After both soccer programs had extensive and successful seasons this fall, making runs in the states, there have been some notable achievements to look back at. Coincidentally enough, both goalies on the girls and boys Indian Hills soccer teams broke the school record for most saves in a single season. Senior goalie Alexa Kulhawy broke the record for most saves in a single season for girls soccer, while senior goalie LJ Renshaw broke the record for most saves in a single season, along with breaking the record for most saves in a single game for boys soccer.
In a match against Bergenfield on September 16th, 2024, senior LJ Renshaw acquired 16 saves, breaking the school’s single-game save record for a second consecutive year. Prior to his accomplishments, alumni Andrew Cameron’s record of 13 saves had stood since 2015. During the team’s run in states, Renshaw accumulated 23 total saves across three games. Although it didn’t go the way the team wanted, Renshaw shares, “…I would have loved to take home a banner for the league, county, and section after a successful season and unfortunately just falling short when it came to these three awards for our team. It was an emotional goodbye.”
Throughout 21 total games, Renshaw saved a grand total of 173 shots, giving him the honor of being the new holder of the single-season saves record. Renshaw continues, “Entering the season, I wasn’t aiming to break a record. I knew my job, and I knew that I just had to keep the ball out of the net. Looking back, I feel like I did my job pretty well even though we didn’t pull through when it mattered most. Furthermore, reflecting on the season, two records are pretty cool, but I didn’t go into the season thinking about records. I went in thinking this year was the year, so let’s make history.”
In just her second season as a soccer goalie, senior Alexa Kulhawy blew away the single-season saves record with a grand total of 205 saves across 24 games. After many games of almost breaking the school record, Kulhawy finally acquired enough saves after her game on October 7th against Westwood. Kulhawy accumulated 9 saves, breaking the previous record of 107 held by Anna Sasson in 2016. Kulhawy comments, “Breaking the single-season saves record was not my goal entering the season. My only goal for the season was to give 110% for every game in goal and try to defend the best I can for my team.”
Two statistical season highlights that Kulhawy experienced throughout the season were when she kept the ball out of the net against Westwood on September 18th, gathering 17 saves in a 1-0 victory. Later in the season, during the NJSIAA Tournament, Semifinal Round on November 11th against Waldwick, Kulhawy had a total of 15 saves, allowing the Braves to move on to the Final Round with a 3-2 victory. “It feels surreal to break the single-season saves record… I love my team and the family we created. In a season filled with tough and close games, it made it easy for me to break this record. I’m also grateful for the defense in front of me for helping protect me throughout the season,” Kulhawy explains. This 2024 soccer season was filled with excitement and accomplishments left and right for Kulhawy and Renshaw.