Jordan Bell and Lana Boudreau have been outstanding. Offensively we have Riley Conlan, Hallie Edwards and Abigail Feld who have carried us.” says coach McDaniel.
While the offensive firepower has garnered headlines, the Bulldogs’ defense, anchored by junior goalkeeper Emmi Bowman, has been equally impressive. Bowman has been a wall in the net, allowing just one goal in 415 minutes of play while recording 29 saves.
“Emmi’s consistency and focus have been incredible,” McDaniel said. “She’s our last line of defense, and she’s delivered every time we’ve needed her. Overall though this is a total team effort honestly. Every single player contributes and our depth has carried us all season long.” says coach McDaniel.
MDCA’s depth has been vital, with juniors Raelyn Richardson and Brianna Brown contributing solid performances on both ends of the pitch. Madi Tweedie has also played a key role, offering versatility and leadership in the midfield.
The Bulldogs have thrived despite missing star junior Katie Bayly, who is sidelined recovering from an injury. Bayly is a high profile softball player who is committed to Rutgers and is preparing for softball season. “While it we miss her a lot we look forward to having her back next season.” says coach McDaniel.
MDCA is looking for a district championship and hoping to make some noise in the FHSAA Playoffs which are just a few weeks away. They are also part of the SSAA State Championship which will be taking place this upcoming weekend with MDCA taking on Out-of-Door Academy in the semifinals.
Kyle Coppola was born in Newton, Massachusetts and received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Communications from Curry College in 2016. After traveling to Florida on a family vacation, he decided he could not get enough of the warm weather and made the move from snowy Massachusetts to central Florida 8 years ago.
For the last decade Kyle has gained valuable experience in social media content creation, marketing and sales, writing, video production, sports announcing and even broadcasting for local radio stations, such as FM 102.9 in The Villages and FM 91.5 in Massachusetts. Every year he volunteers at The Villages Charter High School as a play-by-play sports announcer for the football games as well as a public address announcer for the basketball games, including the annual Battle at The Villages Tournament.
Outside the office Kyle is a husband and father to two beautiful girls along with their cat. In his spare time he likes to spend time with his family, travel, play golf and swim. He is also a huge sports junkie and even bigger motorsports fan and loves to attend racing events when he can.
